Can You Bring Outside Food into Cafés in Vietnam?

TL;DR: Bringing outside food into small and medium-sized cafes in Vietnam is generally acceptable, but larger cafes chains might restrict this.

You might be surprised, but approximately 80% of cafés in Vietnam welcome outside food as long as you keep the area clean afterward. This practice is actually quite common and culturally accepted throughout Vietnam. The Vietnamese idiom “Buôn có hội, bán có phường”, meaning "you need friends when trading," captures this collaborative mindset well.

In Vietnam, businesses often support each other to mutually attract customers. Historically a country with humble economic beginnings, allowing outside food in cafes is a practical way to draw more customers and foster community relationships.

For example, imagine you own a cafe next to a Banh Mi shop. Customers may prefer eating Banh Mi in your cafe due to comfort and convenience. In this scenario, both businesses benefit—the cafe attracts more customers, and the neighboring shop gains additional sales. This mutual benefit explains why the practice of allowing outside food is widely accepted.

However, there are some guidelines to keep in mind:

• Always keep your area clean after eating.
• Only bring foods that the cafe doesn't already sell. If the cafe offers tiramisu, do not bring in tiramisu from elsewhere.
• Larger cafe chains, such as Highlands Coffee, typically prohibit outside food. It's best to ask beforehand.