Polish tax office fines pierogi restaurant 500 zł for selling water before opening
A Szczecin pierogi restaurant was fined 500 zł after an employee sold a bottle of water to a tax inspector before the cash register was turned on, triggering a national debate over tax authority tactics.
The incident
On 1 July, a pierogi restaurant in Szczecin's Pogodno district was still preparing to open for the day when a woman entered and asked to buy a bottle of water. The cash register was not yet turned on, but the employee, wanting to be polite, sold her the water. The customer then identified herself as a tax office inspector conducting a controlled purchase. The restaurant was fined 500 zł for failing to issue a fiscal receipt.
Wanting simply to be polite, we decided to sell that water. A moment later it turned out to be an inspection from the Tax Office. The result? A 500 zł fine. We won't hide that we are simply sad.
The restaurant had moved to the new location only three days earlier and was still adjusting to the rhythm of the space. The door sign indicated that cold ready-to-eat products could be purchased before opening, which, according to some commentators, meant the cash register should have been operational.
- Tax inspector buys water before opening, issues 500 zł fine for lack of receipt
- Restaurant posts about the incident on Facebook, sparking online outrage
- KAS chief Marcin Łoboda issues statement defending officials and condemning online attacks
Online backlash
The restaurant's Facebook post about the fine quickly went viral, drawing thousands of comments, mostly critical of the tax officials. The story was picked up by national media and shared widely on social platforms. Influencer and journalist Krzysztof Stanowski commented on X, and the incident was compared to a recent case in Gdańsk where a restaurateur was fined for using a lower VAT rate on shrimp pizza, also following a controlled purchase by tax office employees.
The situation is not entirely black and white, because the information on the door says that cold ready-to-eat products can be bought before the venue opens. So in theory, the cash register should indeed have been working and turned on.
Rafał Kubowicz of the Nowa Nadzieja party acknowledged the legal nuance but remained sharply critical of the officials' conduct.
KAS chief responds
Over the weekend, Marcin Łoboda, head of the National Revenue Administration (KAS), issued a statement pushing back against the wave of criticism. He rejected the characterization of the inspection as a provocation and defended the professionalism of his staff.
Controls carried out by the National Revenue Administration are not provocations or actions aimed at honest entrepreneurs. Their purpose is to counteract legal violations, eliminate unfair competition, combat the grey economy, and protect those entrepreneurs who conduct their business in accordance with the regulations and reliably fulfil their obligations.
Łoboda also condemned the online attacks on tax officials, saying that questioning their credibility solely for performing statutory duties harms both their personal reputations and the authority of the state institution. He expressed full support for his team and zero tolerance for hate, slander, and harassment.
Broader tensions
The Szczecin case has reignited a long-running debate in Poland over the tactics used by tax authorities in small businesses. Critics argue that such controlled purchases, especially in the first days of a new location, are disproportionate and undermine trust. The KAS maintains that enforcing fiscal receipt rules is essential to protect honest businesses and state revenue. The restaurant has not indicated whether it will appeal the fine.
