Fast food is an icon of the hustle and bustle modern life. Almost people choose to eat fast food because it is time-saving and convenient. Besides, many popular fast-food restaurants own their secret recipes to make their special taste that are irresistibly delicious. And in the countries, many people eat fast-food not just because of its convenience but they are really fans of this kind of food.

On the way exploring Vietnam, we have many times asked by our clients about where can I find fast food restaurants like burger, pizza, fried chicken and chip… in Vietnam.Therefore, we decides to write this article to give you a short but clear answer of the fact about fast-food restaurants in Vietnam and give you some recommendations when you really want to include fast-food on your travel meal!

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Fun facts about fast food in Vietnam

The fast-food industry in Vietnam faces unique challenges that differ from other markets. The Vietnamese cuisine is rich in flavor and variety, and many locals prefer traditional food over fast food options. Additionally, the price of fast food in Vietnam is relatively high compared to traditional street food, making it less appealing to the average Vietnamese consumer. Furthermore, the lack of suitable locations and infrastructure also limits the growth of fast-food chains in Vietnam. Here are reasons why:

In Vietnam, there are food services that are even faster

When enjoy a food tour along Vietnam, you will be totally surprised by how fast a food seller at a street vendor can prepare a dish for customers. You can have a hot big bowl of Pho just 2 minutes after your order, or a crunchy Banh mi with full of barbecue, corianders, cucumber and spices under 5 minutes. These incredibly fast service can totally beat the key to success of fast-food: fast served.

Vietnamese street food is much more various than fast-food restaurants’ menu

It might take months to enjoy all of Vietnamese street food along the country. From world famous Pho, Banh mi, Bun bo Hue to some unique street food that you may never hear about before such as avocado ice cream, clamp rice, Cao lau, Lemon grass skewers pork… For foodies, Vietnam is really a food paradise. From breakfast to night supper, Vietnamese cuisine can always fulfill your stomach, different dishes for different meals if you want, there is no problems.

Vietnamese food services are even more convenient compared to fast-food services

In Vietnam, there is no 24-hour open fast food restaurant, but Vietnam is famous for it night food stall along the street when every restaurant is closed. Vietnamese people do not have fried chicken or burger for their breakfast and late-night meal. Another thing to make Vietnamese street food more convenient is that Vietnamese people mostly travel on a motorcycle, so it is much easily to stop by a street food stall on the side of the street to by some hot-served dishes.

Vietnamese street food is also much cheaper compared to the price in fast food restaurants. You can easily buy a big bowl of delicious Bun bo Hue with under 2$. While a Big Mac may cost 5$ at least.

In Vietnam, fast food can be a way to reward kids

Vietnamese elderlies are rarely found in fast-food restaurants, since they have spent a whole life eating Vietnamese food and they would stick to Vietnamese taste. However, kids are biggest fans of fried chicken, pizza, burger and chips, because they have a really good and unique taste, totally different from the casual meals the kids have every day. Another reason is that fast-food restaurants run many promotional campaigns targeting the kids. How can a toddler refuse the loveliness of Jollibee’s mascot, or the friendly clown of Mc Donald’s? Vietnamese parents usually reward their children, when they get a good grade at school, or help their parents a lot, by bringing the kids to their favourite fast-food restaurant. Who wants a hot spicy wing? Me

Where you can find fast food restaurants in Vietnam

Almost fast-food restaurants are in city center like in shopping mall, main street, top tourist attractions, in the airports… It will be much easier to find a fast-food restaurant in a big city like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city, Da Nang, Hai Phong than in the smaller cities and provinces. Here are the most famous fast-food brands that have stepped into Vietnam and built their reputation here.

• KFC
• McDonald’s
• Lotteria
• Burger King
• Jollibee
• Popeyes
• The Pizza Company
• Domino’s Pizza
• Pizza Hut

KFC

KFC or Kentucky Fried Chicken opened the first store in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam in 1997 and became the first foreign fast-food chain to step into Vietnamese market. After more than 2 decades of development, KFC has 140 stores in 21 cities and provinces. To Vietnamese customers, the most loved item of KFC is its traditional fried chicken, with a secret recipe to make a true American taste.

Find KFC restaurant near you: https://kfcvietnam.com.vn/en/find-a-kfc.html

McDonald’s

McDonald’s is the biggest franchise in the fast-food industry, presents in more than 118 countries and proudly serves nearly 70 million customers every day. This giant has 23 restaurants in Vietnam, all located in Ho Chi Minh city and Hanoi. Vietnam McDonald’s menu also consists of the iconic item of this brand: French Fries, Big Mac, and Chicken McNuggets. Services and quality in McDonald’s Vietnam are also committed to follow the company’s global standards.

Find McDonald’s restaurant near you: https://mcdonalds.vn/restaurants.html

Lotteria

Lotteria is a fast-food chain comes from Korea and guaranteed by Lotte Group - one of the five largest Korean corporations. The brand arrived in Vietnam in 2004 and has opened more than 210 restaurants in over 30 cities and provinces along the country. The most favorited items of Lotteria are hot and spicy chicken (HS chicken), fried chicken with soy sauce, shrimp burger…

Find Lotteria restaurant near you: https://www.lotteria.vn/

Burger King

Burger King is world’s second-largest hamburger chain. Their restaurants diligently bring the best quality burgers to more than 11 million guests around the world every day. First appear in Vietnam in 2011, the chain is now present in 5 cities and provinces in Vietnam, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, and Kien Giang.

Find Burger King restaurant near you: https://burgerking.vn/storepickup

Jollibee

From The Philippines, the lovely red bee from Jollibee has arrived in Vietnam since 2005. Jollibee has more than 100 stores across the country. The kids love the bee, and they also love sweet, sour and spicy fried chicken, pasta, mango and peach cake, hamburger and ice cream.

Find Jollibee restaurant near you: https://jollibee.com.vn/en/cua-hang

Popeyes

Despite just opening their first story in Vietnam in 2013, Popeyes is now present in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Kien Giang, Hai Phong, Dong Nai, Da Nang, Binh Duong and Da Lat, with 35 restaurants. Popeyes is loved by its spicy and mild fried chicken, with a very American taste, crunchy outlet layer with soft meat inside, seasoned with spices mixed by an unique recipe to bring an aromatic flavor. Most famous item of Popeyes Vietnam is its Cajun fries.

Find Popeyes restaurant near you: https://popeyes.vn/store.html/

Blending of global fast food with local flavors

Nowadays, fast-food brands like KFC and McDonald's have skillfully combined local culinary culture with their menus to satisfy Vietnamese consumers. In addition to traditional fried chicken, KFC has added Vietnamese-style fried chicken with fish sauce to their menu, creating a familiar and comforting taste for Vietnamese people. McDonald's has also been innovative by launching chicken burgers or fish burgers with Vietnamese-style sauces. This combination has helped fast food adapt and become more popular in the daily lives of Vietnamese people, while maintaining the brand's unique identity and blending well with local cuisine.

Fast food chains have been successful in connecting with local communities by incorporating cultural elements into their restaurants. From Vietnamese-inspired decor in KFC outlets to culturally-themed promotions during Tet, these brands have shown a deep understanding of local customs and preferences. This approach has not only boosted their popularity among domestic customers but has also strengthened their bond with the community

Now you can easily find fast food while exploring Vietnam. Eating fast food in Vietnam can be an interesting experience!

Related tours for you:

• Best of Vietnam Cambodia tour
• Wonderful Vietnam Myanmar and Thailand
• North Vietnam highlights tour

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