Heartwarming moments at the 2000 VND rice restaurant, May Ngan.

At May Ngan restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, the 2,000 VND meal is sold not only to warm the hearts of laborers but also to alleviate their feelings of shame for having to "beg and receive." Remarkably, the person directly serving the customers is a leading professor in his field, nearly 80 years old.

Regularly on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, the May Ngan social canteen (Phu Tho ward, Ho Chi Minh City) opens at 9:30 AM. Each day, approximately 350 meals are sold to laborers, poor students, and lonely elderly people.

A place in Ho Chi Minh City where underprivileged people buy a thousand-dong meal with respect.

What's special about May Ngan restaurant is that it chooses to "sell" meals at a symbolic price of 2,000 VND, helping customers avoid feeling ashamed or embarrassed about asking for food. Sharing his thoughts on this, Mr. Nguyen Minh Nghia (the restaurant's manager, a former student of Petrus Ky School, now Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted) said: “Even though it's a small amount, people feel like they are enjoying an equal meal like everyone else. That's how we respect the dignity of working people.”

Mr. Tran Van Dung (67 years old, a motorbike taxi driver), a regular customer, emotionally said: "Buying rice for 2,000 dong makes me feel very comfortable; there's nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about. The staff here are also very enthusiastic in their service, treating me like family."

To prepare the meals, the kitchen started cooking at 5 a.m., with the help of student volunteers.

From 8 a.m. onwards, a large number of laborers arrived early, lining up in an orderly fashion to buy a 2,000 dong meal.

At the restaurant, the sight of an elderly man with snow-white hair, a scholarly yet agile demeanor, carrying trays of rice and pouring glasses of water has become all too familiar. That is Professor Dr. Le Ngoc Thach (77 years old), a leading professor in organic chemistry and former lecturer at the University of Science (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City).

Mr. Nghia said that Professor Thach has been with the restaurant since its inception in 2015. Not only was he the first to donate financially to maintain the meals, but he also regularly attends three times a week to serve the community as a true volunteer.

Professor Dr. Le Ngoc Thach (in white shirt) hands over his monthly donation of 2,000 VND to the community kitchen; Mr. Nguyen Minh Nghia (head of the community kitchen) receives the donation on his behalf.

"Many newcomers mistake him for a security guard or the owner of the shop, and are surprised when they find out he's a professor. He works very meticulously, from preparing ingredients to cleaning up, always maintaining a kind smile," Mr. Nghia added.

Professor Thach shared: "I've been involved with the cafe since its inception. Every Thursday, I come to the cafe and help out with whatever I can. On days with fewer student volunteers, I have to help with more tasks; on days with more volunteers, I have a little less work to do..."

Professor Dr. Le Ngoc Thach meticulously helped to portion out each meal, thoughtfully preparing every serving so that each portion delivered to the recipient was substantial and filled with warmth and affection.

The generosity of the elderly professor extends beyond his small eatery. He is the one who quietly withdrew 1 billion VND from his savings to help those affected by Typhoon Yagi and founded the Le Van Thoi Award, worth 2 billion VND, to support young intellectuals.

For self-employed workers, the 2,000 VND rice meal is a lifesaver amidst the hustle and bustle of making a living. Ms. Muoi (an elderly woman who arrived early to wait for her meal) emotionally shared: “My house is in Tan Phu (formerly), but this morning I asked my grandchild to drive me here at 8 a.m. to make sure I had a seat. I’ve been eating here for over 3 years now; the rice here is delicious and plentiful, so I really appreciate it.”

The meals are prepared to be nutritious, and also include bread, pastries, and milk.

A decent meal for 2,000 VND helps ease the burden of making a living for poor laborers.

At exactly 9:30, all preparations were complete and the restaurant opened its doors to welcome customers.

Holding a meal to take home for his wife, Mr. Ngo Van Loan (65 years old, a lottery ticket vendor) confided: “Every time I pass by here selling lottery tickets, I stop to buy a 2,000 dong meal. These kinds of meal stalls help us poor people a lot. The fact that they charge instead of giving it away for free makes me feel less ashamed. For lonely people like us, who collect scrap metal or sell lottery tickets, each hot meal like this is truly a precious gift.”

Mr. Ngo Van Loan (65 years old, lottery ticket vendor) happily held two meals for himself and his wife in his hands.

More than just a cheap meal, the May Ngan social canteen is a place where the boundaries between a respected professor, dedicated administrators, and impoverished laborers are blurred by compassion. There, people not only give food but also share empathy and the warmth of kindness.

Those "seeds of kindness" are still quietly sprouting from simple 2,000 VND meals, silently spreading their fragrance and beautifying the city named after President Ho Chi Minh. Amidst the ups and downs of life, these noble human values ​​are the connecting thread, helping each person to believe in humanity and overcome life's difficulties together.

The restaurant is always full, with people enjoying their meals and chatting amicably in a simple, warm, and friendly atmosphere.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/nguoi-tot-viec-tot/am-tinh-nguoi-tai-quan-com-2000-dong-may-ngan-20260109152503608.htm