"The owner asked me to let you pay for three meals. Mine is 50,000 VND. The 100,000 VND meal is for the two friends sitting at table number 6," said Thien Phong, a customer from Ho Chi Minh City, after finishing his meal.
However, Phong was surprised to see that the owner only charged him for his meal. Thinking there had been a mistake, he asked again and was told that this was a restaurant policy that had been in place for about 20 years.
"While on a business trip to Buon Ho, I was recommended a famous beef noodle soup restaurant by friends, so I stopped by to try it. But this is the first time I've seen such a strange rule at the restaurant," said the 36-year-old customer.
It wasn't just Mr. Phong; first-time diners were surprised by the signs on the walls that read, "Our restaurant does not charge a tip when customers meet acquaintances to dine with. Thank you sincerely!"
This regulation has also attracted mixed opinions. Alongside those who support it, arguing that "it's best to be fair and square when eating, with each person paying for their own meal," there are also those who consider it a "somewhat rigid rule."
"When I go out to eat, if I meet an acquaintance, I'm still willing to pay extra for their meal as a polite way of inviting them. The cost of the meal is nothing; it's the friendship that's truly valuable," commented a user named Tuan Tran.
Meanwhile, some people suggest that the restaurant owner might not want to see customers arguing over who pays the bill. Accepting payment from one person could offend others. Therefore, to ensure everyone's comfort, each person pays for their own meal.
According to our research, this is a specific rule of a restaurant specializing in stir-fried beef located in Buon Ho town, Dak Lak province.
Speaking to a reporter from Dan Tri newspaper , Ms. H., the owner of the restaurant, said that this rule might seem strange to many people, but the restaurant has been implementing it for a long time and it has been supported by many local customers.
Ms. H. said that the beef noodle soup restaurant was originally opened by her mother in the 1990s. At that time, Buon Ho didn't have many restaurants, so many people came to support the business. Local people are generally kind and down-to-earth, so inviting each other for a meal is quite normal.
By the mid-2000s, Ms. H. began taking over her mother's restaurant. However, one incident left a lasting impression on her and led her to decide that things had to change.
There were two customers at the restaurant. One of them got up first and paid for the other. At that time, a serving of beef noodle soup cost 25,000 VND. Ms. H. happily collected the money because she didn't know what their relationship was.
When the other customer got up to pay, the customer realized that the other person had paid for them and became angry at the owner. The customer then criticized her for taking the money without asking for permission first.
"You took 25,000 dong from them, which means I owe them that amount," the customer complained.
The customer's complaint made Ms. H. think for a long time. Then, another similar incident occurred, prompting Ms. H. to decide to change.
That was the time a customer, the director of a local company, came to eat. After finishing his meal, he found out that the staff had paid for his meal. This displeased him.
"The customer politely advised me that I shouldn't do that. His employees earn meager salaries while he is much better off. Because he frequently visits the restaurant, he doesn't want a similar incident to happen again," Ms. H recalled.
After that incident, she decided to put up signs with the rules on the tables in the restaurant. Since then, the restaurant has not experienced any more problems caused by customers arguing over who pays for the meal.
The restaurant is reportedly only open from morning until around 12 PM each day. The price of meals ranges from 30,000 to 50,000 VND. A special meal costs 100,000 VND.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/quan-an-dak-lak-quy-dinh-la-tranh-tranh-nhau-tra-tien-khi-gap-nguoi-quen-20240801112005770.htm
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