A patron of the La Cecilia Complex, situated in Havana, reported irregularities in the restaurant's service on September 15, prompting an investigation by Cuba's Ministry of Domestic Trade (MINCIN). The findings, announced this Tuesday, revealed a series of violations affecting both payment transparency and the management of the establishment, according to a statement on the ministry's Facebook page.
During the inspection, a conversation with the manager disclosed that the point-of-sale (POS) terminal was unavailable for transactions. Additionally, it was verified that the customer was overcharged beyond the total consumed amount and that the payment was made to the personal account of the cashier, Yasbel Ramos, via direct transfer from the customer's card, bypassing standard payment methods.
The investigation unearthed further details, noting that while the POS terminal was indeed on the premises, it was not installed. Although a QR code for online payment via the Transfermóvil app was available, it was not offered as an alternative. The cashier also added a 10 percent surcharge to the total bill, collecting 520 CUP more than the due amount.
Management's Oversight
The establishment's manager admitted that the customer was not shown the online payment option and confirmed that the cashier deposited the cash into the register after receiving the transfer to her personal account, as the customer did not have cash at the time. The manager was unaware of why the QR code was not used to facilitate the payment.
The complaint was escalated to the Ministry of Tourism, which formed an investigative committee that validated the customer's claims.
Excuses and Accountability
The restaurant manager also mentioned that the wireless POS devices were unavailable on the day of the incident because they were being used at the Varadero Gourmet competition.
Economist Pedro Monreal commented on X, "The usual gastronomic scam, spiced up with the excuse that La Cecilia’s wireless terminals were 'at Varadero Gourmet.' What a mess..."
Government Mandates Electronic Payments
In November 2023, the Cuban government mandated that businesses must provide necessary means for electronic payments. The Official Gazette of the Republic published Resolution 93 of 2023 from the Ministry of Domestic Trade, which took effect 30 days later, requiring entities to offer consumers access to electronic payment channels.
An inspection by the Ministry of Domestic Trade during the first week of September resulted in the closure of 58 establishments for failing to comply with the regulations for electronic payment of goods and services.