A famous restaurant in the Peruvian capital Lima has to pay more than 55,500 euros, because it has offered extra "women's menus". Couples who wanted to enjoy a romantic dinner in the high-priced La Rosa Náutica were given two menus: the men were given a blue menu with prices for the expensive fish dishes. Women got a golden menu - without prices.
La Rosa Náutica, built on stilts and partially jutting into the sea, is a popular tourist hotspot in Lima and a fashionable destination for wealthy locals. It is recommended in many city guides.
La Rosa Nautica in Lima wants to become a thing of the past after a tribunal ruled it amounts to gender discrimination: https://t.co/8gg5nuX6Zs pic.twitter.com/Ls8bQwi2CZ
- Christine Armario (@cearmario) October 21, 2019The complaint about the different menus was already submitted in 2018. The Peruvian authorities found the women's menu sexist and discriminatory, reports the news site "Caretas". The restaurant itself justified the practice as part of their exceptional service: they wanted women to have a "romantic evening" without worrying about what the food cost.
"These little things are harmless," says Liliana Cerron of the National Institute for Competition and Intellectual Property Protection, which sanctioned the punishment. "But in the end, these things are the basis of a chauvinist construct that amplifies the differences between man and woman." Women would have the same overview of prices.
In addition to paying the fine, the restaurant must now hand out consistent menus. In addition, staff must be trained not to tolerate discrimination.