When the "victim" posted the information online and the authorities came to investigate, the restaurant owner admitted that there was a mistake, saying that he had "joked" and quoted 1.2 million VND for 3 bowls of vermicelli soup. Unexpectedly, the customer thought it was real and transferred the payment of 1.2 million VND.
It's hard to believe the owner's explanation. No one would joke like that, and if they did, they would have to return the money immediately after the customer transferred it.
During Tet, it is normal for restaurants to charge extra fees, because the restaurant does not take a break for Tet but still works to serve customers, so they have to pay employees higher wages than usual. However, the price increase must be reasonable and acceptable to customers. According to the general level, restaurants increase the price by about 5,000 VND - 10,000 VND/bowl of noodles. In this case, a bowl of crab noodle soup costs from 30,000 VND - 40,000 VND, but it increases to 400,000 VND, 10 times more.
There are many other restaurants that operate in a "cutthroat" manner. Many people are victims, but they ignore it and don't waste time arguing. Therefore, many restaurants take advantage of the opportunity to make money during Tet.
Doing business in a snatch-and-grab manner damages the image of the locality and loses the affection of domestic and international tourists. Customers who come once and feel like they were cheated out of their money will not want to come back a second time.
As a result, the restaurant's name was mentioned on social networks and in the press, and customers were definitely lost.
However, not all "overpriced" information posted on social networks is accurate.
Recently, O.D restaurant (Hoang Hoa Tham street, Vung Tau city) was posted on social media by tourists warning "everyone avoid this restaurant". The reason is that O.D restaurant sells 4 Japanese scallops for 1.4 million VND.
Not only warning, the person providing the information provided an invoice dated January 31, 2025 (the 3rd day of Tet), in which the 1.2kg Japanese scallop dish cost more than 1.4 million VND. On February 1, the leader of Ward 2 People's Committee, Vung Tau City worked with the owner of O.D restaurant to clarify the incident. Reviewing the records showed that the price of Japanese scallops imported by this establishment was up to 920,000 VND/kg.
Surveying the listed prices on February 1 at some other restaurants in the area, Japanese scallops of 4 pieces/kg cost more than 1.36 million VND.
Thus, the selling price of 1.2kg for more than 1.4 million VND at O.D restaurant is reasonable, not as cutthroat as reported on social networks.
For restaurants that rip off customers, authorities should verify and punish them according to the law. To attract tourists and increase tourism, we must eliminate the problem of "ripping off customers".
However, we must also deal with cases of spreading "false rumors" that affect the brand of businesses as well as local tourism.
