Do you tip in Turkish restaurants, and how much?
You can, but it is not obligatory. A tip in Turkey is a thank you. It is not treated as part of the bill.
The common habit is to leave between five and ten per cent. Leaving nothing after poor service surprises nobody. On a small bill, a coffee or a tea, leaving the change is considered enough.
Cash is the usual way. Paying the bill by card and leaving the tip in cash is the most common arrangement.
What are service and cover charges, and will they appear on my bill?
A service charge is a percentage added automatically to the bill. A cover charge is a fixed amount per person for bread, napkins and the table setting. Both differ from a tip, because neither is your decision.
In Turkey a regulation dated 30 January 2026 banned both. You should not see a service or cover line on your bill.
If you do see one, you are entitled to ask about it. Sultan Grill House charges neither. A tip is entirely up to you.
Do menu prices include VAT?
In Turkey the price on the menu is the price you pay. Tax is not added at the till, it is already inside the figure.
Every price on the Sultan Grill House menu is in Turkish lira with VAT included. The menu holds 136 dishes and each one carries its price in the open.
On the website an approximate euro figure sits under each price. It is worked out from the daily rate and is there to give you a sense of scale. Payment is always in Turkish lira.
If something arrives that I did not order, do I have to pay for it?
No. You are not obliged to pay for anything you did not order.
There is a known pattern in tourist quarters. Meze, bread or water lands on the table without being asked for, and then appears on the bill. If that happens, ask for it to be taken away, and it comes off the bill.
At Sultan Grill House nothing reaches your table that you did not ask for. The bill holds only what you ordered.
How do I ask for the bill, and can we split it?
Saying hesap lütfen is enough. English works too. Most people working in Sultanahmet speak with visitors every day.
Splitting a bill is not the local habit, but it is done when asked. In Turkey one person usually settles the table, and whoever invited takes it on. Visiting groups ask to split more often and it causes no difficulty.
You are entitled to a receipt or an invoice. Say so at the start if you need one and they will ask for the details to put on it.
How can I see the prices before I come?
Reading the menu first is the simplest way. The full Sultan Grill House menu is on the website with every price written out.
There is also a digital menu at the table, opened by QR code, readable in fifteen languages. The prices are not kept in two places. Both come from the same source.
When the menu changes the site changes with it. Even so, if one dish decides your evening, look before you come. The current list is there.
