According to Nguyen The Tan, head of the Economic Division of Nghia Giang Commune, on November 3 that local authorities had issued an administrative penalty against Ba Chin Restaurant, located along an access road to the Da Nang-Quang Ngai Expressway.
An inspection found that the restaurant had failed to display some prices clearly and charged customers more than the advertised amounts.
The owner was also ordered to correct the price displays and refund customers the excess charges.
If the affected customers cannot be contacted, the money must be paid into the state budget, Tan said.
The remaining portion of a chicken dish initially priced at VND 300,000. (Photo: Supplied)
The case emerged after a driver, identified as N.V.D., complained on social media about a lunch bill of VND 640,000 (USD 24) for four people.
The meal included half a boiled chicken, braised pork with eggs, vegetable soup with meat, boiled sweet potato leaves and rice.
According to the driver, the restaurant charged VND 300,000 for the chicken, VND 150,000 for the braised pork, VND 80,000 for the soup, VND 60,000 for the vegetables and VND 50,000 for the rice.
He said staff had not disclosed the prices beforehand. Following a dispute, the restaurant agreed to reduce the chicken charge to VND 250,000.
Restaurant owner Tran Thi Minh Trinh defended the chicken's price, saying it was a locally raised, free-range variety purchased for VND 170,000 per kilogramme.
She said each chicken weighed more than two kilogrammes and was sold whole after preparation for VND 500,000.
Following media reports, Nghia Giang authorities inspected the restaurant and found that several dishes had been sold for VND 10,000 more than their listed prices, while some prices were displayed unclearly.