Diners unhappy over buffet card rebuff

A five-star hotel in Qingdao, Shandong province, has sparked widespread attention and discontent over the weekend among consumers due to changes to its annual buffet card policy.

Several customers who purchased the card in June and during the Double 11 shopping festival have complained online that the hotel, MGM Qingdao, had introduced new restrictions, particularly excluding the ordering of premium items like lobster and sea cucumber from the menu. The hotel's response has fueled further dissatisfaction among patrons.

A local blogger named Boli Girl shared a video documenting her experience of consecutively dining at the hotel for 91 days.

According to the blogger, excluding weekends and public holidays, her daily dining cost amounted to approximately 53 yuan ($7.50), averaging around 18 yuan per meal.

The cost-effectiveness of the card, combined with its proximity to her workplace, made it an appealing choice for her and others who saw the potential to recoup their investment by frequenting the buffet.

The annual card packages were priced at either 12,888 yuan or 18,888 yuan, with the first having only 10 cards available while the latter had more than 30. It seemed like an unbeatable deal when purchased, offering the prospect of enjoying three meals a day at the five-star hotel for as low as 50 yuan per day, based on a calculation by some cardholders.

However, on Dec 6, some cardholders claimed to have received notifications from the buffet restaurant stating that, starting Jan 1, all annual cardholders would be prohibited from ordering lobster and individual dishes.

One consumer surnamed Ou received the notice during dinner on Dec 6. She expressed her dissatisfaction, deeming the hotel's decision stingy and suggesting that "the restrictions did not make sense for a five-star hotel".

However, another customer, surnamed Chi, who purchased the 18,888-yuan card, remarked that he somewhat expected the hotel's decision. While acknowledging the inconvenience, he still considered the annual card "cost-effective".

In response to the controversy, the hotel initially assured buyers on Dec 8 that existing agreements with cardholders would be honored, according to a report by Shangyou News.

However, on Dec 9, when questioned by reporters, the buffet restaurant's staff stated that, starting Dec 31, annual cardholders would no longer have access to lobster and individual dishes, with no option for refunds. The staff emphasized that unlimited items such as salmon would still be available.

Wang Jun, dean of Qingdao Zhongchengxin Law Firm, said honesty and integrity are considered an overwhelming principle of civil law, and the spirit of contracts is the most vital principle in commercial activities.

"Fulfilling contractual obligations as promised is a fundamental requirement of the contractual spirit," he said. "Unless mutually agreed upon or altered or terminated through litigation or arbitration due to circumstances such as mutual consent or situational changes, commitments should be honored."

Wang suggested that if the contract explicitly outlined clauses regarding changes to the menu, consumers should follow the agreed-upon terms. Should the hotel fail to adhere to the agreed conditions, patrons could pursue legal action through the courts or file complaints with consumer associations and regulatory authorities to protect their rights.

In recent years, buffet dining cards have gained popularity, particularly among young adults. Options such as the 9,999 yuan dual-person shared annual card at Fairmont Chengdu Hotel, the 3,580-yuan buy-10-get-10 lunch card at Tianjin Rego Garden Hotel, and the 9,999-yuan single-person breakfast-dinner annual card at Yantai Marriott Hotel are frequently discussed on social media.

Young individuals are drawn to hotel buffets as a solution to both their dining needs and saving on takeout costs, making it a cost-effective choice. For those who prefer not to cook and are unwilling to compromise on meal quality, the buffet dining card proves to be an appealing option, Xiaoxiang Morning News commented.

China Daily