The Australian Government has changed the menu surcharge laws in time for the Ekka show holiday on Wednesday 14th August. Previously, café and restaurant owners who charged extra on public holidays and weekends had to create a whole new menu for those days. It has been a point of frustration for hospitality business owners for years.
Under the changes, restaurants and cafes no longer have to create separate menus to apply surcharges. So long as customers are made aware there is a surcharge, menus can remain the same with the usual prices listed. The law change aims to reduce ‘red tape’ for business owners, but still make sure that consumers are treated fairly.
The Royal Queensland Show public holiday for Brisbane, on the 14th August, will be the first public holiday for business owners in Brisbane since the change.
