3.1 Hygiene regulations
In a gastronomical business, it is crucial to follow hygiene regulations. Generally, these rules are found in the European food hygiene regulation and in the national food hygiene regulation. These regulations contain rules for:
- the storage of your food items,
- the structural and technical aspects of your restaurant (e.g., air filters, temperature control etc.),
- the storage and make of any utensils that encounter food items,
- the hygiene of employees,
- the handling of food waste.
The compliance with these rules initially needs to be recorded and controlled by yourself with a system specially created for this process. You then need to verify your hygiene standards with your local health authority.
3.2 Cut-off times and Music Licence
Legal cut-off times. Depending on the state your restaurant is in, there can be legal cut-off times, meaning times of day when your restaurant needs to be closed. However, the laws are different in the various states of Germany. But to give you an example, in Baden-Württemberg, restaurants and bars need to be closed by 3 am on nights before weekdays. Before Saturday and Sunday, however, this cut-off time is extended to 5 am. On any day, your restaurant may reopen by 6 am. Different cut-off times come into effect on public holidays.
GEMA - Music Licence. If you want to play music in your restaurant, you need to register with the GEMA. Depending on the amount of music you want to play, you will need to pay a fee with the GEMA.
3.3 Labeling and Pricing requirements
Labeling requirements. As a restaurant owner, you are required to label certain ingredients, specifically additives, on your menu. This requirement is derived from a European regulation on additives in food items.
Substances you are legally required to label are preservatives, colorants, sweeteners, flavor enhancers, phosphate, sulfur, quinine, and caffeine. Usually, restaurant label these substances by giving them numbers, adding the numbers to the food items, and then having a register on the last page of the menu. Also, you need to inform your customers about allergens as well. Allergens that need to be mentioned on your menu are gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soy, milk, legumes, celery, mustard, sesame, sulfur dioxide and sulfate, mollusks, and lupins.
Price indication regulation. The price indication regulation regulates how you need to display the prices of your menu items to your customers. In general, the price needs to be the end price that the customer will pay, including all taxes.
3.4 Youth and Non-smokers laws
Youth protection laws. There are many rules for restaurants that can be found in youth protections laws. Firstly, in any establishment that serves alcohol, which includes most restaurants, children under the age of 16 are only allowed to be there from 5 am to 12 am, if they are not accompanied by their parent or guardian. However, if they are accompanied by their parent or guardian, there are no limits in that sense. Secondly, no alcohol is allowed to be served to children under the age of 16. Under the age of 18, only drinks with a lower alcohol content, such as wine, beer, and sparkling wine, are allowed to be served and consumed.
Non-smokers protection laws. In Germany, there is a general ban on smoking in restaurants. However, there are exceptions, for instance if your restaurant has a separate room for smoking or if your restaurant only allows adults over the age of 18 to enter.
We recommend looking into these laws and regulations, as there are many guidelines to follow.
