Can Tho Vietnamese & Chinese Restaurant — Restaurant in District of Belconnen

I’ve been coming to this restaurant regularly since around 2020. I believe it’s under new ownership for a while now.

My friend and I ordered the pork chops with broken rice. The food itself was good. However, when we went to pay ( I paid cash)I asked the owner for a receipt. Instead of giving me a proper printed or digital receipt, he just wrote the items and prices on a blank piece of paper: two pork chop dishes at $20 each, and an iced coffee at $8.50, totalling $48.50- ( see the attached photo 1) At that point, there was no stamp or business information—just his handwriting.

I asked again and made it clear that I needed a proper receipt. Then he said ohhh, Did you mean a tax invoice?” — which felt like he was pretending not to understand. But he’s the owner, and I believe he knew exactly what he was doing. It seemed like he was trying to avoid issuing a proper receipt on purpose. Only then did he stamp the handwritten paper- ( see attached photo 2) and told me I could use that as proof of purchase. The stamp included the ABN and some business details.

Customers have the right to receive a valid proof of purchase, and business owners should not try to avoid it. This experience felt unprofessional and made me uncomfortable. I hope the business takes this feedback seriously and improves its transparency and customer service.

Update after owner’s response:

I’m disappointed by the owner’s reply, which contains multiple false claims and personal attacks.

First, I paid in cash, not via EFTPOS—so it’s simply untrue that he provided an EFTPOS receipt. What I was initially given was a handwritten note on a blank piece of paper with no business name, ABN, or item breakdown (see Photo 1). Only after I asked again—specifically requesting a proper receipt—did he stamp the paper (Photo 2). That was the only “receipt” I received.

The owner now claims he gave me an EFTPOS receipt—yet I paid cash, not by card. If that were true, there would be a record of the transaction through his EFTPOS terminal, but there isn’t—because it never happened. I stand by my account 100%.

Second, suggesting I “cheated” and “used a tissue to heat the stamp” is an absurd and offensive accusation. I have nothing to gain from making this up. I simply expected what any customer would: a valid proof of purchase.

Lastly, implying I’m uneducated because I said “receipt” instead of “tax invoice” is condescending. I’ve lived in Australia for over 10 years, and like most people here, I’ve always used the term receipt when asking for a tax-compliant proof of purchase. Even my Australian friends confirmed this is completely normal.

This reply from the owner only reinforces the uncomfortable experience I had. I hope the business reflects on how to better handle feedback instead of attacking the people...

First time getting food from here (takeaway) which was ready on arrival. Ordered curry puffs, spring rolls, crispy chicken wings, sate pork and special fried rice. Curry puffs were crispy and flavourful, the chicken wings were crispy and tasty although I felt they were a bit oily. The spring rolls were a disappointment as they were not the meat type spring rolls that you get in many Vietnamese restaurants. Things went down hill from there, I thought we ordered sate pork and not sate onions. Never have I seen so much onion in one dish and so little protein. The dish appears to have been cooked by cooking the pork (what there was of it) and the 47 onions and 5 snow peas separately and then dropped in the sauce. There was no seasoning evident in the protein and veges whatsoever. The rice seemed to be a type of very short grain rice and again was under seasoned. Certainly won't be going back in a...

11% credit card fee added to my bill SEVEN (7) times since December 2018.

I have been dining at Can Tho weekly for 7.5 yrs.

Since Dec 2018 they have been accepting credit card payments. So manager today asked for $13.50 for my Special Beef Pho but charged $15.00for it on my credit card. Seven times since early Dec 2018 without advising me of credit card surcharge....let alone @11%!!!

Isn’t this practice illegal?

7.5 yrs I have been going weekly. This is pretty dishonest and deceitful too. Check your receipt before leaving the restaurant. This is not right.

Overcharged SEVEN times at 11% since 10 dec 2018. I challenged the manager today and he knew he’d been caught out...tried to give me the overcharged $1.50 in cash. It’s not so much $1.50 each time....it’s a matter of principle. Do not rip your customers off...loyal...