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Guide summary
- Restaurant signage is compulsory both for customers and for employees
- The regulations set national minimum requirements, but each region may add additional requirements. Find out about the rules in your area.
- Hospitality inspections are frequent. A premises can be penalised for several infringements at the same time
Table of contents
What signage must a restaurant display to comply with the law? The answer goes well beyond putting up a no-smoking sign on the door. Spanish regulations require hospitality establishments to display a range of mandatory signs, both for customers and employees. Failing to do so can result in significant financial penalties. Whether you are about to open your first premises or have been in the industry for years, it is important to be clear about the mandatory signage for restaurants. Which signs are required by law? Where must they be placed? What do you risk if you do not have them? Here are the answers.
Key figures
- 10+ mandatory signs to inform your customers, under Spanish national regulations
- Up to €600,000 in fines in serious cases for failing to comply with food safety regulations (1)
- A minimum of 14 allergens that you must declare compulsorily on your menu, under EU Regulation 1169/2011
What signage must a restaurant in Spain display?
Spanish regulations require all hospitality establishments to display a series of mandatory signs, both to inform their customers and to protect their employees.
Failing to comply with these obligations can result in significant financial penalties, including closure of the premises. And the best market study or business plan will not prevent it. That is why knowing what signage a restaurant must display is just as important as having a well-designed menu or a compliant kitchen.
In Spain, the regulation of mandatory signage in restaurants operates on two levels:
- National regulations set the minimum requirements that every restaurant in the country must meet, regardless of location. This includes, for example, the obligation to provide allergen information (EU Regulation 1169/2011 and Royal Decree 126/2015) or the no-smoking sign (Law 28/2005).
- Regional governments may add additional requirements regarding hours, licences, capacity or terraces. What is sufficient in Madrid may not be sufficient in Catalonia or the Basque Country.
For that reason, in addition to complying with national legislation, it is essential to check the specific regulations of your region before opening your premises.
What are the mandatory customer-facing signs for a restaurant?
These are the signs that any inspector can ask you to show them as soon as they walk into your premises. Go through them one by one and make sure your restaurant has all of them.
Price display
This is one of the most basic mandatory signs, and one that generates the most infringements. In Spain, the prices of dishes and drinks must be visible both inside and outside the premises, always inclusive of VAT.
What you need to bear in mind:
- On the exterior of the restaurant (or visible from the street), you must display the menu or daily set menu with full prices, including the note "VAT included".
- Inside, the menu must exactly match the exterior prices. Any discrepancy can be grounds for a penalty.
- If you offer a daily set menu, it must be displayed throughout the service and clearly state what is included (drink, dessert, bread) and at what times it is available.
- Any offer or promotion must specify its terms and validity dates.
Allergen notice
The allergen menu is compulsory in all restaurants and hospitality establishments in Spain. This is established by European Regulation 1169/2011, developed at national level by Royal Decree 126/2015.
The regulations identify 14 major allergens that you must mandatorily declare on your menu:
- Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats…)
- Crustaceans
- Eggs
- Peanuts
- Fish
- Soya
- Milk
- Tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews…)
- Celery
- Mustard
- Sesame seeds
- Molluscs
- Lupin
- Sulphur dioxide and sulphites
You can provide allergen information in different ways: in the printed menu, via a visible sign, through a QR menu or verbally, as long as staff are trained to answer accurately. What you cannot do is provide no information at all.
No alcohol sales to minors sign
Every restaurant that serves alcoholic drinks must display a visible sign stating that the sale and consumption of alcohol is prohibited to persons under 18 years of age. This sign must be placed near the bar or counter, or at the entrance of the premises.
This is an obligation that combines national legislation with regional regulation. Some regions have stricter rules on this, so it is worth checking those in your area.
No-smoking sign
Since the entry into force of Law 28/2005, all hospitality establishments are 100% smoke-free spaces. The no-smoking sign is compulsory and must meet the minimum requirements that are clearly defined in Spain:
- Minimum size DIN-A4
- Text in a font size of more than 16 points
- Position visible from the entrance
Since 2017, this prohibition has also extended to e-cigarettes and vaping in enclosed spaces.
Complaints form
In Spain, all hospitality establishments are required to have complaints forms available and to announce this via a visible sign on the premises.
The sign must clearly state that complaints forms are available and that customers can request them free of charge at any time. Not having them (or not announcing it) is grounds for a penalty.
The management of complaints forms is the responsibility of each regional government, so the format may vary depending on your area.
