How should customers and restaurants handle this situation appropriately?

Recently, numerous posts on social media have been exposing restaurants and food stalls for serving dishes with "foreign objects" in them, leaving many people fed up. What is the reason for this?

"Negotiation and reconciliation are the best approaches!"

In response to the question, a restaurant owner in Ho Chi Minh City who was once criticized by a customer for a "foreign object" incident said that the situation probably wouldn't have escalated so far if the staff had handled the situation and satisfied the customer at the time of the complaint.

A beef noodle soup restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City was once accused by a customer of having razor blades in May 2023, causing a stir on social media.

"The staff's naive handling of the situation when the restaurant first encountered it led to customer dissatisfaction. The initial handling was poor, so all subsequent efforts to compensate the customer were ineffective, resulting in an unnecessary controversy," the restaurant owner admitted.

Meanwhile, the customer who complained about the restaurant also stated that it was the restaurant's "unacceptable" handling of the situation that angered him, and that he was determined to pursue the matter to the end, not simply stopping at the fact that the restaurant served food with a "foreign object." Regardless of who is right or wrong, the incident has caused unpleasant experiences for both the restaurant and the customer.

Lawyer Bui Quoc Tuan, from the Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association, said that he has been following and is aware of cases like the one where a customer accused a restaurant of serving food with "foreign objects," as reported in the press.

Therefore, to avoid unfortunate incidents, lawyers advise that when customers discover a "foreign object" in their food, they should immediately inform the restaurant owner so that they can resolve the issue amicably. "If they cannot resolve it themselves, they can invite the authorities to intervene. However, negotiation and mediation is the best solution," the lawyer said.

Lawyer Bui Quoc Tuan stated that to protect the legitimate rights of consumers, Article 31 of the Law on Consumer Protection stipulates: “Consumers have the right to send requests to organizations and individuals doing business in goods and services to negotiate when they believe their legitimate rights and interests have been violated. Organizations and individuals doing business in goods and services are responsible for receiving and negotiating with consumers within no more than 7 working days from the date of receiving the request.”

According to lawyers, negotiation and mediation between the customer and the restaurant owner when a foreign object is found in the food is the best solution.

The law also stipulates that consumers must have evidence to prove that their complaint is legitimate and in accordance with the law. "Specifically, the Law on Consumer Protection also allows consumers, upon discovering an act that shows signs of violating the law on consumer protection, to choose from various options."

"Firstly, contact the business organization or individual directly to request a resolution through negotiation; secondly, seek the involvement of a third party (state management agencies, social organizations involved in protecting consumer rights, law firms, or any other qualified organization or individual)," the legal expert added.

According to lawyer Bui Quoc Tuan, diners who discover "foreign objects" in restaurants should handle the matter according to the law and should be cautious when posting information on social media without providing verifiable evidence to avoid legal trouble.

What recommendations does the Ho Chi Minh City Food Safety Management Board have?

Speaking to Thanh Nien newspaper , the Ho Chi Minh City Food Safety Management Board said that when encountering "foreign objects" in food, diners should take photos of the actual situation at the time of discovery and quickly report it to the staff or owner of the establishment to resolve the issue.

The unit provides guidance so that when diners discover "foreign objects," they can contact and report through the hotline of competent state management agencies, the People's Committee of the ward/commune, district/county, Thu Duc City, or the Ho Chi Minh City Food Safety Management Board (Food Safety Management Teams) in the area where the incident occurred.

Diners can report any "foreign objects" found in their food to the competent authorities for appropriate resolution.

The Ho Chi Minh City Food Safety Management Board receives feedback and suggestions regarding food poisoning prevention, warnings about the risks of unsafe food, foodborne diseases, and measures to prevent food poisoning through the hotline 02836101318 or email: pqlndtp.bqlattp@tphcm.gov.vn.

Accordingly, the Ho Chi Minh City Food Safety Management Board stated that upon receiving complaints, the competent state management agencies will inspect and handle (if necessary) according to their assigned functions and duties and in accordance with the law.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, the Food Safety Management Board is a new model, authorized by the Prime Minister for pilot implementation in Ho Chi Minh City from December 2016 for three years. On April 1, 2020, the Prime Minister allowed an extension of the pilot period for another three years. This agency is under the direct authority of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee and has the function of inspecting, checking, and handling violations of administrative laws and food safety regulations. It also issues certificates of quarantine for animal products leaving the city.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/thay-di-vat-trong-mon-an-khach-va-nha-hang-nen-xu-ly-the-nao-cho-dung-185230810170720953.htm