Florida’s Transparency Law for Dining Bills May Set a New Standard

Florida is preparing to change how restaurants present extra charges on dining bills, aiming for one of the toughest transparency laws in the nation. This decision comes as state leaders respond to increasing frustration over unexpected fees.

What the Law Requires

The legislation, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, will take effect on July 1, 2026. Restaurants and related businesses must clearly disclose any mandatory fees added beyond standard menu prices. These fees could include service charges, preset gratuities, credit card processing fees, or delivery costs. They must:

• Display all extra charges before customers order, on menus, websites, and apps.
• State the exact percentage or dollar amount of each fee.
• Explain the purpose of the fee in clear text.
• Itemize these charges separately on bills and receipts.

While the law doesn’t prohibit restaurant surcharges, it requires businesses to present them upfront, ensuring customers understand the total cost of a meal before ordering.

Reasons for the Crackdown

This change reflects growing complaints from diners who often encounter unexpected charges at meal’s end. One individual expressed their irritation on Facebook, saying they were tired of surprise fees and needed transparency in dining costs.

Consumers sometimes face overlapping fees—such as a service charge combined with a preset gratuity—and still are prompted for an additional tip. Such practices have eroded trust and complicated price comparisons. The new rules aim to eliminate misleading pricing and unclear fee disclosures.

Impact on Consumers

For diners, these changes should simplify restaurant pricing. From July 1, you should:

• Know the true total cost before a meal concludes.
• Understand each fee’s purpose and distribution.
• Make informed decisions about dining options.

Supporters argue this law will lessen confusion, prevent surprise costs, and give consumers more control over spending.

Will Other States Follow?

Florida’s approach is part of a growing trend of state-level laws addressing “junk fees” and pricing transparency, especially in restaurants.

The Federal Trade Commission’s Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees began in May 2025, primarily targeting ticketing and short-term lodging industries—not restaurants. This gap has led individual states to introduce clear pricing legislation.

State Laws Similar to Florida’s

Several states already have similar or more extensive transparency requirements:

• California: California has strict rules requiring businesses to include all mandatory fees in advertised prices. Additional legislation for restaurants mandates clear disclosure of service charges.
• Massachusetts: Requires total price disclosure and detailed explanation of fees at the first point of price display.
• Colorado and Connecticut: Implemented cross-industry laws requiring clear price presentation or disclosure before purchase.
• Minnesota and Oregon: Passed broader consumer protection laws targeting hidden fees, requiring upfront cost disclosure.

These trends indicate an increasing demand for businesses to either include fees in headline prices or visibly disclose them before checkout.

New York’s Unique Approach

New York focuses more on worker protections and fee disclosures:

• Service charges are presumed tips unless stated otherwise, meaning restaurants must clarify fee allocations.
• Mandatory gratuities must be clearly disclosed before ordering in New York City.

This approach, while not labeled as a “junk fee ban,” achieves similar results by requiring upfront fee transparency.

The Key Takeaway

Florida’s law is distinct for being focused on restaurants and prescriptive in detailing fee display methods. This could serve as a test case for lawmakers elsewhere. If it reduces consumer complaints without hurting restaurant operations, other states might implement similar rules tailored to dining.

For now, the trend is clear: states are moving towards “all-in pricing” or upfront disclosure. Florida’s law aligns with a larger effort to eliminate surprise fees at checkout.