Euro in Restaurants: Menu Prices, Rounding and the Till
The euro has been Bulgaria’s currency since 1 January 2026, but menus, tills and guests’ habits are still settling. Here is the practical side of the euro in restaurants: how to convert menu prices to euro, how to round, what happened to dual price display and what to do with printed and digital menus.
In short
- The official rate is 1.95583 BGN per €1. Convert by dividing by the rate and rounding to two decimal places.
- Dual price display in euro and lev applied from 8 August 2025 to 8 August 2026. By October 2026 that period is over.
- From 1 January 2026 payments are registered and reported in euro and cents, and from 1 February 2026 the euro is the only legal tender.
- Before you "tidy up" a menu price, think: raising a price is different from converting it, and it can be checked.
- The till and fiscal device are set up by your service company. For questions ask them and the NRA (НАП).
What changed and when
The transition has several different dates that are easy to confuse. The most useful thing for venues is to keep them apart: the introduction of the euro, dual price display and the end of paying in lev are three separate things.
In practice: if your menu still shows lev in brackets, that is no longer an obligation. You can keep it as a convenience for guests, but you do not have to. If you removed it, check that your euro prices are clear and did not change unnoticed.
- 8 August 2025
Dual price display begins
Prices are shown in both euro and lev. This is the start date given by BNB and КЗП.
- 1 January 2026
The euro is introduced
From this date payments are registered and reported in euro and cents. For one month you can also pay in lev, and change is given in euro.
- 31 January 2026
End of paying in both currencies
КЗП states that the period in which payment in lev is possible ends on this date.
- 1 February 2026
Euro only
The euro is the only legal tender and traders give change only in euro.
- 8 August 2026
End of dual display
The period in which prices are shown in lev as well ends. By October 2026 it has expired.
Rate and rounding: how to convert
The rate is fixed and never changes: 1.95583 lev per euro. Do not look for "today’s rate" and do not use rough values such as 1.96 or 2. Your prices would differ from your neighbour’s and from what inspectors expect.
КЗП explains the rule this way: the value in lev is divided by 1.95583 and the result is rounded to two decimal places by the usual mathematical rule. When the third decimal is below 5, the second stays. When it is 5 or more, the second goes up by one. КЗП’s example for the opposite direction follows the same principle: €2.30 becomes 4.50 BGN.
Round only at the end, not in the middle. If you calculate in a spreadsheet, keep the full result and round only the displayed price. That way you do not pile up cent differences.
How to convert your menu
Here are eight sample dishes with prices calculated by the rule. The table shows the method, not a price list: use your own prices.
| - | Price in BGN | Result of division | Price in euro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopska salad | 5.50 BGN | 2.8121 | €2.81 |
| Veal soup | 12.00 BGN | 6.1355 | €6.14 |
| Spaghetti carbonara | 8.70 BGN | 4.4482 | €4.45 |
| Meatballs with side | 9.90 BGN | 5.0618 | €5.06 |
| Chicken steak | 18.90 BGN | 9.6634 | €9.66 |
| Pork ribs | 24.00 BGN | 12.2710 | €12.27 |
| Homemade lemonade | 3.20 BGN | 1.6361 | €1.64 |
| Coffee | 3.00 BGN | 1.5339 | €1.53 |
Note that most prices come out as "odd" sums like €4.45 or €9.66. That is normal. It is not an error and should not be adjusted by feel, because then the value is no longer a result of the rate.
Nice-looking euro prices: opinion and limits
Many venues want to swap €4.45 for a "nicer" €4.50 or €4.40. That is an opinion, not a rule: a tidy price sells more easily and is easier to add up, but it is a price change, not a conversion.
During the changeover КЗП said publicly that traders must not raise prices unless justified by objective economic factors, and that during checks it gives five working days to prove the justification. If you round up, keep your reasons and notes. The safest option is rounding down or keeping the exact cent, and treating any price change as a separate decision later.
Round down or keep the exact sum
- No risk of price-increase complaints.
- Easy to explain how you calculated during a check.
- Guests see that prices are fair.
Round up to a "nice" price
- Slightly less memorable look on the menu.
- A few cents lost per dish when rounding down.
- Rounding up is an increase and needs a justification.
The most common conversion mistakes
Most problems do not come from difficult maths but from rushing. Here is where people go wrong most often and how to avoid it.
- Rounding the rate. Using 1.96 or 2 gives different prices for the same dish.
