Hidden dangers of the cheap buffet model

In recent years, budget-friendly buffet restaurants have become very popular in many cities across the country, especially around universities and residential areas with a high concentration of students and low-income workers. In Vinh City, simply driving along streets like Nguyen Huy Oanh, Tran Dang Dinh, and Vo Thi Sau makes it easy to find this type of business.

According to a reporter's observations at a budget buffet restaurant on Tran Dang Dinh Street, near Vinh University, priced at 139,000 VND per adult, with free entry for children under 1 meter tall. Every day, this establishment attracts a large number of customers, often completely full, with motorbikes parked all over the sidewalk and road. The majority of diners are students.

According to the reporter's observations, the trays in the shop were cluttered with dozens of items, including beef, pork belly, offal, intestines, sliced ​​squid, octopus, chicken, shrimp, etc., all coated with colorful spices. Despite this, the area lacked refrigeration or insect control. Many items showed signs of being frozen multiple times, leaking liquid, and even emitting a foul odor. Fried meatballs, sausages, and fish cakes were often heavily seasoned, easily deceiving the taste buds, making quality difficult to verify. Some vegetables and mushrooms were also bruised and discolored.

Similarly, at a buffet restaurant on Nguyen Huy Oanh Street in Vinh City, for only 89,000 VND per person, diners can eat as much as they want from nearly 30 dishes, mostly pre-fried foods.

The food trays, simply arranged on stainless steel tables, mostly contained fried chicken, fish balls, fried sausages, cheese-flavored potato wedges, or fried fermented pork rolls, and offal... all were cold, and many dishes had darkened due to being left out for too long.

This establishment also lacks lids or insulated counters; customers use shared tongs to take food, which often fall and are picked up for reuse. The space is cramped and crowded, and the smell of frying oil mixed with kitchen smoke makes the air stuffy. Despite the attractive low prices, the quality and hygiene at these establishments leave many diners worried while eating.

NAT, a final-year student at Vinh University, shared: “My friend and I go to a buffet once a week because the restaurant has many dishes and the seating is comfortable. I know the quality isn't high, but as students with limited budgets, a cheap buffet is still a reasonable choice. I think eating selectively and in moderation is probably okay…”

In reality, once food costs are considered in business calculations, the cheap buffet model reveals itself as a "gamble" with consumers' health. Ms. Le Thu Huong, from Truong Thi ward, Vinh City, commented: "I've never trusted those cheap buffet restaurants. The current market price for a kilogram of medium-sized shrimp is nearly 200,000 VND, and beef, pork belly, squid, and chicken are all very expensive. Meanwhile, for only about 100,000 VND per person, they get served countless dishes, so it's impossible for the food to be fresh and clean."

Lai Minh Tung, a chef with 10 years of experience in the culinary industry in Vinh City, emphasized: "At a price of around 100,000 VND per person, it's impossible for buffet restaurants to use quality ingredients. Not to mention other costs such as rent, labor, electricity, water, etc. Therefore, if they sell so cheaply, the restaurant must be using leftover, frozen goods or buying ingredients from unreliable sources."

Given this situation, relevant authorities need to strengthen inspections and take action against cheap buffet establishments that show signs of violating food safety and hygiene regulations and origin requirements. At the same time, regulations on the conditions for operating food service businesses, especially those serving large numbers of people like buffets, need to be tightened.

From the consumer's perspective, especially young people – the main target group for cheap buffet restaurants – there's a need to raise awareness and not sacrifice health for low prices. Student groups should share information about food safety, encourage smart consumption, and choose restaurants that maintain hygiene standards.