Ordering vegan banh mi around Saigon's rush hours without waiting

The hours when traffic slows an order down

Saigon has three windows where the traffic is worst: 7:00 to 8:00 in the morning as everyone travels to work, 11:00 to 13:00 when offices order lunch all at once, and 17:00 to 19:00 at the end of the day. Riders move more slowly then, and an order placed at the last minute can easily run 15 to 30 minutes late. Add rain to a rush hour and it can take longer still. This is not said to alarm anybody — only so you know to order slightly earlier and be sure.

How far ahead to order

One to three loaves

Ordering 30 to 45 minutes before you want to eat is enough, rush hour included. The shops are open 24 hours, and late at night or early in the morning there is barely any wait at all, because the roads are empty.

An office order or a small party

From 10 loaves upwards for an office or a group meeting, call at least two hours ahead so the shop has the ingredients ready and can schedule the delivery for the time you need, rather than having it fall into the middle of a rush hour.

Ceremonies, temple orders, large quantities

From a few dozen loaves upwards — a temple ceremony, an offering on the fifteenth of the lunar month, a company event — order at least a day ahead. Above 100 loaves, order two or three days ahead so the shop can prepare Đậu Hũ Cay, Chả Lát Chay or Thập Cẩm properly rather than at the last minute.

Large orders: how the price works

The arithmetic

A large order is the list price multiplied by the quantity, with nothing added apart from delivery where it applies. Fifty Thập Cẩm at 59,000d is 2,950,000d; drinks are added separately at their own prices — Nut Milk Coffee at 45,000d, Brown Sugar Nut Milk Bubble Tea at 48,000d, Jasmine Lemon Tea at 36,000d, and so on.

Free delivery

Orders from 500,000d within 5km of the nearest shop are delivered free. Office and temple orders clear that threshold easily, so in practice they almost never carry a delivery charge.

Where we deliver, and what happens further out

Banh Mi XANH has five shops: 38 Lê Thị Riêng, 15B Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, 2B Trần Hưng Đạo and 148B Đề Thám in District 1, and 210 Bùi Văn Ba in District 7. Orders go out from the shop nearest the delivery address, within 5km. Beyond 5km we still deliver, and the actual delivery charge is quoted when you call — nothing hidden.

How to be sure you are not left waiting

The quickest route is the hotline on 0923.183.183: state the time you need it, the address and the quantity. The staff will give you an expected delivery time on the call, and if it falls in a rush hour they will say so up front, so that you can shift the time if it suits you better. For a large ceremony or temple order, call ahead so the kitchen can schedule it rather than having several large orders land together.

Quick questions

Will a midday order in the rush hour be late?

It can be, if you order right on the hour. Call 30 to 45 minutes before 11:00 to have it arrive on time for lunch.

How many days ahead for 100 loaves for a temple ceremony?

Two to three days, so the shop has the ingredients, is not rushing, and can deliver in time for the ceremony.

Are drinks billed together with the loaves for a company order?

They are priced separately by item and added into one total, with no service charge on top.

Our office is more than 5km from a shop — can you deliver?

Yes, with a delivery charge based on the actual distance, quoted when the order is taken.

Is an order under 500,000d delivered free?

No — free delivery starts at 500,000d within 5km. Smaller orders carry a delivery charge based on distance.

Will an order at midnight take a long time?

No. The shops are open 24 hours and the roads are empty at night, so delivery is usually quicker than during the daytime peaks.