Transparent pricing and charging for tea! Guangzhou has legislated for morning tea—will Shenzhen be far behind?

On April 1, the Standing Committee of the Guangzhou Municipal People’s Congress released on its official website the “Guangzhou Morning Tea Inheritance and Protection Provisions” (hereinafter referred to as the “Provisions”). The Provisions were approved by the 24th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th Guangdong Provincial People’s Congress on March 26, 2026, and will take effect on May 1, 2026.

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The new rules make it clear: transparent pricing; if a table-seat fee is charged, tea beverages must be provided

For the first time, the Provisions give a clear definition of Guangzhou morning tea—referring to a type of food and beverage consumption form that arises, develops, and becomes popular in the Guangzhou area, features the characteristics of intangible cultural heritage, and is centered on drinking tea paired with Cantonese-style dim sum.

Regarding the widely discussed issue of the table-seat fee, the Provisions specify two hard requirements:

First, transparent pricing. Operators must mark all charge items with clear and prominent labeled prices, disclose the pricing method, and ensure that the prices shown inside the store—such as on menus, price tags, and self-ordering apps—are consistent.

Second, charges must come with services. If a table-seat fee is collected, the operator shall provide black tea, green tea, oolong tea, pu’er tea, chrysanthemum tea, and other teas for consumers to choose from, and provide the relevant tea-beverage service.

In addition, the Provisions for the first time clarify the boundary between traditional and non-traditional morning tea. For morning tea foods made on-site in a traditional manner, the time from preparation to serving for consumption must not exceed 24 hours; operators must clearly specify the preparation method on the menu. For the same type of morning tea food sold in different preparation ways, different prices may be applied. Meanwhile, operators are required to display the food processing and preparation process to consumers through forms such as transparent-style kitchens, open kitchens, or kitchens with video surveillance.

Any unit or individual who discovers conduct in violation of the Provisions may file complaints and reports through channels such as the 12345 government service and convenience hotline.

Netizen debate: Out-of-town tourists suggest “Shenzhen take the lead in canceling the table-seat fee,” sparking heated discussion nationwide

The controversy over table-seat fees has long existed and is not a new issue. In Guangdong, regardless of whether customers drink tea, charging per person is a common practice in the catering industry, ranging from a few yuan to several dozen yuan. However, in early 2024, a “soul-searching question” from Northern tourists pushed this “industry practice” to nationwide trending searches.

Official response facing the issue: “Suggest Shenzhen take the lead in canceling the table-seat fee!”

In February 2024, Aoyi News reported that a netizen, on the People’s Daily Online “Leader’s Letter Box,” said that when Northern tourists came to the South to travel and dine, some merchants’ unreasonable system for collecting table-seat fees caused resentment among tourists, and they suggested Shenzhen take the lead in canceling restaurant table-seat fees.

After the report by Aoyi News, the topic quickly surged to the trending list, and many media outlets across the country relayed the news one after another. The table-seat fee controversy escalated from a local issue into a nationwide discussion. In response to the netizen’s suggestion, the Shenzhen Municipal Market Supervision and Administration Bureau issued an affirmative response based on the “Provisions on Transparent Pricing and Prohibiting Price Fraud,” stating that operators may not sell goods or provide services at a higher price beyond the marked prices, nor may they charge any fees that have not been explicitly stated.

Last September, the topic “An 8-month-old baby was charged a table-seat fee for not drinking tea” hit the trending searches, drawing widespread attention. Consumer Ms. Huang said that at a seafood big-pork chop stall in Guangdong, she encountered a “table-seat fee assassin.” The group had 13 people, including 5 children (two infants included). When checking the bill, they found they had been charged 13 sets of table-seat fees. She questioned: Since the 8-month-old baby neither used utensils nor drank tea, why should she still be charged?

According to reports from multiple media outlets, netizens nationwide hold differing views on the “table-seat fee.”

One view holds that charging a table-seat fee is quite normal—something agreed upon locally and part of local custom. “I grew up in Shenzhen. I think charging a table-seat fee is very normal. When we usually have a family get-together, the places we go are also Cantonese restaurants, and generally they all charge.” In interviews with relevant media, a resident said that if every time you go to a shop you tell the merchant you want free tableware, it could also lead to some arguing; “it’s not worth it just to let a few yuan affect your mood.”

