Finding affordable meals has become increasingly difficult due to rising prices, but here's a place that will surprise you. A vegetarian restaurant has recently gained attention for offering three vegetarian dishes with rice for an astonishingly low price of just RM2.

Serving approximately 1,000 people daily for the past 16 years, V Fortune Land Vegetarian Cafe is a heartfelt initiative run by Richard So and his family to give back to the community.

According to The Star, the family, who owns over 70 shoe stores, has maintained the RM2 price point, attracting patrons from areas like Sentul, Kepong, Jinjang, and Batu Caves, even during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The RM2 mixed rice will continue for as long as I can manage,” So said.

Every day, So personally selects and purchases ingredients from the market, benefiting from vendors who offer lower prices and opting for seasonal vegetables to cut costs.

Located at Taman Kok Lian, Jalan Ipoh, the restaurant operates from 8 am to 4 pm, with dish preparation starting early in the morning.

To minimize waste, they replenish dishes until about 2 pm, after which So buys ingredients for the next day.

Despite the growing number of patrons, the core mission remains unchanged: offering valuable meals at an unbeatable price.

Reflecting on the restaurant’s humble beginnings, So recalled subsidizing the restaurant with RM5,000 to RM6,000 monthly from his shoe business.

To ensure sustainability, he eventually took over the operations entirely. They also encourage customers to bring their own containers, with takeaway meals priced at RM2.50.

Monthly expenses hover around RM70,000, with recent months generating about RM80,000, allowing So to pay his five workers.

Additionally, at 10 am daily, he distributes free meal boxes, allowing each person to take two until supplies run out.

Despite initial challenges and a lack of culinary skills, So now prepares each dish himself.

His dedication is fueled by a belief in “fu bao,” or karmic reward in Buddhism. He feels that running the vegetarian restaurant has brought peace and prosperity to his family.