"One pair of disposable tableware is 2 yuan, but we were charged for useless tableware." At a barbecue restaurant in Lanhai Shopping Plaza, Qingshan South Road, Nanchang City, Jiangxi, Ms. Huang, a customer, complained to law enforcement officers, "The name is a comprehensive service fee, the merchant said. That's the cost of autoclaving tableware. What kind of service is this?"

　　Many consumers have found that it is not uncommon to take out the bill when dining out and check out, and it is not uncommon to see "tea fee", "tableware fee" and "corkage fee" under various names.

Domineering charges for tea, charges for table seats in disguised form, comprehensive service charges for unknown reasons... The various charges are suspected of infringing on the legitimate rights and interests of consumers.

　　Not long ago, in a Sichuan restaurant in Wanda Plaza, Bayi Avenue, Nanchang City, law enforcement officers of the market supervision department found an item called "table fee" when they checked the restaurant's bill.

Through inquiries, we learned that the restaurant charges 3 yuan per person for a seat to customers who consume in the lobby, while the consumption in the box is 5 yuan per person.

Afterwards, law enforcement officers questioned the customers who were consuming in the box. According to the customers, they were unaware of the table fee, and the restaurant service staff did not inform that there were additional fees such as table fees.

"Providing tableware and ensuring the safety and hygiene of customers' meals are the basic services of restaurant operators, and should not be charged separately." Meng Limin, the relevant person in charge of the Donghu District Market Supervision Bureau of Nanchang City, told reporters, "The items such as tea, fruit plates and towels should also be clearly marked by the price. Customers buy voluntarily.”

　　In addition to the additional payment, some merchants often hide some "consumption traps".

Miss Li once "theorized" with a restaurant on Yangming East Road in Nanchang City.

On the same day, Miss Li ordered three dishes and one soup, but was told that the coupons could not be used for soup and rice.

Even though she had spent more than 200 yuan, Miss Li had a coupon of 100 minus 20, but she couldn't use it.

"The use of coupons must be clearly informed of the rules of use." Meng Limin said, "Businesses should protect consumers' rights to know, to choose, and to fair trade."

　　Yang Demin, Dean of the Law School of Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, said that according to the Food Safety Law, it is the operator's legal and incidental obligation for catering companies to provide consumers with tableware that meets the national hygiene standards. Therefore, operators charge "tableware fees" and "disinfection fees". It's the same as lawless.

In addition, according to the Consumer Rights Protection Law, consumers have the right to make their own choices and to trade fairly, and charges such as "dining table fees" that are not clearly notified to consumers are also suspected of breaking the law.

Yang Demin believes that the current phenomenon of arbitrary charges exists, on the one hand, some catering units have blind spots in their understanding of relevant laws and regulations, and do not accurately understand their obligations as catering units.

On the other hand, some consumers lack awareness of the illegality of these behaviors and rarely raise objections, which contributes to the occurrence of this phenomenon to a certain extent.

　　How to solve the problem of illegal charging by catering units?

Yang Demin suggested that the market supervision department should actively investigate and deal with the illegal charging behaviors of catering units and publish them to the public in a timely manner, so as to investigate and punish one group and educate a group.

Consumer associations and other social groups should play a social supervision function, expose catering units that charge illegal fees through Internet platforms, and assist consumers in seeking legal help.

Consumers must fully understand their rights in the process of receiving catering services, actively safeguard their legitimate rights and interests, and force catering units to operate in compliance.

"Of course, the most important thing is that catering units should strengthen the self-examination of daily operations and earnestly fulfill their obligations under the law." Yang Demin said.

　　Yang Zhenting, head of the Consumer Rights Protection Section of the Nanchang Market Supervision Bureau, said that the first is to strengthen publicity and education, and to urge enterprises to operate with integrity and self-discipline as the focus of rectification.

In recent years, the local government has carried out special rectification work on illegal charges in the catering consumer market, and issued notices to rectify illegal charges for large and medium-sized catering operators one by one, and posted notices and leaflets at prominent locations such as the gates of catering enterprises and in the lobby.

Second, intensify inspections, urge enterprises to implement rectification, and send typical punishment cases to specialized catering associations to strengthen warnings.

"We also use new media platforms to broaden the public's supervision channels and strengthen long-term management. Consumers can refuse to pay when they encounter unreasonable charges, and keep relevant evidence and call 12315 to make complaints and reports." Yang Zhenting said.

(Reporter Wang Dan)