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Four German tourists visiting Istanbul for the Fenerbahce–Stuttgart match were charged ₺59,000 ($1,405) for a meal at a restaurant under the Galata Bridge. The high charge went viral on social media, prompting the Turkish Ministry of Trade to launch an investigation. The restaurant owner claimed there was no problem with the prices and suggested the situation was misrepresented.
The tourists reportedly followed a taxi driver’s recommendation to the restaurant in Beyoglu. After social media backlash, the Istanbul Directorate of Commerce received multiple complaints and conducted an inspection.
Upon comparison, inspectors found discrepancies between listed menu prices and the amounts charged for about 30 items, prompting authorities to state that action will be taken against the restaurant. The Press Advisor of the Turkish Ministry of Trade Bekir Kaplan later announced that the restaurant was fined ₺139,304 for the violations.
The restaurant owner, Mahsum Cakir, maintained that no wrongdoing occurred, saying the menu prices were clearly listed for each item and visible in multiple languages, including English, German, and French, according to Turkish news outlet NTV. He emphasized that all prices and portions were transparent and that anyone could verify them.
The social media post showed the following prices:
Cakir said the viral reaction was exaggerated and insisted that all prices were clearly written. He added that the restaurant would formally appeal if necessary but denied any misconduct or fraud.
3 min read
