Customers take to social media to expose street food stalls in Ho Chi Minh City for overcharging: What do the owners say?

The story about "a budget restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City overcharging customers" was posted anonymously in a food-related online group with 2.2 million members and quickly attracted attention with thousands of interactions, comments, and shares on various social media platforms.

A meal priced at 40,000 VND is being accused of overcharging by customers.

Controversial

In the post, the account stated that they had visited a street food stall on Chau Van Liem Street (District 5, Ho Chi Minh City) on a weekend morning. " I'm warning everyone, avoid this place. They overcharge terribly."

At first, I ordered a bowl of wonton noodle soup, then the lady came over and asked if it was mixed with toppings. I asked how much it was, and she said it was cheap. After eating, when it came time to pay, she didn't know the price at all. I asked the lady selling it how much it was. That lady held up a sign that said 4. I asked her why it was so expensive, since there was nothing special about it except for two pieces of lean pork. She ran over to ask the other lady, and that lady said, "If she held up a 4, it's 4."

"The important thing is that when I asked her why it was so expensive, she looked around nervously at the other vendor, then ran over to ask. My noodle soup had nothing in it except two pieces of pork, and it was from a street vendor," this account shared.

The post, accompanied by photos of the restaurant and the food, sparked much controversy among netizens. Some agreed, arguing that the prices charged by the casual eatery were unreasonable and recounted their own experiences of being overcharged.

Ms. L. said she has been in business for over 30 years and has many loyal customers.

Besides that, many people countered, arguing that for a bowl of wonton noodle soup like that, with shrimp and meat in the wonton portion, and sold in the Cholon area, it's reasonable and not overpriced. Many people who have eaten at the restaurant also commented on the post.

"It's a little expensive, but the portion is okay," Thanh Phu commented. "That area is notoriously expensive," added nickname Zanh Nguyen. Meanwhile, account Nguyen Anh Tuan Cuong commented: "40,000 dong is the right price here. It's wonton noodle soup with meat filling, not plain noodles. Luckily, there were two pieces of meat, because sometimes other places don't even have any meat."

"Sometimes the saleswoman would ask, 'Are you just an assistant?' It's normal for assistants not to know the prices," Loc Cam Thuy Trang shared. "I thought they were going to overcharge 400,000 dong, but 40,000 dong is normal," another user commented.

What did the owner say?

This morning, December 22nd, we visited the noodle shop mentioned in the article. At over 8 a.m., a large number of customers arrived, keeping the owner busy preparing. Sharing her thoughts on the incident, Ms. L., the owner, said that she has been selling here for decades, with 80% of her customers being regulars, but she has never heard anyone complain about high prices or overcharging.

Each meal at Mrs. L.'s restaurant costs 40,000 VND.

"This customer must be visiting for the first time, because I don't recognize their face. Here, every dish I sell is priced at 40,000 VND, regardless of whether it's mixed, braised ribs, or wonton. I think compared to the general price level in this area, my price is reasonable, not expensive, and I'm not overcharging. It's not just a few pieces of meat in the bowl; even the wontons have fillings inside," the owner explained.

According to Ms. L., the customer's complaint about the restaurant was unreasonable. The owner also stated that the post did not significantly affect the restaurant's business because most of the customers were regulars who had been eating there for decades and enjoyed the taste of her cooking.

A long-time customer at the restaurant said he chooses to buy from them because of the reasonable prices and delicious food. "I think 40,000 VND per serving isn't expensive in Cholon. Many other places sell it for more, 45,000-50,000 VND, so it's fine for working people here," he added.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/khach-dang-dan-boc-phot-quan-via-he-tphcm-chem-kinh-khung-chu-quan-noi-gi-185241222091225888.htm