Many restaurants in Hanoi attracted lots of customers on Tuesday evening after local authorities removed the 9 pm curfew for pubs, cafes and dining establishments which has been enforced for months to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
At 10 pm on Ta Hien Street in Hanoi's Old Quarter, there were no tables left at the restaurants as they were filled with customers.
Some restaurant owners said that the curfew removal decision was announced so suddenly that they did not have time to prepare properly.
"We don't have enough staff to serve the large numbers of customers today, so many had to wait too long," Thu Trang, a manager of a local restaurant said. "However, customers were all understanding and happy."
A local resident, Truong Ha Lan, said that she was happy to see the bustling atmosphere on the street again. "It's great that now we can stay here until midnight like before," she said. "Life has now totally returned to normal again."
All street-side food stalls on Luong Ngoc Quyen Street were also filled and customers had to wait a long time for their turn to be served.
Tran Linh Nga and her husband took their son to enjoy some fast food he likes at a restaurant on Luong Ngoc Quyen Street.
A cafe on Phung Hung Street at 11 pm.
Customers now can stay without having to worry about the 9 pm curfew.
Two coffee shops in Tong Duy Tan Street were crowded at midnight.
The Hanoi People's Committee on Tuesday afternoon issued a decision to remove the 9 pm curfew to allow local pubs, cafes and dining establishments to open until midnight.