“Unique, Low-Cost Customer Attraction Strategies Used by Ho Chi Minh City Restaurants and Cafes”

In a bustling landscape of eateries, standing out and attracting customers is a challenge every restaurant owner faces. Recently, many establishments have turned to eye-catching signage and creative messaging to grab attention.

At the affordable food district on Vạn Kiếp Street (Gia Định Ward), a newly opened bubble tea shop named “Lục Trà Thăng” has amused many with its Gen Z-inspired slogans: “second-best traditional bubble tea in Saigon,” “mountain-fresh bubble tea set to become Bình Thạnh’s most famous,” and “lost-recipe bubble tea sounds amazing, but no one’s tried it yet, hehe.”

A pho restaurant on Mạc Đỉnh Chi Street (Tân Định Ward) has won hearts with its humble slogan, “hard work is our profit.”

A newly opened soy sauce noodle shop on Trần Quang Khải Street (Tân Định Ward) features retro signage with the tagline “a dish to remember”; another spot, “Eat Anything,” attracts curious diners with its extensive menu.

Ma Hương, owner of a bánh mì shop in Cầu Kiệu Ward, credits her success to unique, quirky notes. “When we first opened, customers didn’t know us, so I wrote playful messages like ‘delicious bánh mì, mom cooks, I sell,’ even poetry,” she recalls.

According to Hương, customers initially came out of curiosity, but the quality kept them returning. “This marketing style is cost-effective but time-consuming and requires creativity,” she notes.

Communications expert Lê Anh Tú, lecturer at the University of Economics and Finance, Ho Chi Minh City, observes that cafes and restaurants using playful, unique messaging are highly effective.

With the trend of “checking in,” many establishments gain organic social media exposure, sometimes going viral. This low-cost marketing strategy draws both walk-ins and online browsers.

While this approach is budget-friendly, the key to long-term success remains quality food, great service, and customer satisfaction.