Vat at Restaurants

Author
Discussion

Glassman

Original Poster:

23,526 posts

227 months

Sunday 18th January 2009
quotequote all
Food is zero rate

drinks are not? is that right?


Bemmer

1,168 posts

214 months

Sunday 18th January 2009
quotequote all
Glassman said:
Food is zero rate

drinks are not? is that right?
Wrong,All food and drinks are subject to VAT in Restaurants.

Glassman

Original Poster:

23,526 posts

227 months

Sunday 18th January 2009
quotequote all
Thanks.

When is food zero/exempt?

bmw2002

8,596 posts

236 months

Sunday 18th January 2009
quotequote all
Glassman said:
Thanks.

When is food zero/exempt?
Takeaway I believe.

Plotloss

67,280 posts

282 months

Sunday 18th January 2009
quotequote all
Glassman said:
Thanks.

When is food zero/exempt?
Raw ingredients.

All your fruit and veg, meat etc all zero/exempt as perishable goods.

Plotloss

67,280 posts

282 months

Sunday 18th January 2009
quotequote all
bmw2002 said:
Glassman said:
Thanks.

When is food zero/exempt?
Takeaway I believe.
Attracts VAT if its hot.

Eric Mc

123,548 posts

277 months

Sunday 18th January 2009
quotequote all
All restaurants have to charge VAT at the Standard Rate - cuurently 15%.

Takeaways have to charge Standard Rate on "Hot Prepared Food".

Basic foodstuffs are Zero Rated in shops - but there are lots of "foods" which are not classed as basic and are therefore Standard Rated. Most confectioneries is charged at Standard Rate. Potato based snacks are Standard Rated but Wheat and Maize based snacks are Zero Rated.

VAT becomes more and more of a minefield the more you look into it.

Glassman

Original Poster:

23,526 posts

227 months

Sunday 18th January 2009
quotequote all
What about Sushi?

Eric Mc

123,548 posts

277 months

Sunday 18th January 2009
quotequote all
If it's a sit down restaurant - it should still be Standard Rated.

If it's a takeaway, it MIGHT be Zero Rated, being cold rather thsn hot prepared food.

The VAT regulations define "hot" as 15 degrees above ambient air temperature. That means, if VAT rules operated in Antartica, food served at Minus 35 degrees Centigrade would be classified as "Hot Prepared Food".

Glassman

Original Poster:

23,526 posts

227 months

Sunday 18th January 2009
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
If it's a sit down restaurant - it should still be Standard Rated.

If it's a takeaway, it MIGHT be Zero Rated, being cold rather thsn hot prepared food.

The VAT regulations define "hot" as 15 degrees above ambient air temperature. That means, if VAT rules operated in Antartica, food served at Minus 35 degrees Centigrade would be classified as "Hot Prepared Food".
Blimey.

mcflurry

9,164 posts

265 months

Monday 19th January 2009
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
If it's a sit down restaurant - it should still be Standard Rated.

If it's a takeaway, it MIGHT be Zero Rated, being cold rather than hot prepared food.
Hence McDonalds charging 10p less for a takeaway Milkshake wink

Timja

1,943 posts

221 months

Monday 19th January 2009
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
Basic foodstuffs are Zero Rated in shops - but there are lots of "foods" which are not classed as basic and are therefore Standard Rated. Most confectioneries is charged at Standard Rate. Potato based snacks are Standard Rated but Wheat and Maize based snacks are Zero Rated.

VAT becomes more and more of a minefield the more you look into it.
A good example is biscuits are basic, but if you put chocolate on they become a luxury. Also i think there was a well known case of whether a Jaffa Cake is a cake or a biscuit!

Glassman

Original Poster:

23,526 posts

227 months

Monday 26th January 2009
quotequote all
Doesn't mean a great deal, but I have breakfast every Wednesday at Loch Fyne. The organisation (a business referral organisation) pay the restaurant and the members pay them.

They insist there is no VAT on my Smoked Haddock and Poached Eggs breakfast (+ coffee)

?

Eric Mc

123,548 posts

277 months

Monday 26th January 2009
quotequote all
? too.

I don't see why they can claim that.

In any case, if they provide you with a normal till receipt, which will show their VAT number, I would go ahead and reclaim the Input VAT that should be contained within the price. If they are misdeclaring the VAT in their VAT returns, that is a matter for HM Revenue and Customs and them to sort out.

V8mate

45,899 posts

201 months

Monday 26th January 2009
quotequote all
Glassman said:
Doesn't mean a great deal, but I have breakfast every Wednesday at Loch Fyne. The organisation (a business referral organisation) pay the restaurant and the members pay them.

They insist there is no VAT on my Smoked Haddock and Poached Eggs breakfast (+ coffee)

?
Maybe the breakfast club isn't VAT registered? You pay them for the provision of a breakfast club; the VAT relationship is between them and the retaurant.

Eric Mc

123,548 posts

277 months

Monday 26th January 2009
quotequote all
If that is the case, have they not heard of the term "disaggregation". The VAT people are very much aware of the "trick" that some businesses sometimes use of splitting their business activities in an attaemept to keep at least one element of their trading out of VAT.

It's a definite "no no" and one HMRC are well aware of - especially in the pub and catering trades.

V8mate

45,899 posts

201 months

Monday 26th January 2009
quotequote all
I think you misunderstood my post Eric (so, my fault).

The Breakfast Club has nothing to do with the restaurant; it's simply an organisation which uses the venue for its meetings.

Eric Mc

123,548 posts

277 months

Monday 26th January 2009
quotequote all
So, who are you buying the meal from, the restaurant or the Breakfast Club?

V8mate

45,899 posts

201 months

Monday 26th January 2009
quotequote all
Well, the OP, and other members, are paying the Breakfast Club (which is the usual way they work). The Club then provides a venue and a breakfast to its members.

Eric Mc

123,548 posts

277 months

Monday 26th January 2009
quotequote all
If that is the case, then the transaction is between the Breakfast Club and its members. VAT would be charged by the Breakfast Club if the club is VAT registered.

Obviously, the restaurant should be charging VAT to the Breakfast Club itself.