Reusable cups and boxes: how to actually use them instead of storing them

There is a reason they sit in the cupboard

You buy one, wash it, put it on the shelf. Then you forget it. That is not laziness — it is that the cup is not kept where you need it. To use one in practice, it has to sit where you look before leaving the house, not at the back of a kitchen cupboard.

The simple version: next to your keys, next to your shoes, next to the bag you take to work. If you see it, you remember it. There is no need to buy anything new; use the one you already have and move where you keep it.

Making it convenient rather than performative

Before you leave

• Keep the insulated cup in your backpack; it does not need washing again before each use.
• One small collapsible box that fits in a bag and takes up no room.
• A cloth instead of a plastic bag — it wraps a banh mi neatly and keeps your hands dry.

At the counter

Hand over the cup or the box and the staff will pack into it as a matter of course; there is no need to ask in advance. Your own cup works for every drink: Black Coffee at 35,000d, Nut Milk Coffee at 45,000d, Jasmine Lemon Tea at 36,000d, Nut Milk Bubble Tea at 45,000d, Brown Sugar Nut Milk Bubble Tea at 48,000d. Your own box works for the loaves: Thập Cẩm at 59,000d, Chả Lát Chay at 53,000d, Đậu Hũ Cay at 56,000d, Bơ Đường at 28,000d, and Thượng Hạng Premium at 75,000d, which is the big one and wants a slightly larger box.

Small tricks so you do not forget

• Wash the cup and box as soon as you get home rather than leaving them until tomorrow.
• Keep a spare set under the seat of your bike for the days you leave the house without them.
• Stick a note on the front door — a few weeks of that and it becomes habit.

Spotting a shop that takes this seriously

You do not have to interrogate anyone. A few small signs tell you: whether the shop will take a customer's own cup and box, whether it uses paper bags instead of plastic, whether the waste is separated or all goes into one bin.

The five Banh Mi XANH shops at 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, all take customers' own cups and boxes, and are open 24 hours, so you can call in at any time — including after a night shift.

At the market

Beyond restaurants, a traditional market is the other easy place to cut waste. Take a basket, and take containers for vegetables, tofu and dry goods. A seller who knows your face will put things straight into the container you hand over, without needing it explained each time.

Several markets in central Ho Chi Minh City are already used to customers bringing their own containers. Ask the seller before you buy — most are happy to help, and it causes nobody any trouble.

Everyday nutrition

The vegan food here is made from tofu, vegetables and nuts — plant protein and fibre at the everyday level, suited to ordinary meals. It is not medicine and does not replace treatment for anything. Eating well and not feeling heavy afterwards is the point of choosing a vegan meal.

When carrying a box is not practical

It is not always convenient to have a container with you, particularly on a rushed morning. For those days, call 0923.183.183 or order for delivery; we pack in paper and in boxes that can be reused. Orders from 500,000d within 5km are delivered free — and when you have finished, keep the box for the next meal rather than throwing it out.

Quick questions

Is there a discount for bringing my own cup?

Drink prices are as listed on the menu, with no separate reduction for your own cup. The staff will still pack into it as normal.

Does the box need to be washed before I hand it over?

Yes — cups and boxes should be washed and drained before being handed over. It is safer for you and easier to pack.

Will a Thượng Hạng Premium fit an ordinary box?

It is the big one, so it wants a slightly larger box than usual. Bring the box you normally use and the staff will say if it needs paper around it as well.

Can delivery orders be packed into my own cups and boxes?

Delivery is currently packed in paper and in the shop's reusable boxes; personal containers are not yet supported on that channel. Coming into any of the five shops, bring whatever you like.

How long will an insulated cup keep bubble tea warm?

It depends on the cup, but usually a few hours. Brown Sugar Nut Milk Bubble Tea at 48,000d is at its best within the first hour or two.

Is there a time of day when you will not take my own container?

No. All five shops are open 24 hours and the night staff pack customers' own cups and boxes exactly as the day staff do.