Following the introductions on groups and review clips on social networks, present at a familiar breakfast location for Ha Long people, Ms. Vu Thi Thuy (40 years old, Hai Phong) could not help but be surprised by the scene of long lines of people waiting for their turn.
Every time we come to Ha Long, my family visits Gốc Bàng's banh cuon and squid rolls. On normal days, the restaurant is already crowded, almost full of tables at any time, but I didn't think that around 8:30 am there would be a long line of people waiting like that" - Ms. Thúy shared.
According to Ms. Thuy, not only people outside have to queue to wait for seats, but even customers who have entered inside cannot order immediately. "It takes about 1-1.5 hours for people standing outside to reach their turn. Not only this restaurant but many surrounding eateries are also in a similar situation" - Ms. Thuy said.
For Mr. Le Thanh Tung (35 years old, Bac Giang), waiting is the "price to pay" to enjoy famous dishes. "I heard many people talk about the combination of banh cuon and cha muc, so I decided to try it. Each serving of banh cuon cha muc costs about 40,000 VND, the price is stable. My family is still in Ha Long for a few days, so I take advantage of exploring many other delicious dishes" - Mr. Tung said.
During the holidays, many shops in Ha Long have to operate at full capacity to serve the sudden increase in customers. Not only breakfast shops, but also many beverage shops, especially "hot" milk tea shops, are also in a situation of customers queuing in long lines, waiting for a long time.
Recorded at about 9:30 pm on the third holiday, coffee shops and milk tea shops with direct views of the sea on Tran Quoc Nghien street (Hong Gai ward) were all fully booked. Many customers had to stand and wait for tables or wait their turn to order food.
Ms. Bui Thi Hong - a local resident - said: "Until now, there are still many people queuing. Normally, the restaurant is crowded, but it is rare to wait as long as this occasion. Not only tourists but also local people go drinking a lot.
According to Ms. Hong, even though they have ordered food, customers still have to wait about 15-20 minutes to receive drinks due to the large number of orders. However, although the number of customers increased during the holidays, the price level at eateries is still kept stable, and there is no sudden price increase. Each glass of water has an average price of 50,000 - 60,000 VND.
Maintaining stable prices during holidays makes tourists feel more comfortable when experiencing, no longer worrying about "overcharging" or incurring unexpected costs. This also contributes to creating a clear goodwill, so that each destination is not only crowded but also remembered for its friendly and civilized image.
