Vikings Luxury Buffet SM Lanang Davao — Restaurant in Davao City

It was a regular Sunday, where my fiancé and I decided to treat ourselves to a nice lunch at Vikings, SM Lanang Premier in Davao. We arrived at around 11:30 AM, the anticipation of a sumptuous feast building as we walked through the doors. The restaurant was bustling with activity, and we assumed it might take a while before we could be seated. Upon arrival, we were given the number 21, while the staff were just calling reservation number 5. We stood patiently, just two meters away from the person calling the numbers, ensuring we wouldn’t miss our turn. Minutes turned into what felt like hours as we watched the numbers tick by ever so slowly. Finally, they called number 20. My fiancé and I joked nervously that perhaps they would stop calling numbers altogether at 20. Fifteen more minutes crawled by, and our patience began to wane. My fiancé, decided to approach the staff to ask why number 21 hadn’t been called yet. The staff member nonchalantly responded that they had already called our number and were now at number 26! We were stunned, our jaws dropping in unison. How could this be? We had been standing right there, within earshot of every number called. We hadn’t heard numbers 21 through 25 at all. Frustrated and bewildered, we sought out the manager, determined to get to the bottom of this. We explained our situation, presenting our proof that numbers 21-25 had not been called. The manager, looking somewhat embarrassed, explained that those numbers were written on a different page, and they had been overlooked. The absurdity of the situation was almost laughable, yet infuriating. What if we hadn’t asked? Would we have stood there indefinitely, waiting for a call that would never come? Why hadn’t any staff member noticed us standing there for so long and taken the initiative to ask why? Were we to wait until 2 PM, famished and frustrated? We were regular paying customers, not looking for any special treatment, just a simple, timely meal that matched the price we were paying. The whole experience left a bitter taste, overshadowing the restaurant’s fine ambiance. The staff’s lack of initiative and attention to detail was glaringly evident. In the end, while the food might have been worth the wait, the service certainly was not. As we finally sat down to eat, we couldn’t help but feel that our day, our regular Sunday, had been unduly complicated by what should have been a straightforward lunch outing. This incident served as a stark reminder that good service is just as crucial as good food, and unfortunately, Vikings fell short...

It was my birthday when we visited this top rated buffet resto variety of foods you can choose Filipino Dishes, European, Caribbean, Asian, American, French foods etc. to the extent that you can't taste it all. They also have breads and DIY seafoods you just need to request for them to cook it. They also have a variety of cakes, pastries and fruits. If you are a food enthusiast this a perfect and a must visit resto. My favorite was roasted turkey, beef and pork. Pork Lechon is also served. Since it was my birthday my entrance was free we only paid P928 together with my companion.

Important Reminders: To avail of free entrance it should be your exact birthday that you will dine. Having at least 1 adult full paying. For birthday celebrants bring 1 govt issued valid ID. Make sure that you have an approved reservation through their fb page or contact hotline number provided in the google map. Screenshot the approved reservation specifying the date and number of guests. During your entrance a staff will put a paper wrist band around your wrist dont remove it. You can pay before and after you dine.

RATES: WEEKDAYS (Lunch/Dinner): P928.00 WEEKENDS & HOLIDAYS (Lunch/Dinner): P1,038.00

AMENITIES: 📶Free Wifi 🚘Wide Mall Parking Lot 🛋️Very Comfortable Seats 🎶 Relaxing Sounds While Dining 🚽Very Clean Toilet Rooms ♿PWD friendly 👪Babies & Kids Friendly

OTHER SERVICES: 📍Accommodating Staff and Waiters. 📍Birthday sing and dance perf for birthday celebrants. 📍There is a wide waiting area outside for waiting customers. 📍Free cupcake with birthday greetings.( You can bring it if you want just tell the waiter to wrap it up)

Dining Schedule: Lunch: 10am-2pm Dinner: 5pm - 10pm (Mall closing time)

Enjoy your meals here! Keep safe...

Pros

I celebrated my birthday there so I got to eat for free as long as you have at least 1 paying adult accompanying you.

The place was big. It could cater a lot of hungry people. The food selection has a wide array of choices: american, filipino, japanese, shabu-shabu, & chinese dishes. There was also salad and dessert sections.

The taste of the food was all right. Some were tasty while some were not. What I like about their beverage section was that they offer "drink for the day." When we went there, it was green mango shake.

Cons

The receiving staffs located at the entrance door were not as friendly as before. They should learn how to smile.

It was disappointing when it was time for their staffs to greet the birthday celebrants because when they went to my table for picture-taking time, after that, THEY WERE EXPECTING AND WAITING FOR A TIP. They did not move along until we gave them a tip. It's okay to give a tip when you are giving it wholeheartedly (in the Philippines tip-giving is not mandatory). They were just there "nagpaparinig". We did not get it at first because I have had always been celebrating my birthdays there and for the previous years I did not get to experience this.

Overall, I still had a great time there. I will still be going there only on my birthdays or if somebody will...