The Spring Festival of the Year of the Dragon is approaching, and the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner reservation scene is hot, and the box is even more "hard to find". The reporter's recent investigation found that some restaurants have set minimum consumption standards, and the per capita consumption must reach several hundred yuan to book a private room; some have launched various set menus, most of which are not less than 2000,<> yuan, and only those who choose a set meal will provide private rooms.

(Beijing Daily, January 1)

Eating Chinese New Year's Eve dinner in restaurants has become a consumption habit for many consumers, because during the Spring Festival, the number of waiters in the hotel is reduced, but business is booming, which also causes the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner to be "hard to find", even in the hall is difficult to have empty seats. In order to maximize profits, hotels take "minimum consumption" as the threshold. If consumers do not meet the prescribed "standards", they will not be able to book a table.

At present, the contradiction between supply and demand of Chinese New Year's Eve meals is acute, "one is hard to find" is an indisputable fact, and it is reasonable for restaurants to make more money, but no matter how prosperous the business is, the "minimum consumption" cannot be used as the threshold. For example, in a restaurant, the box has a "minimum consumption", and the order must reach 2088 yuan. Dining in the hall must also meet the standard of "minimum consumption of 1588,200 yuan for large tables and 600 yuan per person for small tables". According to this "regulation", if a family of three wants to eat Chinese New Year's Eve dinner at the restaurant, they must order enough dishes for <> yuan, how much waste will it cause?

For a long time, the setting of "minimum consumption" in catering establishments has been criticized and caused many disputes. As early as 2014, the Ministry of Commerce and the National Development and Reform Commission jointly promulgated the Measures for the Administration of the Operation of the Catering Industry (Trial), which clearly stipulates that "catering operators are prohibited from setting minimum consumption". In 2021, the Beijing Municipal Anti-Food Waste Regulations stated that "catering service operators shall clearly indicate the service items and their charging standards, and shall not set a minimum consumption amount". But the "minimum consumption" that everyone shouted was "resurrected" in the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, and it was so blatant.

For the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, even if the business is booming, it should comply with laws and regulations and protect the rights and interests of consumers. The Spring Festival is not an "extralegal time" for hotels, nor is it a "golden time" for nonsense. Hotels can alleviate the pressure on costs by charging appropriate box service fees, after all, using a box is equivalent to enjoying the service of a box, and charging a certain fee is more fair to both parties. As long as the box fee standard is indicated in a conspicuous position, so that consumers can clearly understand. No matter how "hard to find" the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner box is, it cannot let the "minimum consumption" make a comeback. The Chinese New Year's Eve dinner cannot be tolerated or condoned at any form of "minimum consumption". Wang Junrong

Moderator: Shi Lei

Source: Yangtze Evening News