- Rounding in the middle. If you round the parts first and then the sum, you pile up a difference.
- Different prices in different places. €4.45 on the menu, €4.50 on the site, €4.40 on Google: the guest wonders which one counts.
- Forgotten places. Table notes, boards, flyers, online orders and delivery partners' menus.
- No check. One misplaced decimal (12.27 instead of 1.27) shows only at the till.
The easiest way to avoid all of this is one spreadsheet, one responsible person and one day on which you change everything at once. Put the date in the spreadsheet so you know when it was made.
In numbers
- the rate that never changesBGN per €1
- 1.95583
- decimal placesin the final price
- 2
- end of dual displayper BNB and КЗП
- 8 Aug 2026
Printed and digital menus
A printed menu is the slowest to fix. If you still have old menus with prices in lev only, replace them: payment is in euro and guests will convert in their heads. A digital menu is easier: a change shows at once.
If your menu is a QR menu, prices change in one place and apply at every table. See how a QR menu for restaurants works and why it beats a PDF menu. In Menuto price changes show immediately, with no reprinting.
If your menu contains photos, КЗП recommends putting the price close to the photo, with the name and the quantity or weight. That applies to your own food photos too: do not let the price get lost beneath them.
- #01
Collect every price
Printed menu, chalkboard, website, Google profile, table notes and online ordering.
- #02
Convert in one place
A spreadsheet with the formula: lev ÷ 1.95583, rounded to two decimals.
- #03
Have it checked
A second person recalculates a few random lines.
- #04
Change everywhere at once
So the guest never sees different prices in different places.
- #05
Keep the calculation
Store the spreadsheet in case you are asked to explain.
The till and the fiscal device
From 1 January 2026 every person who accepts payments and issues fiscal or system receipts must register and report them in euro and cents. During the dual display period, receipts also showed the total in both euro and lev, together with the official rate.
How the till and fiscal printer are set up depends on the model and on the company that services them. This is not something you do yourself. Ask your service company whether the device is updated, whether receipts are correct and whether the till software matches the menu your guests see. For details the NRA (НАП) points to its information centre on 0700 18 700.
What to check at the till
- The device issues receipts in euro and cents.
- Prices in the till software match the menu.
- Change is given in euro, and you always have small coins.
- If you use online ordering or a terminal, prices there are in euro too. See the self-service kiosk.
- You have a service contact and a response time for problems.
Total5 items
How to tell your guests
The changeover is behind us, but some guests still think in lev. Help them without making them feel at fault. The message is not "we changed currency" but "everything is clearly written".
One currency per lineMenu
The euro price is clearly written, with the € sign after the number. If you also show lev, use the same font size.
Servers explainDining room
Train staff to answer calmly and exactly if a guest asks how a price was calculated.
Change and coinsTill
Keep enough small coins. КЗП recommends traders stock up on coins.
Website and GoogleOnline
Prices on the site and in your profile match. See how to maintain the profile.
Frequently asked questions
What is the official euro to lev rate?
The fixed rate is 1.95583 BGN per €1. This is how КЗП explains conversion in its guidance for eateries.
Do I still have to show prices in lev too?
No. Dual display applied from 8 August 2025 to 8 August 2026 according to BNB and КЗП, and by October 2026 that period is over. You may show lev if you like.
How do I round a euro price?
Divide the lev price by 1.95583 and round to two decimals. If the third decimal is below 5 the second stays; at 5 or more it goes up by one.
Can I round prices up to a nice sum?
You can change your prices, but an increase is not a conversion. КЗП has stated that traders must not raise prices without an objective economic justification. Talk to an accountant.
What about the receipt?
From 1 January 2026 payments are registered and reported in euro and cents. Setting up the device is the job of your service company.
In what currency do I give change?
Change is given in euro. From 1 February 2026 the euro is the only legal tender, so keep small coins.
How do I change prices in a digital menu?
Convert once in a spreadsheet and change prices in one place. In Menuto changes show immediately. More on the features page.
This article is for information only and is not legal or tax advice.
Sources
- BNB: Questions and answers on the euro, dual price display (Q153, Q157, Q159, Q163)
- КЗП: Sample price lists for eateries (rate 1.95583, rounding, display rules)
- КЗП: Questions and answers about the euro (rounding, price increases)
- КЗП: What follows for consumers and traders from 1 February 2026 (29 January 2026)
- НАП: Questions and answers about the euro (information centre)