At midday on Monday, Doanh, 30, and two colleagues searched around the Ho Dac Di and Nguyen Luong Bang streets in Dong Da Ward for a rice restaurant but found most outlets shuttered. One had sold out by noon, while others had yet to open or were already full.
After nearly an hour, the group settled for a crowded bun dau stall on Tran Quang Dieu Street. “We had hoped for a proper sit-down lunch and a catch-up after the holiday, but most places opened late or were already full,” Doanh said.
Similar scenes were reported across inner-city wards. In Lieu Giai Street, a bank employee named Linh said few restaurants were operating and those that were had no spare tables, forcing her back to her office building. Even there, a popular hotpot chain was overstretched, serving about 100 customers with only two staff on duty.
Restaurant owners cited staffing shortages, as many workers had yet to return from their hometowns after Tet and some had resigned. Smaller businesses often remain closed until after the 15th day of the first lunar month, or reopen briefly before shutting again.
Operators also said food supplies in the early days of the year can be unstable and demand difficult to predict. As a result, many delay a full reopening, with business typically picking up after the 10th day of the lunar calendar.