As of July 1, 2026, a new Florida law changes how every restaurant in the state has to show its extra fees. SB 606, which amends section 509.214 of the Florida Statutes, covers any operations charge you add that isn’t a government tax: a service charge, an automatic gratuity, a delivery fee, a card surcharge, a kitchen or wellness fee. You can still charge them. You just have to disclose them clearly now. Here is the plain-language version and exactly what to check before the deadline.

What counts as an operations charge

Under SB 606, an operations charge is any added fee that is not a government-imposed tax. That includes a service charge, an automatic gratuity, a delivery fee, a card or processing surcharge, and anything similar. If it lands on the bill and it is not sales tax, this law applies to it.

What you have to do

On your menus

On every menu, printed and online, you have to state the exact percentage or dollar amount of the charge and its purpose. The disclosure has to appear in a font at least as large as your menu item descriptions, so burying it in fine print is no longer allowed.

On receipts and bills

Each operations charge has to appear on its own line. Gratuity and sales tax each get their own separate lines. If an operations charge already includes an automatic gratuity, you have to say so explicitly.

On your website and online ordering

The same disclosure rules apply to your website and your online ordering platforms, not just the paper menu. This is the part most restaurants will overlook.

The part most restaurants will miss

Almost everyone will update the printed menu and forget the website. The online menu and the ordering pages are exactly where the same percentage, purpose, and font rules apply. If a guest sees a fee disclosed on the printed menu but not on your online ordering page, that is the gap that gets noticed — and it is the easiest one to fix right now.

What happens if you don’t comply

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) can issue a civil penalty of up to $500 per violation per day. For a high-volume restaurant running a 3 percent service charge seven days a week, that exposure adds up quickly. More practically, a guest who feels misled about a fee is the most likely source of a negative review or a chargeback — both of which cost more than the fine.

Your pre-July 1 checklist

  • List every charge. Write down every non-tax fee you currently add: service charge, auto-gratuity, delivery fee, credit card surcharge, wellness fee, kitchen fee, to-go fee. Include seasonal or event-specific charges.
  • Print menu. Every page that shows prices needs the disclosure. Check font size against your menu item text. Check every version: dine-in, happy hour, brunch, bar, kids.
  • Digital menu (QR / PDF). Update the source file, not just a paper printout. If you use a menu management platform, log in and add the disclosure to every active menu.
  • Online ordering. Log in to your ordering platform (Toast, Square, Olo, etc.) and add the disclosure to the cart or checkout page. Many platforms have a “custom fee disclosure” or “ordering notes” field.
  • Website. If your website lists prices or a menu, add the disclosure there too. A footer note is not enough; it needs to be near where prices appear.
  • Receipt template. Confirm your POS is set up to print each charge on its own line, separate from tax and gratuity.
  • Third-party delivery apps. Check DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. Update the menu description or special instructions field in each app’s merchant portal.

Template disclosure language you can use

You don’t need legal phrasing. Keep it factual and clear. Here are examples:

  • A 3% service charge is added to all checks. This charge covers operational costs and is not a gratuity to your server.
  • An 18% automatic gratuity is added to parties of 6 or more. Additional gratuity is at your discretion.
  • A 2.5% credit card processing fee applies to all card transactions. No fee for cash.

The key elements: the amount (percentage or dollar figure), the purpose, and whether it is or is not a gratuity.

What if a guest asks about the charge

Train your front-of-house staff to explain each fee in one sentence. If a server cannot explain what the kitchen wellness fee is, guests will ask why it is on the bill. A trained answer prevents escalation. A confused shrug creates a review.

One more thing: keep a record

Take a dated screenshot of your updated menus, website, and POS receipt template before July 1. If a complaint is filed with DBPR, having proof that you updated your materials before the deadline matters. It takes two minutes and could save a significant amount later.

If you want a second set of eyes on your current disclosures before the deadline, book a compliance audit call. We will review every customer-facing touchpoint and flag anything that needs updating before July 1.