Another view holds that table-seat fees should return to their essence rather than being collected compulsorily. “I don’t need to drink tea, and I don’t even need plain boiled water—so why should I be charged a tea table-seat fee?” The merchant should give consumers the right to choose, not impose it. Some residents also said that the table-seat fee should return to its essence of a “tea service fee”: if consumers want to drink tea, they order it and get charged; if they don’t want to, they don’t order it and aren’t charged.

A reporter’s observation found that some netizens believe the controversy is not about the “table-seat fee” itself, but about the “service” associated with the table-seat fee. Some raised questions about the practice in the catering industry of generally charging a tea service fee: non-teahouses and barbecue stalls did not provide any tea service, so why could they still charge a table-seat fee? “That’s ridiculous.” In an interview with relevant media earlier, Ms. Liang said that some restaurants clearly only provide lemonade and “tea leaves from who-knows-where,” yet they charge a table-seat fee of 5 to 10 yuan. “If the table-seat fee includes a utensil-use fee, that still isn’t reasonable. When I go out to eat, the restaurant doesn’t provide me utensils—then am I supposed to eat with my hands?”

Amid calls from some netizens to “cancel the table-seat fee,” some people expressed concerns, believing that such a move might cause merchants to raise prices under other names.

Official action: Tighten regulation; Guangzhou makes “morning tea” a matter of legislation

In December 2025, the Guangdong Provincial Market Supervision and Administration Bureau released the “Guidance on ‘Honest Pricing’ Conduct in the Catering Industry in Guangdong Province (Draft for Comments),” publicly soliciting public feedback. The guidance proposed that if additional fees such as service fees or table-seat fees are collected, the operator must clearly inform consumers and publicly display the fee standards before the consumer places an order.

On January 28 this year, the Shenzhen Municipal Market Supervision and Administration Bureau and four other departments issued the “Three-Year Action Plan (2026–2028) for Optimizing the Consumer Environment in Shenzhen,” focusing on strengthening supervision over areas including catering charges.

The reporter noted that in March this year, the Consumer Council of Bao’an District issued a warning on catering consumption and disclosed a table-seat fee complaint case. A consumer, Mr. Li, went to a certain catering establishment to eat, and only after placing the order and checking the receipt did he discover that he had been charged 6 yuan of table-seat fees per person, and the shop had not informed customers before ordering. Mr. Li said he only needed plain boiled water and did not need tea service, requested a refund, and the shop refused by saying that “you must consume a table-seat fee when you come to the store.” After mediation by the Consumer Council, the business ultimately agreed to refund the table-seat fees.

And this time’s newly issued “Guangzhou Morning Tea Inheritance and Protection Provisions” is the country’s first special regulation specifically for the morning tea sector, providing an “official answer” to the table-seat fee controversy that has existed for many years.

Industry perspective: The key to legislation is not cancellation, but improving service

According to media reports, the industry generally welcomes the new rules for Guangzhou morning tea. Xu Liqing, honorary president of the Guangdong Provincial Catering Technicians Association, participated throughout in the legislative consultation. She said: “The key to legislation is not to cancel the table-seat fee, but to improve the service.” She believes that behind the table-seat fee are the corresponding facilities provided for dine-in service, a rich supply of tea leaves, and dedicated services. The Provisions clearly require operators to provide multiple types of tea leaves for consumers to choose from, implement transparent pricing with labeled prices, and leave the choice to the customer. This both respects traditional consumption habits and protects consumers’ right to know and right to choose.

Cheng Gang, a representative to the Guangzhou Municipal People’s Congress and Secretary-General of the Guangdong Provincial Catering Services Industry Association, also said that the focus of this legislation is to address issues such as unclear transparent pricing and forced designation of tea choices. It clearly requires businesses to publicly display prices for all types of tea, provide common public tea items such as pu’er tea, black tea, and chrysanthemum tea for customers to choose independently, and also encourages businesses to reduce or waive fees appropriately based on consumers’ actual needs.

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