CCPA fines Chaayos ₹50,000, flags 41 restaurants for illegal service charge on bills

Consumer protection authority orders refunds and billing-software changes after restaurants including Chaayos allegedly added service charge without customer consent, breaching 2022 guidelines; diners can complain via NCH helpline 1915.

— Source publishedMon, 20 Jul, 2026, 15:28 IST·First seen Mon, 20 Jul, 2026, 15:50 IST·Source Business Today · Latest

What happened

CCPA acts against 41 restaurants for adding service charge without consent; Chaayos fined ₹50,000, ordered refunds and billing software changes; customers can

Key facts

  • 41 restaurants
  • ₹50,000 penalty
  • helpline 1915
  • guidelines July 2022

Why this matters

Track how peers retrofit billing systems for CCPA compliance—this could reshape vendor selection and due-diligence checklists for F&B M&A targets.

What to watch

  • Any Delhi HC hearing date on pending 2022 NRAI writ petition
  • Additional CCPA notices to other large chains beyond initial 41
  • Spike/plateau in NCH 1915 complaint numbers post-headline
  • Chaayos investor/PR response — silence vs proactive fix
  • State consumer commissions replicating central CCPA action independently
  • Chaayos issues statement framing charge as 'optional' and already refundable on request
  • NRAI or industry body responds — likely reiterating 2022 legal stance
  • Other named chains quietly update POS/billing defaults ahead of scrutiny
  • CCPA/NCH publicizes complaint volume to justify further action
  • Media does comparative check on other major chains' current bill practices