Quick answer: Under BCRS, the 10-cent deposit follows the container. When a canned or bottled drink leaves with your customer, as it does with takeaway and delivery, the deposit applies. When your outlet keeps the container, the deposit is not charged. Outlets on the Return Right F&B Scheme keep containers from dine-in drinks, so dine-in customers pay no deposit at all.
Your customers enjoy their drinks in all kinds of places. Some sit down for a meal, some grab a can on the way back to the office, and some order dinner to their door. Wherever your customers enjoy their drink, they want the bill to make sense the moment they see it.
This guide explains how BCRS works for F&B outlets across dine-in, takeaway and delivery, and how Qashier helps you get every order right at the counter.
What BCRS means for F&B outlets
The Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS) adds a refundable 10-cent deposit to pre-packaged drinks in plastic bottles and metal cans from 150ml to 3 litres. From 1 October 2026, all regulated drinks sold in Singapore must carry the BCRS Deposit Mark, and the deposit applies to every one of them.
F&B outlets are one of the main places where customers buy these drinks, so NEA has set out clear guidance for how the deposit works in restaurants, cafes and food shops. For a full overview of the scheme, read our BCRS Singapore guide for businesses.
The simple rule: the deposit follows the container
Every BCRS situation in F&B comes back to one question. Who ends up with the container?
Your customer keeps the container: The 10-cent deposit is charged, and your customer gets it back by returning the empty container to a Return Right machine.
Your outlet keeps the container: The deposit is not charged to your customer, and your outlet returns the container to claim the deposit.
Once your team knows this rule, every order type falls into place.
How BCRS works for dine-in
For dine-in, the deposit depends on whether your outlet is part of the Return Right F&B Scheme (RRFS).
Outlets on the Return Right F&B Scheme
RRFS outlets collect back containers from drinks consumed during dine-in, so customers are not charged the 10-cent deposit. Your outlet can serve drinks in cups or glasses without the container, or serve them with the container on the understanding that customers leave it behind.
Your outlet then returns the collected containers at a Return Right machine or through another arrangement, such as with your mall operator. Customers can spot participating outlets by the Return Right F&B decal on display.
Outlets not on the Return Right F&B Scheme
Outlets outside the RRFS sell eligible drinks with the 10-cent deposit included. Your customers then return the empty container at any Return Right machine to get their deposit back.
If your outlet serves the drink without its container, for example poured into a cup, the deposit is not charged. Your outlet can return the container itself to claim the deposit.
How BCRS works for takeaway
Takeaway drinks leave your premises with your customer, so the deposit applies whenever the drink is sold in its container. This is the same for every outlet, whether or not it is on the RRFS.
Drinks that are poured into a cup before they go out carry no deposit, because the container stays with your outlet.
How BCRS works for delivery and online orders
Delivery follows the same rule as takeaway. When a canned or bottled drink arrives at your customer's door, the container is theirs to return, so the 10-cent deposit applies to the order.
Your customer can return the empty container at any Return Right machine. They can find the nearest one at returnright.sg.
Can your outlet join the Return Right F&B Scheme?
Your outlet can sign up for the RRFS at any time if it meets three criteria set by NEA. It holds a valid food shop licence from the Singapore Food Agency, it has dine-in arrangements, and it sells BCRS-regulated drinks.
There is no deadline to join, and sign-ups are processed on a rolling basis. Participating outlets receive posters and decals so customers know what to expect. You can sign up through NEA's RRFS form.
NEA notes that some outlets, such as hawker stalls and many coffeeshops, may sell outside the RRFS because shared dining areas make collecting containers back harder. These outlets sell eligible drinks with the deposit, and NEA provides customer posters that explain how the deposit works.
How Qashier handles BCRS for every order type
Qashier is ready for BCRS across QashierHQ, QashierPOS and QashierEats, so your team handles dine-in, takeaway and online orders in the same familiar flow.
Set it once on every drink you sell
Tick BCRS Eligible on a drink in QashierHQ or on your POS, and Qashier adds 10 cents per item at checkout. Your menu prices stay exactly as they are, and modifiers can carry the deposit too.
Takeaway handled at checkout
Eligible drinks add their deposit automatically, and the payment breakdown shows it as its own line. Your customer sees the same line on their receipt, so the bill makes sense the moment they read it.
Dine-in made simple
When your outlet keeps the containers, tap Waive BCRS Deposit at checkout and choose how many containers to waive. The rest of the order keeps its deposit, so a table that orders drinks to stay and drinks to go is charged correctly.
Ready for your online orders
For QashierEats, tick BCRS Eligible on the product under Online Ordering and the deposit is included in your online orders. For foodpanda products, a Collect BCRS Deposit option sits in the product settings, and our support team can help you decide when to use it.
Your sales figures stay your sales figures
Total Sales in your QashierHQ reports excludes the BCRS deposit. On your POS, the BCRS Deposit section under Sales Information shows the deposit collected, items sold, items waived and amount waived.
How to set up BCRS for your F&B outlet in Qashier
Setting up takes five steps in QashierHQ.
1. Log in to QashierHQ.
2. Under Products & Inventory, click Product Management, then choose your outlet.
3. Click the drink you want to update, or click Add Product.
4. Tick BCRS Eligible.
5. Click Confirm.
To include the deposit in online orders, go to Sales Channels, click Online Ordering, select the product, tick BCRS Eligible and click Save.
For a large menu, Product Bulk Update lets you mark many drinks at once. Our step-by-step BCRS setup guide walks you through every screen.
Frequently asked questions
Do Return Right F&B outlets charge the deposit for dine-in?
No. RRFS outlets keep the containers from dine-in drinks, so they do not charge customers the 10-cent deposit.
Do takeaway customers pay the BCRS deposit?
Yes, when the drink is sold in its container. The deposit follows the container, and your customer gets it back by returning the empty container at a Return Right machine.
Does the BCRS deposit apply to delivery orders?
Yes, when the drink is delivered in its container. In Qashier, you can include the deposit in QashierEats orders, and foodpanda products have a Collect BCRS Deposit option.
What if we pour the drink into a cup?
When a drink is served without its container, the deposit is not charged. Your outlet can return the container to claim the deposit.
Is there a deadline to join the Return Right F&B Scheme?
No. NEA processes RRFS sign-ups on a rolling basis, so eligible outlets can join at any time.
Can I waive the deposit for some drinks in an order but not others?
Yes. Tap Waive BCRS Deposit at checkout and choose the exact number of containers. Every other eligible drink keeps its deposit.
Ready wherever your customers enjoy their drink
Dine-in, takeaway and delivery each have their own BCRS rule, and Qashier keeps all three simple for your team. Wherever your customers enjoy their drink, the bill is clear and the deposit is right.
Already with Qashier? Set up the BCRS deposit for your outlet and you're ready for your next order.
New to Qashier? Talk to our team about a POS that's ready for BCRS across every order type.
Qashier is the all-in-one platform for merchants in Singapore and Southeast Asia, bringing POS, payments, online ordering, loyalty and marketing together in one place.