Key points at a glance
- Under § 13 PAngV, restaurants need a price list for food and drinks: on the tables, handed out before ordering or displayed so it is easy to read.
- A price list with the main dishes and drinks must hang next to the entrance.
- All prices are final prices including VAT, service charge and all surcharges (§ 13 (5) PAngV).
- Since 1 January 2026, food in restaurants has permanently been subject to 7 percent VAT (§ 12 (2) no. 15 UStG), while drinks remain at 19 percent.
- For drinks, the quantity belongs with the price; "from", "approx." and "from... to" prices are not allowed, according to the IHK (chamber of commerce and industry).
This post is general information and does not replace legal or tax advice. Rules change and some differ between federal states: check the details with your chamber of commerce (WKO) or IHK, the competent authority or your tax adviser.
§ 13 PAngV: the rules for restaurants and hotels
The new version of the Preisangabenverordnung (PAngV) has applied since May 2022. It contains a separate provision for restaurants and accommodation businesses in § 13; the earlier rule was in § 7. Older fact sheets citing the old section are still largely usable in substance, but do not copy the numbering.
| Subsection | Obligation | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| § 13 (1) | prices for food and drinks in a price list; goods displayed openly or sold for takeaway labelled on the product or included in the price list | all restaurants and similar businesses |
| § 13 (2) | price list on the tables, shown before ordering and on request when settling the bill, or displayed legibly; in addition, the main dishes and drinks next to the entrance | restaurants |
| § 13 (3) | prices of the main room types and of breakfast at the entrance or reception | hotels and guesthouses |
| § 13 (4) | charges for using phone or internet in the price list | restaurants and hotels that offer them |
| § 13 (5) | prices include service charge and all other surcharges | everyone |
If you are just opening a restaurant, you will find the other obligations, from the Gaststättenerlaubnis (restaurant licence) to the till, in the guides Starting a hospitality business in Germany and POS system and TSE.
The price list at the table
§ 13 (2) PAngV allows three ways: you place price lists on the tables, you show every guest a menu before they order and on request when they settle the bill, or you display the price list legibly, for example as a large board. The IHK Dortmund advises placing enough menus on the tables. In self-service businesses and kiosks, prices are displayed where they are easy to see.
- Complete: everything on offer needs a price, including daily specials, the seasonal menu and drinks.
- Drinks with quantity: 0.3 l cola, 0.5 l Pils, 0.2 l white wine. Without a quantity, the price cannot be compared. You can work out prices per glass or bottle with the free drinks calculator.
- No ranges: according to the IHK, details such as "from 9 euros", "approx. 12 euros" or "price by size" are not allowed. Offer fixed portions at a fixed price instead, for example "rump steak 250 g, 29.50 euros".
- Display case and counter: cakes, filled rolls and takeaway snacks carry the price on the product or are listed in the price list next to them.
- Extras: surcharges for changing a side dish, extra cheese or oat milk are on the menu with a price.
The display next to the entrance
In addition to the menu in the dining room, § 13 (2) PAngV requires a price list next to the restaurant entrance showing the main dishes and drinks. Unlike in Austria, this applies whether or not you serve hot food, and it explicitly includes drinks. If the restaurant is part of another business, such as a café in a department store, a display at the entrance to the restaurant section is enough.
How to get it right
- Display the most frequently ordered dishes and drinks with final price and quantity
- Use a weatherproof display case at eye level
- Replace the display together with the menu whenever prices change
- Add a QR code to the full online menu as well
Better not
- Show only the cheapest dish and the cheapest coffee
- Replace the display with a QR code
- Leave a display with last year's prices hanging
- Place the menu so far behind the window that nobody outside can read it
You can design a table stand or sticker with a QR code to your online menu for free with the menu QR code generator. It complements the menu and display but does not replace them.
Final prices, service charge and surcharges
Under § 13 (5) PAngV, the prices in the price list must include the service charge and all other surcharges. The price on the menu is therefore the price the guest pays. Tips remain voluntary and are not part of the menu price calculation.
| Situation | How to state the price |
|---|---|
| Service charge | included in the price of each dish, not as a percentage on the bill |
| Cover charge or bread basket | with a price on the menu; serving it unasked and then charging for it causes disputes |
| Terrace, public holiday, live music | different prices directly on the menu, not as a hidden surcharge |
| Entry fee or minimum spend | state clearly at the entrance and on the menu, for example in bars and clubs |
| Hotel | room prices of the main room types and the breakfast price at the entrance or reception |
VAT: 7 percent on food since 2026
Since 1 January 2026, restaurant and catering services, except for the supply of drinks, have permanently been subject to the reduced VAT rate of 7 percent (§ 12 (2) no. 15 UStG, the German VAT act). The Bundestag and Bundesrat passed the cut in December 2025. This puts food eaten in, taken away and delivered on an equal tax footing. Drinks remain at 19 percent; one exception is milk and milk drinks with at least 75 percent milk when sold for takeaway.
Check your till
Food and drinks must be assigned to the correct VAT rates in the till. How this ties in with the TSE and POS system is explained in the guide POS systems in Germany.
Split package deals
Set menus with a drink, breakfast buffets and package prices include both rates. Clarify the split with your tax adviser.
Decide on your menu
Whether you pass the tax cut on to guests is part of your pricing, which you can run through with the free menu price calculator. Either way, the menu shows final prices.
Update every channel
Transfer new prices to the menu, display, website, Google and delivery platforms at the same time.
Happy hour, promotions and prices online
The general rule on advertising price reductions under § 11 PAngV does not apply to restaurants; § 13 (1) PAngV states this explicitly. For a happy hour, you therefore do not have to state the lowest price of the last 30 days. The promotion must still be clear: time period, drinks included, quantity and promotional price. Misleading price indications remain prohibited under competition law.
An online menu is not mandatory. If you offer one, it should show the same final prices as in the venue, with a note below the menu that all prices are in euros including VAT. As soon as guests order online, in your own shop or via Lieferando, Wolt or Uber Eats, the general PAngV rules on total prices apply, and delivery or service fees must be visible before the order. Tips on the design are in the guide Digital menu, on fees and commissions in Delivery platforms. The allergen details belong there too, see Allergen labelling in Germany.
A QR code for table and entrance
Create a free table stand, sticker or small card with a QR code that leads straight to your current online menu.
Inspections and checklist
Breaches of the PAngV are administrative offences. The authorities designated under state law are responsible, often the Ordnungsamt or Gewerbeamt (local regulatory or trade office); in practice, warning letters (Abmahnungen) from competitors or associations are more common than fines when prices are incomplete or misleading. A clean display and a complete menu are the simplest precaution.
Price indications for Germany
- Price list for all food and drinks on the tables, handed out or as a board
- Display with the main dishes and drinks next to the entrance
- Final prices including VAT, service charge and surcharges
- Drinks with quantity, no "from" or "approx." prices
- Till set to 7 percent for food and 19 percent for drinks
- Promotions with time period, quantity and price
- Hotel: room and breakfast prices at the entrance or reception
- Website, Google and delivery platforms show the same prices as the menu
Change prices once, up to date everywhere
With Meine-Gastro-Website you manage your menu and prices in one place, for your website, display and QR menu. See your preview for free.
A free preview of your venue website, designed by us.
