The news: Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration has issued a Comprehensive Food Safety Compliance Order requiring all hotels, restaurants, banquet halls, catering units, and other food service establishments to provide free drinking water to guests. The order applies to a wide range of venues including quick-service restaurants, wedding venues, canteens, and cafeterias.
Why it matters for MICE operators: This regulation directly impacts your operational costs and event menus, especially for large gatherings and conferences. Banquet hall operators and catering companies must now absorb the cost of complimentary water service. Understanding this mandate is essential for accurate quotations and compliance—failure to provide free water could result in FDA penalties during health inspections or client events.
The takeaway: Review your banquet and catering contracts immediately to clarify who bears the cost of complimentary water service under this new ruling.
Source: ET HospitalityWorld