Restaurant owner hits back at scathing reviews of 'not cheap' $19.90 buffet: 'Some people are greedy'
TNP
April 20, 2025
In its Facebook posts in April, Ăn Là Ghiền - Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine wrote "Buffet Promotion: Enjoy all these dishes - and more - for just $19.90!"
Embedded in the posts were images of spreads of food.
But the promotion also carried several conditions.
There must be at least three diners per group.
The buffet is available only between 2pm and 4pm every day.
For just $19.90 per person, you get to choose up to five dishes from over 300 choices.
If there is unfinished food at 4pm, diners will have to pay extra for the leftovers.
Restaurant owner Chen Yujiao, 36, explained to Shin Min Daily News that she put the conditions in place to avoid incurring a loss for running the buffet during the off-peak hours.
The promotion, which was launched on April 1, also limits diners to making one order per group.
"There are more than 300 items on the promotional menu, and the chefs need time to cook them," said Ms Chen.
"Ordering at one go makes it easier for the kitchen to prepare the dishes. The food is cooked to order."
But all the conditions have drawn the ire of diners, some of whom have resorted to leaving bad Google reviews for the restaurant.
Facebook users left scathing remarks - mostly in Vietnamese - on the restaurant's posts.
"It's better to pay more and eat elsewhere," wrote one of the netizens. "Goodbye, my dear. I'm never coming back."
Another wrote: "This is totally not okay. You place the order, wait for the kitchen to prepare it and then rush to finish everything by 4pm."
Ms Chen, unfazed by the backlash, said the profit margin was very slim and she had to take precautions such as the "leftover fee" to prevent a loss and wastage.
"Some people are greedy for 'buffets' and order a lot of food, but in the end they can't finish the food," she explained.
A Facebook user encouraged others to view the promotion as an "order whatever you want set menu for $19.90 and order the more expensive dishes".
"Don't see it as a buffet," wrote the netizen. "From what I've seen, the dishes on their menu are not exactly cheap."