Maximum capacity sign
Every restaurant must display the maximum number of people who may be present simultaneously in the premises, in accordance with the conditions of the activity licence and fire safety regulations.
This sign must be placed in a visible location, usually near the entrance, and the number shown must correspond exactly to the figure stated in the establishment's licence.
Opening and closing hours
It is compulsory for the opening and closing hours of the premises to be visible from the outside. This sign must also include the hours of the dining room and the kitchen when these differ.
Some regions also require the capacity to be shown alongside the hours on a single external identification plate.
To download templates for mandatory restaurant signs, click here.
Important: in the case of a business transfer, all signs may already be in place. But it is your responsibility to verify this.
What employee signage is compulsory in the restaurant?
If you have at least one employee, the law also requires you to inform your staff via a series of signs and documents displayed in your restaurant.
Hygiene and HACCP sign
In your restaurant kitchen it is compulsory to have hygiene rules and HACCP procedures (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) displayed. This includes, at a minimum, the handwashing protocol, which must be visible at workstations, washing areas and storage areas.
This obligation derives from EC Regulation 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs, which applies directly throughout Spain.
Emergency exits and fire-fighting equipment
Every restaurant must properly mark evacuation routes and emergency exits, as well as the location of each fire extinguisher or fire hose. If the equipment is not directly visible, it is compulsory to install directional arrows pointing to it.
This signage is regulated by Royal Decree 485/1997 on minimum provisions for health and safety signage at work, and must conform to the relevant UNE standards.
Compulsory employment information
The Law on Occupational Risk Prevention (Law 31/1995) requires restaurants to have the following basic information visible to employees:
- Name, address and telephone number of the competent labour inspector
- Contact details of the company doctor or prevention service
- Emergency numbers: 112, fire brigade (080), SAMUR/ambulances
- Staff working hours, rest periods and holidays
- Safety instructions in the event of fire and evacuation plan
All this information must be displayed in a visible and accessible location for all workers.
Occupational Risk Prevention Plan (ORP)
The Occupational Risk Prevention Plan includes the risk assessment for each post. Employees must be able to find out where to consult this document.
It is not compulsory to display it in full on the premises, but it is compulsory to clearly indicate where it is available for consultation, via a visible sign or notice.
Applicable Collective Agreement
Hospitality workers in Spain are covered by the National Collective Agreement for the Hospitality Sector or, where applicable, the relevant regional or provincial agreement (which takes precedence if it is more favourable for the worker).
The restaurant must inform its employees about which collective agreement applies to them and where they can consult it. It is not necessary to display it in full, but its availability must be clearly indicated in a visible manner.
What penalty do you risk for failing to comply with mandatory signage in your restaurant?
Not having the correct signage in your restaurant is not just an aesthetic or good-practice issue. It is a real legal risk. Hospitality inspections are frequent in Spain, and penalties can accumulate if multiple infringements are found at the same time. Here is a clear summary of what you stand to lose.
| Mandatory sign | Legal basis | Penalty for non-compliance |
|---|---|---|
| Allergens | EU Regulation 1169/2011 + RD 126/2015 + Law 17/2011 | Up to €60,000 in serious cases |
| No smoking | Law 28/2005 | Minor infringement: €30–€600 / Serious infringement: €601–€10,000 |
| No alcohol sales to minors | Law 28/2005 and regional legislation | Up to €10,000 |
| Prices (inside and outside) | RD 3423/2000 + Law 26/1984 + regional legislation | Variable penalties depending on region |
| Complaints form | General Consumer Protection Law + regional legislation | Between €200 and €5,000 depending on region |
| Maximum capacity | Municipal and regional safety regulations | Variable penalties depending on region |
| Opening hours | Regional regulations | Variable penalties depending on region |
| Hygiene and HACCP in kitchen | EC Regulation 852/2004 | Between €1,000 and €10,000 depending on severity |
| Occupational Risk Prevention | Law 31/1995 + LISOS | From €40 to €819,780 depending on severity |
| Emergency exits | RD 485/1997 | Variable penalties; possible temporary closure |
Complying with mandatory signage is only one part of what running a well-managed restaurant involves. The other part — and the most important — is delivering an experience that keeps your customers coming back.
Covermanager is the leading restaurant management solution in Spain. Online bookings, table management, payments and customer loyalty.
Source:
1 - BOE: Law 17/2011, of 5 July, on food safety and nutrition.
