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BYOB policy in Henan restaurants up to owners

By Cai Muyuan (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-05-26 15:14

The regulation on whether patrons can bring drinks to restaurants in central China's Henan province will now be determined by the owners.

The original rule "restaurants shall not set minimum charges, shall not refuse consumers for bringing their own drinks and beverages, and shall not charge extra expenses" was voted to remove from the "Regulation on the Protection of Consumer Rights in Henan Province" by Henan Provincial People's Congress on May 22.

The revised regulation will come into effect on August 1 this year.

According to the regulation, restaurant owners should respect consumer's choices of food and services, and food and service prices should be notified to consumers in advance with no strings attached.

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The amendment of the regulation triggered debate between the standing committee and the representatives in Henan during deliberations and hearings. Related regulations of Hunan, Guangxi, Shandong, Guizhou and Anhui were also referred to in the process.

According to the local legislative committee, the food industry in Henan has been undergoing rapid development and offers various choices to consumers. Under condition of the market economy, whether the restaurant owner sets a minimum charge or allows consumers to bring their own beverages is the right of enterprises, and revised regulations can better serve the sellers as well as the consumers.