Silent extension, ending in 3 days, for catering professionals (restaurants, cafes, bars, etc.), in order to replace the last old-style cash registers with the new “smart” machines.

With the arrival of the new month, the audits by the Independent Public Revenue Authority (AADE) begin to establish whether tax legislation is being followed.

The latest information indicates that the majority of professionals have replaced the old-style cash registers, but there are still some issues (such as a lack of technicians) that are delaying some thousands of cash register replacements.

According to the same information, around 60,000 old cash registers have been replaced in the catering sector, while it is estimated that around 5,000 to 8,000 businesses have not yet adapted to the new requirements.

The new cash registers in restaurants block the way to tax evasion “tricks”, as they do not allow entrepreneurs to close the cash register if they have open tables and order forms that have not been received. The receipt is only printed by the built-in printer, pending orders and receipts to be issued are recorded in the tax memory, while “Z” is issued only when all open tables have been closed.

During September, AADE audits will focus on bars and restaurants to detect any non-transmission of receipts in the e-send system, which will be checked if they correlate with the POS data. According to the decisions of the AADE, those liable to use the new cash registers are those who provide:

  • Full service restaurant catering services.
  • Restaurant services within a sleeping hotel.
  • Catering services from a restaurant, tavern, fish tavern, grill, with live music from an orchestra of at least three instruments with service provided.
  • Catering services from a restaurant, tavern, fish tavern, grill, without live music or with an orchestra of less than three instruments with service provided.
  • Meal services from a fast-food restaurant, with service provided.
  • Catering services from entertainment center-secular tavern.
  • Catering services from a wine restaurant or winery (family business, no staff).
  • Pizzeria catering services, with serving service.
  • Meal delivery services from steakhouses – kebab shops, with serving service.
  • Services of providing meals and drinks from ouzo, mezedo shop, tsipouradi, beer shop with serving service.
  • Food and beverage services from a snack bar, with service provided.

Restaurants operating in settlements with a population of up to 500 inhabitants and on islands with a population of less than 3,100 inhabitants, according to the latest census, are excluded, except for places considered as tourist.

  • The fine for issuing documents from an unauthorized tax mechanism corresponds to 15% of the company’s revenue.