Opening a Restaurant or Café in Türkiye: Licence, Food Registration, Menu Rules and Your Website

01Licence and master's certificate

A restaurant or café needs a workplace opening and operating licence from the municipality. You apply with the application and declaration form once the premises meet the regulation. If the conditions are met, the licence is issued the same day, and the municipality inspects the premises within a month.

The regulation divides restaurants into three classes and requires cooks with a master's certificate:

• First-class restaurant. At least two cooks with a master's certificate. A kitchen in three parts for preparation, cooking and washing up. A kitchen guests can see, parking and a cloakroom.
• Second-class restaurant. At least one cook with a master's certificate. A kitchen in three parts, separate from the dining room.
• Third-class restaurant. At least one cook with a master's certificate. A kitchen in three parts with at least an extractor fan.
• Cafeteria and takeaway. At least two parts: cooking and washing dishes.

Restaurants must have mains water, and the toilet may not be next to the kitchen. If you will sell alcohol, separate rules apply; ask your municipality before you apply for the licence.

02Food business registration

Restaurants and cafés are food businesses. Before you start selling, apply to your provincial or district agriculture and forestry directorate for a food business registration certificate. Registered businesses hang their food business QR code where customers can see it.

03Menu and price list rules

• Price list at the entrance. The price list is hung or placed in front of the entrance door. If there is more than one door, at each door.
• Price list on the table. The price list is on the tables where guests are served. It may be shown by QR code, but if a guest asks, you must also give them the price list.
• No service, table or cover charge. Since 30 January 2026, restaurants, cafés and patisseries may not ask for a service charge, table charge, cover charge or any extra payment under another name. Tips are up to the guest.
• The ministry's system. Businesses must transfer their price lists to a system the Ministry of Trade will set up. The ministry announces separately which businesses must do this and when.

If the menu on your website shows prices, keep it the same as the lists at the entrance and on the tables, and update them all together when prices change.

04What a restaurant website needs

• A menu you can read on a phone. On the page itself, not a PDF. With photos and in categories.
• Reservations. By a WhatsApp message that is already written or a short form.
• Address and directions. Map, parking and public transport.
• Opening hours. Including when the kitchen closes.
• Real photos of the place and the food. Your own plates, your own dining room.
• Takeaway and events. If you deliver, how to order; for group meals or birthdays, who to contact.

05Finding customers

1. Open a Google Business Profile. You need it to appear on the map for searches like "restaurant near me". The steps are in our Google Business Profile guide.
2. Ask every table for a review. Give a review card with the bill. How to do it is in How to Get More Google Reviews.
3. Keep photos up to date. When the menu changes, change the photos on the site and on the Google profile too.
4. Name your cuisine and your area. For searches such as "Kadıköy breakfast", say clearly on the site what you cook and where you are.