So how is the business situation of the popular shops in Ho Chi Minh City at the end of the year?
30% off
Having opened a hot pot restaurant on Inner Ring Road (Binh Tan District) for 3 years now, Ms. Diem said that almost every year at the end of the year, the restaurant's business is gloomy because customers suddenly stop by less.
The owner said that currently, the number of customers visiting the restaurant has decreased by 30% compared to previous months. According to the hot pot owner, it may be because it is the end of the year, customers are busy and do not spend much time eating and playing outside.
According to many restaurant owners in Ho Chi Minh City, the end of the year is less crowded because many people are busy with work and tighten their spending to save for Tet.
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Another reason for the decrease in customers is that many people are tightening their spending and limiting eating out to save money for Tet shopping, according to the owner.
"After this time, business will return to normal, like the end of the year when there are many festivals. Currently, my restaurant sells popular dishes, mainly priced from 90,000 - 180,000 VND per dish, especially hot pot dishes from the countryside for customers to enjoy. Hopefully, business will be better in the future," the owner shared.
During this time, looking at the restaurant with no customers, 5-6 tables in the restaurant were empty, Ms. Ngoc also sighed, saying that after many years of selling beef noodle soup in Phu Nhuan District, she had learned from experience that these days at the end of the year are often deserted.
"I don't understand why sales were still good, but by the end of November and the beginning of December, which has been more than 2 weeks, customers have stopped coming. It's really sad! Rent here is expensive, and there are many things to worry about at the end of the year, so if this situation continues, it will be tiring!", the owner said.
Although business has decreased by 30% of customers at the moment, Ms. Diem is optimistic about the situation in the coming months.
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Mr. Huynh Le Hai Hien (26 years old), owner of a beef hotpot restaurant on Pham Van Chieu Street (Go Vap District) also agreed, saying that the number of customers at his restaurant usually decreases in the last months of the year. For his restaurant, revenue is 10-15% lower than in previous months.
Having opened the restaurant for many years, he said the situation will improve again in the coming months when the peak season for eating, drinking and entertainment at the end of the year comes. The owner plans to open throughout Tet this year to serve the needs of customers.
"Eat less, save money for Tet shopping"
Ms. Ngoc Phuong (56 years old), who sells noodle soup on the sidewalk in District 8, said that her business has been slow these days, with a 40% decrease in customers, and some days even more. According to her, the weather in Ho Chi Minh City this December had many unusual unseasonal rains, which also affected her business.
Selling on the street, every evening when it rains, she knows that there will be few customers. In addition, according to Ms. Phuong, on the last day of the year, many people are busy with work, so the restaurants are less crowded. Luckily, she has a number of "regular" customers, mainly workers living nearby who come to support her because the price of each meal is affordable, only from 25,000 VND/meal.
Mr. Chau's beef noodle shop mainly sells take-out.
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Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Thai Chau (35 years old), the owner of a beef noodle shop in District 4 (HCMC), said that at this time, his business is not too volatile because the shop mainly sells online.
Although the number of customers coming to the restaurant is low, according to Mr. Chau, this time is also a bit lower than normal times. "I think the reason why customers are less coming to the restaurant is because of saving for Tet and limiting eating out is also a reasonable reason. Besides, because my restaurant is located in an alley, many people have always known that it is a take-out restaurant, so there are few customers coming to eat directly," he added.
Ms. Le Dung (26 years old, living in Thu Duc City) said that this December, she has limited eating out and cooked at home, even bringing lunch to work to save money. She also refused all her friends' invitations to eat at fancy restaurants.
At this time, many people say they choose cheap restaurants, limit eating out at the end of the year to save money for Tet shopping.
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"In the last few months of the year, I went to 3 weddings in a row, I was almost broke. Saving is the top priority now, not knowing what the year-end bonus will be, I didn't dare eat anything fancy, saving it for Tet when I go back to my hometown," she shared.
Meanwhile, a customer visiting a popular noodle shop on Ta Quang Buu Street (Ward 6, District 8) also said that every week, his family usually goes out to "eat fancy" on the weekends. However, at the end of this year, the economic situation has changed a lot, so they have to tighten their purse strings. Instead, they choose popular, cheaper restaurants or cook for themselves to save money.
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