On May 2 a social media account accused her restaurant of taking advantage of the holiday to overcharge customers, after charging VND60,000 for a meal of rice with stuffed tofu and a bowl of bitter melon soup.
The post drew thousands of shares. Mai later had to retrieve security camera footage, released the receipt publicly and say the prices had been clearly listed: VND35,000 for the rice and VND25,000 for the soup. The rice had been increased by VND5,000 from regular days to offset higher labor costs during the holidays.
The two sides later reached a settlement at the local police station. Even so, the incident left Mai shaken.
“Now I just want to stay away from social media and quietly run my business,” she says.
Mai’s story reflects the growing pressure on Vietnam’s food and beverage industry as social media users and online reviews gain more influence. Approximately 61% of customers read reviews before choosing a restaurant, while 34% rely entirely on them, according to ReviewInc. Data from theVietnam Food & Beverage Industry Report by iPOS shows that 50,000 out of 329,500 FnB businesses closed in the first half of 2025.
Online reviews are becoming the next existential challenge for many restaurant owners. A short video or a post lacking context can affect a restaurant’s revenues and its very survival.
Quang Tran’s crab noodle soup restaurant in Hanoi is preparing dishes for customers. Photo courtesy of Quang Tran |
Do Hong Minh, owner of a fish noodle soup shop in Hanoi’s Long Bien Ward, says he constantly worries about being accused online.
Running a food business is like trying to satisfy everyone, and the risk of a social media crisis is always there, he says. Hygiene, pricing and staff attitude are the three issues most likely to trigger public criticism.
At restaurant chains, the pressure rises with the number of locations. Quang Tran, owner of a bun rieu (crab noodle soup) chain in Hanoi, recently raised prices because ingredient costs increased. To mitigate risks, he posted notices at all branches, updated menus and standardized staff procedures.
“No business can guarantee 100% perfection. The most important thing is not letting customers feel ignored, because that is when they take their frustration to online review groups.”
His chain’s policy is to apologize first and offer replacement meals. In more serious cases, he has gone personally to customers’ homes to resolve complaints.
At seasonal tourist destinations, reputation management is even more difficult. At Quang Thai Beach in central Thanh Hoa province, Pham Trong Dung, 39, owner of a 300-seat seafood restaurant, says he must monitor everything from the kitchen to the dining area.Temporary workers hired during peak season can easily clash with customers when crowds surge.
“I always hope customers will raise complaints directly at the restaurant so we can solve them immediately, rather than staying silent and later posting online to judge us.”
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Dung, owner of an eatery at Quang Thai beach, Thanh Hoa Province, prepares meals for diners in April 2026. Photo by Pham Nguyen |
Digital power and the limits of self-defense
Restaurant owners increasingly find it difficult to resolve disputes privately. Do Duy Thanh, director of consulting firm FnB Director, says the structure of conflicts has changed: “The flashpoint has shifted from the restaurant to the internet.”
In the past, dissatisfied customers usually dealt directly with owners. Today, many remain silent, take photos and post them online. Business owners no longer face one unhappy customer but an online crowd.
“The most dangerous thing is that emotions spread faster than facts can be verified,” Thanh says.
This shift has exposed the weakness of small independent businesses.
Justin Battin, an associate professor at RMIT Vietnam, says smartphones help expose dishonest pricing or poor hygiene but also create imbalance.
Consumers hold significant digital power, while small business owners often lack the resources, media skills and legal knowledge to protect themselves, he says. This imbalance is especially pronounced in Vietnam, where many small eateries rely entirely on personal reputation, he said
“In the United States, businesses are used to online complaint systems and know how to respond. But in Vietnam, consumers’ digital power has developed much faster than the systems meant to protect small businesses.”
He adds that younger consumers often prefer public judgment over direct communication. Social media offers speed, reach and public validation.
This has already caused serious consequences. In April 2025, a hamburger shop in Hai Phong City, Northern Vietnam, was flooded with one-star reviews. The police said later it was part of a scheme to pressure the owner into buying a “media protection package.” The restaurant closed despite paying because it had lost customers. Authorities arrested fanpage administrators to investigate the alleged extortion.
Experts say growing online scrutiny is pushing the food industry through a harsher selection process. Admittedly, public reviews help expose dubious business practices,they say.
“Social media does not create all the problems; it simply makes existing risks visible faster,” Thanh says.
At the same time, owners need to set clear limits for self-protection. Experts say restaurants should apologize for poor customer experiences but should not admit fault before verifying what happened.
Constantly giving free meals or discounts whenever someone threatens to expose a business online can create a bad precedent. The proper line of defense includes keeping security camera records, following posted policies and using legal channels against extortion.
In the long term, restaurant owners need to build a “trust layer” through loyal regular customers and a “media defense layer” through official online channels. In particular, businesses that rely heavily on online customers need to use these channels strategically so they serve as both promotional tools and a way to protect their brand reputation.
Lastly, a healthy service environment requires effort from both sides. Restaurants must be transparent. Customers also need to use their right to complain responsibly.
“A responsible consumer does not stay silent in the face of wrongdoing, but also does not turn the right to complain into the right to condemn,” Thanh said.
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