Selling rice at 'exorbitant' prices to electricians, Nghe An restaurant 'fixes' it and makes it a free meal?

The restaurant was accused of selling meals at exorbitant prices, claiming that the meals were free. However, the restaurant also admitted its mistake in not telling customers about this sooner.

As VietNamNet reported, recently, Thuy Linh restaurant (Vinh Phu ward, Nghe An ) was accused of selling meals to officials and employees of Nghe An province's electricity department at "exorbitant" prices. The 135,000 VND meal only included white rice, stir-fried cabbage, a little braised meat and 2 pieces of ham. Afterwards, the restaurant said that it was a free meal.

Talking to VietNamNet reporters, Nghe An Electricity Company informed that on August 26, Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Lam - an administrative employee of the company - went to Thuy Linh restaurant to order 230 meals for dinner at the price of 130,000 VND/meal (not 135,000 as reported on social networks). And 310 meals the next day, August 27.

On the evening of August 26, the restaurant delivered the first meals. The electricity company did not open it to check but brought it to the site where the power grid was being repaired for the staff to eat.

When the restaurant delivered the next meals to the power company, an officer opened the meals to check and discovered that there was very little rice and food inside.

"We found each meal of 130,000 VND expensive and did not meet the requirements for staff to eat and ensure their health, so we reported it to the restaurant," Nghe An Electricity informed.

The image caused a stir on social networks.

After reporting the incident, the restaurant owner said that due to storm No. 5 sweeping through the area, the market was short of food. The restaurant did not buy enough food as requested by the electricity workers.

“We ordered 130,000 VND/meal, they could not make it as requested but did not notify us. They remained silent, selling each meal for 130,000 VND. On the morning of August 27, I asked the restaurant to issue an invoice for payment. They agreed to issue an invoice, but at noon the restaurant informed us that they only took the dinner meal on the evening of August 26 for 60,000 VND.

I disagree because if they were selling for 60,000 VND, they should have announced it on August 26 so we would know. On the afternoon of August 27, Thuy Linh restaurant informed the electricity industry that those meals would be free,” said a company representative.

“Electricians are very tired so we need to buy each meal for 130,000 VND to ensure their health.

We ordered the meal, we paid for it, there is no such thing as free food from the restaurant. If the restaurant did not charge, it should have made it clear from the beginning. Up to now, we still do not know if the meal cost 130,000 VND or 60,000 VND.

We will wait for the company's leadership's opinion to handle this matter," the company said.

It is known that on the evening of August 27, the electricity company had a meeting with Thuy Linh restaurant. Here, the restaurant admitted its mistake in the substandard meals but did not immediately notify the electricity company.

“The electricity company ordered each meal for 120,000 VND, but if you get the bill, it is 130,000 VND. I was wrong when the meal did not meet the standard of 130,000 VND but I did not report it to the electricity company. After working, I told the electricity company staff that yesterday's meal should have been 60,000 VND but I did not take the money,” Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy, the female restaurant owner, explained to the reporter.

Previously, on social networks, images of a meal priced at 135,000 VND were circulated, allegedly sold by a restaurant in Nghe An to electricity officials and employees.

The information immediately attracted attention and caused controversy on social networks.

VietNamNet reporters quickly contacted Thuy Linh restaurant. Initially, the restaurant owner admitted that the meal posted on social networks was ordered by Nghe An Electricity Company, and cost 135,000 VND because the food was expensive.

However, he later contacted the reporter and explained: "The meal posted on social networks was cooked for free by the restaurant to help with the hard work of electricity workers during the stormy days."

Regarding the price of the meal, Ms. Thuy said that the electricity company set each meal at 130,000 VND. “Because I work with the restaurant, my husband did not know, so he said that each meal was 135,000 VND,” said the restaurant owner.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/ban-com-gia-cat-co-cho-tho-dien-nha-hang-nghe-an-chua-thanh-suat-mien-phi-2436879.html