Türkiye introduces mandatory detailed menus in restaurants nationwide

ANKARA

Türkiye’s Agriculture and Forestry Ministry has introduced a new regulation requiring restaurants and cafes to provide detailed menus, aiming to promote healthier and more informed consumer choices.

Under the new rules, both physical and digital menus, including QR code menus, will be required to display comprehensive information about each dish, including ingredients, calorie counts, allergen details and whether items contain alcohol or pork-derived components.

Authorities say the move is designed to improve transparency and help customers make more conscious decisions.

The transition to the new system will be gradual.

National chain restaurants are expected to lead the way with a compliance deadline of July 1, while businesses with three or more branches in the same city will have until Dec. 31 to update their menus.

For all other establishments, the process is split into two stages: They must provide full ingredient information by the end of 2026, followed by mandatory calorie counts by Dec. 31, 2027.

By 2028, all restaurants and cafes across Türkiye will be required to fully implement the detailed menu system.

Officials emphasize that the information must be presented clearly and be easily accessible to customers, marking a significant shift toward greater food transparency in the country’s dining sector.

According to the regulation that came into effect as of Jan. 1, 2024, food and beverage establishments such as restaurants, cafes and patisseries are already required to place menus and price lists at entrance doors and on tables, ensuring they are easily visible to consumers.