SEVERAL restaurants are openly flouting a regulation that came into effect on Saturday outlawing the practice of setting minimum tariffs for customers occupying private rooms.

The Jing’an Temple outlet of Shanghai No. 1 Restaurant on Nanjing Road W. told Shanghai Daily yesterday that it imposed a minimum charge of 150 yuan (US$24.50) per person for parties of eight or more in private rooms.

Last week, the eatery charged a minimum of 800 yuan at lunch and 1,000 yuan at dinner, excluding drinks, for an eight-person room.