Mr. Nguyen Xuan Long - Deputy Head of Market Management Team No. 2 (Yen Bai Market Management Department) said that immediately after receiving information that a restaurant in Yen Bai was accused of overcharging a flood charity group, the leaders of Yen Bai City directed relevant departments and offices to verify.
On the morning of September 19, the inspection team including Market Management Team No. 2 - Yen Bai Market Management Department and Gioi Phien Commune Police, Yen Bai City came to work with Hien Anh restaurant about the content of the reflection.
At the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Quoc An - Owner of Hien Anh restaurant said that at around 10am on September 18, a group of guests in a 16-seat car with a volunteer car banner hanging in front, with 12 people in the car, came to the restaurant for lunch.
Upon arrival, the people on the bus asked about the dishes. The restaurant introduced and gave the menu and price list. After the selection process, the group chose to eat the river catfish specialty.
The restaurant owner explained that according to the price list, river catfish prepared in dishes is 1.2 million VND/kg. Because the car belongs to the volunteer group, the restaurant reduced the price by 30%, with the price of 900,000 VND/kg, the fish weighed 4.5kg, the total cost is 4,050,000 VND.
“The restaurant guarantees that the catfish is wild, not farmed. The total cost of the meal was 4,765,000 VND, divided equally among 12 people, which is less than 400,000 VND/person, which is not considered a rip-off. The restaurant did nothing wrong, if it did, it will be held responsible before the law and the authorities,” said Mr. An.
Regarding this issue, the leader of Market Management Team No. 2 said that the unit is currently in the process of verifying information and clarifying related issues such as food sources, staff, etc. Only then will there be an official conclusion about the incident.
Previously, on the evening of September 18, a post appeared on Facebook reflecting that a volunteer group traveling to Yen Bai City to provide relief to flood victims stopped at Hien Anh Restaurant (Gioi Phien Commune, Yen Bai City) for lunch and was overcharged.
According to this article, a volunteer group of 12 people ordered 4.5 kg of river catfish for 900,000 VND/kg, 2 plates of fried meat for 180,000 VND/plate, 9 cans of beer for 25,000 VND/can, 6 cans of Coca for 15,000 VND/can and 2 bowls of rice for 20,000 VND/bowl. The bill for this meal was 4,765,000 VND.According to the post by Facebook account owner Giang Tran, the restaurant charging 4,765,000 VND for this meal is "unacceptable" in the context of the whole group going to Yen Bai to do charity work for flood victims.
The article received a lot of support after being posted because it was thought that the items on the bill were too expensive compared to the general level.
By the morning of September 19, Yen Bai estimated damage of VND4,765 billion due to storm No. 3. The natural disaster has left 54 people dead and missing; damaged 25,979 houses. Currently, authorities have evacuated 21,367 households affected by floods and landslides to ensure safety.
