New Playa del Carmen Taxes to Hit Restaurant Prices

Playa del Carmen, Mexico — César Navarro Medina, the operational manager of the Pez Vela restaurant, has warned that new federal taxes applied to beverages and foods with high caloric content will directly impact prices of the basic food basket and the operations of businesses in the restaurant sector. He stated that the measure appears to be more for revenue collection purposes than for public health.

In an interview, Navarro indicated that the increases have already begun to appear in commercial chains within the state, with price hikes of up to two pesos per container on soft drinks, even before the federal fiscal package has been formally approved.

“Prices are already being raised without authorization, so the impact will be double next year,” he warned.

The business owner explained that this type of measure does not fulfill its purpose of promoting healthier eating, as nutritional education should be promoted from schools.

“Chiapas is the top consumer in the world, with more than 200 liters per capita, and Mexico reaches 100 liters, more than the United States. The problem is not the tax, but the lack of nutritional education,” he stated.

Navarro considered that the measure could aggravate inflation in 2026.

“Although officially there is talk of three percentage points per year, the real prices of basic products like meat or beverages have already doubled in cost. If we do not adjust prices, businesses become undercapitalized,” he indicated.

He recalled that the first time a similar tax was imposed, it severely affected the Mexican soft drink industry, particularly the company Pascual, which lost half of its production due to the tax burden.

“They are one of the few companies that still use sugar instead of fructose, and that makes their process more expensive. Most large companies use imported syrup, which also reduces the competitiveness of national sugarcane producers,” he added.

The restaurant sector representative emphasized the need to strengthen the circular economy and support Mexican agriculture to avoid greater dependence on foreign supplies.

“The primary sector is abandoned. Quintana Roo is in last place nationally, according to INEGI. Sugarcane production has been neglected, and there are no incentives for local producers,” he stated.

Navarro stressed that in municipalities in the southern part of the state, such as Felipe Carrillo Puerto or Chetumal, there is fertile land that could be better utilized for agro-industrial production, but a lack of political will and support programs has stalled its development.

“There is good land, there are places to do it, but there is a lack of will for the primary sector to rebound again,” he insisted.

On another topic, the restaurateur commented on the performance of the Playa Spice program, an initiative promoted by the municipal Secretary of Tourism and the National Chamber of the Restaurant and Seasoned Food Industry (Canirac) to incentivize consumption during the low season through promotional menus.

“The program was well received, but more promotion is needed. Many restaurants did not have the expected influx, despite there being good offers. For example, there were menus with main courses for one peso and appetizers at reduced prices,” he explained.

He proposed that the local government strengthen promotion of the program in public and tourist spaces like Quinta Avenida, with welcome messages in several languages aimed at visitors.

“It would be more effective for local authorities to lead the tourism promotion, beyond depending on influencers or digital campaigns that do not always reach the right audience,” he expressed.

Navarro considered that Playa Spice should be consolidated as an annual tradition, so that both inhabitants and tourists identify the season when they can enjoy local gastronomy at accessible prices.

“It must be a constant strategy, not a temporary one. If we manage to position it, it will generate economic flow in the months of low occupancy and help stabilize the local restaurant industry,” he concluded.