In one of the most anticipated openings in recent memory, Starbucks opened its doors to HCMC coffee lovers barely an hour ago. Lines snaked around the large store, out the door and down the block as visitors and locals alike vied to be one of the first to enjoy a frappuccino (VND75,000-105,000), a hot or cold tea (VND50,000-80,000), an espresso (VND35,000-55,000) or coffee (VND 50,000-90,000). Friendly staff were on hand to take orders while in line to get everyone served quickly.
In addition to the large, open ground floor space with ample seating in booths and tables, there’s a smaller space upstairs with views out on the busy Nga 6 Phu Dong roundabout.
Crowd reactions:
“I’m here because I’ve had Starbucks when I was studying in China and I wanted to compare the quality with Vietnam. I wonder how much they’ll charge for a coffee!” – Nhi, 18, one of more than 200 waiting in line
“We’re staying at the New World Hotel, so we lucked out. I collect Starbucks city mugs so I’m happy to be here for the opening. Four dollars for a cup of coffee is quite high for here, but I think people look at it as a status thing, more so than for the coffee itself.” – Chris, visiting HCMC from London
“I’ve had Starbucks once in Malaysia. My latte today tastes different from Vietnamese coffee. But the Starbucks name is famous so that’ll bring a lot of people in.” – Vy, 29