Bình Dương Smile restaurant in the province's Thủ Dầu Một City is providing meals at a cheap price for locals. - Photo nld.com.vn

BÌNH DƯƠNG - Bình Dương Smile restaurant in Thủ Dầu Một City, Bình Dương Province is selling high quality nutritious lunch meals at affordable prices to support poor families.

The restaurant, on 30-4 street in Phú Thọ Ward, was inspired by the model of "Smile" restaurants in HCM City. This is a project of the Biconsi Group charity fund and other benefactors.

People who come to eat at Smile restaurant are mainly old people without caretakers, lottery ticket sellers, masons and other workers with low incomes. Although the lunch set is only VNĐ2,000 (US$0.1), it still consists of a full meal of meat, vegetable and broth dishes, like that of a VNĐ30,000 to VNĐ35,000 meal.

Nguyễn Văn Hùng - 43 years old, working as a mason in Phú Thọ ward - says that since the beginning of the year, his work has been precarious, even though he is the main income for his family. Thanks to the restaurant, he has been able to save more money to send to his family back in their hometown.

Nguyễn Thị Mai - 69 years old and the restaurant's kitchen manager - says that on average, the restaurant provides 320 meals a day, and each meal costs about VNĐ25,000. Many people who visit the restaurant and find the prices to be very cheap decide to financially support its operation, and some donate vegetables.

Mai told Người Lao Động Newspaper that the restaurant charges a very low price of only VNĐ2,000 for its meals so that the diners do not feel that they are being given something for free, and do not feel bad about themselves.

In Bình Dương, there are many more kitchens serving people free of charge, helping many struggling locals.

The model of "Smile" social restaurants in HCM City consists of restaurants providing full lunch meals for disadvantaged locals at VNĐ2,000 so that they do not feel like they are begging for food. - VNS