China: Stirred up by case of customer eating half a chicken having to pay 7.3 million VND

(Dan Tri) - A restaurant located in Changning District (Shanghai, China) became the center of controversy when it sold a chicken portion for 1,999 yuan (7.3 million VND) with an explanation that diners found unsatisfactory.

Why does half a chicken cost more than 7.3 million VND?

Recently, a restaurant in Changning District (Shanghai City, China) became the center of debate on social media after a customer complained that he had to pay 1,999 yuan (7.3 million VND) for a meal consisting of half a chicken.

In the video posted by the guest, the restaurant staff introduced this as a Cantonese-style shark fin chicken specialty dish, made from Qingyuan chicken raised for 365 days in Guangdong.

Half a chicken costs 1,999 yuan at a luxury restaurant in Shanghai (Photo: WJ).

However, in reality, the majority of the cost of the dish comes from shark fin - an expensive high-end ingredient. This information immediately caused a "storm" on the internet, climbing straight to the search group, causing the Chinese public to fiercely debate about the "sky-high priced chicken dish".

Images from the customer's video show that when the customer asked for the price of the dish, the staff confirmed that the meal was half a chicken. When asked further, the staff revealed that the dish contained premium shark fin selected by the chef.

However, this explanation made the online community think that the restaurant was “ambiguous about the price”. From the beginning, the staff did not inform customers that the dish had expensive ingredients such as shark fin.

Special chicken of Thanh Vien region (Photo: Sina).

In response to criticism, the restaurant said that the Cantonese-style shark fin chicken dish has two levels. The small pot costs 1,999 yuan, serving 4-6 people. The large pot costs 2,999 yuan, serving 8-10 people.

The main ingredient that creates value is not chicken but goldfish fin. Each portion uses about 200g of shark fin. Meanwhile, the market price of shark fin is up to several thousand yuan/kg. The cost of shark fin alone accounts for more than 60% of the value of the dish.

"In addition, shark fin broth must be simmered for more than 6 hours from marrow bones, trotters, chicken feet and pork skin to create sweetness and rich collagen, which also contributes to increased costs," said the restaurant representative.

Mixed public opinion: "Excellent value for money" or just a trick?

The incident caused the Chinese online community to split into two schools of thought.

Some people believe that the restaurant has clearly listed prices and explained the origin of ingredients, so this is a legal business.

“Shark fin is a high-end ingredient, plus the processing and space costs. Therefore, the price of 1,999 yuan cannot be considered a rip-off in the high-end segment,” commented a diner from Shanghai.

On the contrary, the number of people with the opposite opinion is the majority, among which many people come from Thanh Vien.

"My family raises more than 20 Thanh Vien chickens. After raising them for a whole year, they sell for less than 200 yuan per chicken (750,000 VND). So why is half a chicken priced so high?", one person argued.

In response to many public opinions, Mr. Ly Minh, a culinary industry analyst, said that pricing in the high-end segment often takes into account the total cost of ingredients, craftsmanship, service, and brand value.

“Shark fin requires complex soaking, preparation, and processing techniques, and is much more expensive in labor than common ingredients. Adding the cost of renting a space, decorating, and serving makes the price of the dish certainly high,” Mr. Minh analyzed.

However, the expert also warned that this strategy depends on the customer's ability to pay. He said that if diners feel the price is not worth it, the restaurant will face the risk of losing its reputation.

According to records, the restaurant is located in a high-end commercial center of Truong Ninh district with an average spending of over 500 yuan/guest (1.8 million VND).

In addition to the chicken stew with shark fin, the menu also includes abalone, fish maw and many other expensive dishes. Staff revealed that customers who dine here are usually businessmen or high-spending people who require luxurious meals with expensive ingredients.

Under pressure from public opinion, in early September, a restaurant representative said that they had conducted an internal investigation and would contact the guest who posted the video.

"Maybe during the introduction, the staff emphasized too much on the details of using chicken raised for 365 days, without clearly stating the shark fin ingredient, causing customers to misunderstand," he said.

Up to now, the Shanghai market management agency has not intervened.

However, lawyer Zhang Xinnian from the Zhongwen Law Firm in Beijing stressed that under the Consumer Protection Law, restaurants are obliged to provide clear information about prices, quantities and ingredients of dishes. If there is intentional concealment or misleading behavior, it can be considered an infringement of consumers' right to know.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/trung-quoc-xon-xao-vu-khach-an-nua-con-ga-phai-thanh-toan-73-trieu-dong-20250906235431902.htm