Hanoi is living in the jubilant days of celebrating the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day September 2. Besides cultural and artistic activities, the main event is the grand military parade at Ba Dinh Square, which has become the center of attention of the people and tourists. Grasping this need, many cafes with prime locations on the parade routes have turned the holiday into a bustling "business season", with the number of reservations increasing dramatically and service prices also escalating accordingly.
Right from the first days of the series of training, preliminary and final rehearsal events, the atmosphere on important streets such as Hung Vuong, Hoang Dieu, Kim Ma, Dien Bien Phu or the area around Thong Nhat Park became bustling. Thousands of people flocked to witness the majestic performances of the parades. For that reason, cafes with beautiful views have become sought-after "hot spots", especially for young people.
Many restaurants were fully booked from the parade rehearsal (August 27 and 28) and the final rehearsal (August 30 and 31). The official ceremony on September 2 was already fully booked more than a week in advance.
Many cafes quickly realized the huge business potential of this event. Instead of just serving drinks as usual, they invested in upgrading the space, expanding the capacity and even hiring more staff to meet the huge number of customers. The Sipping Bar, a cafe located inside Thong Nhat Park, spent a lot of money to renovate, increasing the capacity from 100 to 300 guests. The cafe also decorated with flags and colorful flowers inside and outside, creating a festive atmosphere, attracting many young people to take photos and wait to watch the parade.
The manager of The Sipping Bar shared with the press that to ensure the quality of service, they have hired about 10 more seasonal employees and increased the amount of ingredients in stock by 20-40%. "We want to ensure a seamless experience for people and tourists when they come to the bar to watch the parade, avoiding the shortage situation like the previous April 30 - May 1 occasion," said this manager.
Besides booking hotels and accommodations for tourists from far away, finding cafes with beautiful views to watch the parade is becoming a hot topic that young people are especially interested in.
The high demand has pushed the service prices at cafes with "golden views" much higher than usual. To get a nice seat, customers have to pay a large sum of money. At Essence Cafe, prime locations with a view of the intersection are listed at 250,000 VND/seat, applicable for the preliminary rehearsal, final rehearsal and the main holiday of September 2. Some cafes in the Hoan Kiem Lake area and the Old Quarter even offer combo drinks with snacks priced from 690,000 VND to nearly 1 million VND/person depending on the seat location.
Some cafes with a view of the parade, the parade passed by crowded with customers, the staff worked non-stop. Many people chose to sit at restaurants and cafes waiting for the soldiers to return to the gathering point in the evening.
Reservation requirements have also become stricter than ever. Most cafes require customers to deposit between 50% and 100% of the total bill to hold a seat. Some cafes even have strict rules: if customers arrive late, they will lose their seat and deposit. A representative of a cafe on Dien Bien Phu Street revealed that the number of customers calling to reserve a seat has increased faster than expected. Although many customers are willing to pay more, the cafe still has to refuse because the good seats have been booked more than a week before the main holiday.
In addition, this establishment offers a table reservation service, with a price of 250,000 VND/seat for beautiful locations with a view of the intersection where the parade passes, for example, tables on the 2nd and 4th floors. The restaurant also has a 5th floor terrace with a panoramic view.
Not only concentrated in the central area, the "parade view" fever has also spread to neighboring areas such as Nguyen Thai Hoc and Lieu Giai streets. Coffee shops here also offer deposit prices from 200,000 VND to 300,000 VND/person. Some shops such as Garden Coffee on Lieu Giai street, with about 100 seats, listed a deposit price of 200,000 VND/seat for the preliminary and final rehearsal days and 280,000 VND/person for September 2nd, including a drink. All require customers to deposit 100% to secure a seat.
Some restaurants have "golden" locations near Hoan Kiem Lake, and the reservation conditions are also strict. Customers need to deposit 50-100% of the total bill to reserve a seat.
The boom in the parade viewing service business market shows the strong attraction of this important event to the people. However, it also raises a question about the balance between meeting market demand and maintaining the cultural and spiritual values of the holiday. Although the business is legitimate, pushing prices too high or setting too strict conditions can make some people feel difficult and reduce the good meaning of a community event.
However, it is undeniable that the joyful and exciting atmosphere has covered all the streets of Hanoi. Whether sitting in a luxurious cafe or standing on the sidewalk, everyone shares the same feeling of excitement and pride in joining the crowd, enjoying a complete and memorable National Day holiday.
