AZE.US
Some restaurants in Azerbaijan require customers to pay a deposit when reserving a table and refuse to return the unused portion if the final bill is lower than the prepaid amount.
Customers are effectively required to order food and drinks worth at least the full deposit or lose the remaining balance.
Several restaurant chains contacted by local media confirmed that they set a minimum deposit in advance and do not refund the difference when guests spend less.
The practice has recently drawn criticism on social media. Customers argue that restaurants should return money for food or services that were never provided.
Legal experts say Azerbaijani legislation does not directly prohibit restaurants from requiring a reservation deposit. However, customers must be clearly informed in advance about the amount, how the payment will be used and whether any unused balance is refundable.
Experts also note that a restaurant deposit should be distinguished from an advance payment or a legally defined earnest payment, as the classification may affect the rules governing refunds.
They described the retention of unused funds as potentially contentious when the conditions were not clearly disclosed and accepted before the reservation was made.
Consumers are advised to ask several questions before paying a deposit:
- whether the full amount will be deducted from the final bill;
- whether any unused portion will be refunded;
- what happens if the booking is canceled;
- whether service charges or other fees are included.
Failure to explain these conditions in advance may lead to disputes between restaurants and customers, particularly when visitors later discover that they must spend the entire deposit or forfeit the remaining money.
AZE.US