Westerner starting a street food cart/stall?

RastaJohn wrote:

Hello,

I have a question for all you expats living in Vietnam, particularly HCMC and Nah Trang. I've been bouncing around the world for about 4 years now and want to change things up. Basically, I just finished a contract with a little money to play with and I feel I have 1 more adventure in me before I give in to "normal life" here in the US. I'm a private chef and restaurant consultant in my early 30s with 18 years in the business and have been considering coming back to Vietnam to start a street food cart or stall. I spent about a year exploring SE Asia with 2 months spent in Vietnam riding the coast so I am somewhat familiar with the country, seasons, ingredients, cost of living, etc.

When I was in HCMC, I met a German who sold schnitzel from a little cart that he rented for $100 a month. The details of the conversation are hazy but if he was doing it, some how it can be done. So, I'd like some feed back on how difficult the process would be to start my own cart. I have friends working there now who say just come, rent the cart and start selling food or find a job. Apparently people with my skills are in demand. While I'm sure that is possible, I'd rather be as official as I can. My plan is to sell a wide array of food including the most incredible gourmet tacos in SE Asia along with a few other specialties including homemade sausage/hotdogs and other artisan products. Catering to expats, tourists and upperclass locals. Offering delivery, catering, etc. There would be a daily rotating menu based on freshness and availability. I would also like to train local cooks who are interested in learning western cooking. This would be for free and just a way to give back to the community if it was possible.

Business license and work/extended visa? Are these relatively easy to obtain? What about resentment and backlash from locals and restaurant/food cart owners? How do you think a high end street food cart/stall would do? With the right diversification, does a $1000 a month net seem feasible? The quality and innovation you would expect in NYC, Los Angeles or Melbourne. Aggressive social media marketing campaign directed towards young rich Vietnamese along with utilizing and encouraging online review sites. Attractive Western chef in his custom whites serving up sous vide pork belly and roast duck tacos. Or grilled oysters with chili garlic butter and roasted bone marrow gremolata? How about a smoked cat fish and scallop tostada with smoked garlic chipotle aioli from my homemade smoker? Shrimp scampi burrito? Fried soft crab spring roll? Grilled Jamaican jerk chicken with coconut rice and beans? Searing creme brulee with my blow torch while Bob Marley plays from a little radio on my brightly painted cart... I have many ideas for fabrication, storage and food prep, you would be surprised how much equipment you can pack onto a little cart that would possibly be a converted tuk tuk. Obviously my hygiene practices would be seriously above par.

I have no desire to run another restaurant. I love to cook, be outside behind a grill interacting with people. It's what I was born to do. My vices are in check and I don't date local women. So with it's growing economy and large expat community in a country that seems friendly to Western owned business, Vietnam seems like it would be a good fit for me. In my travels, I found the south to be more welcoming so I would start the cart in HCMC or possibly Nah Trang. I'd much rather be near the beach if it was possible and there was a good customer base. Cost of living was pretty cheap there too from what I remember. This isn't a plan to get rich, it's a conscious lifestyle choice so please be brutally honest. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I would be moving around the middle of July.

Thank you!

Tuk, Tuk??? This is VN not Thailand. 2 months in VN and you're an expert, ( sounds familiar ), you do realise you will be competing with MANY poor locals, and they won't take too kindly to competition from , ( in their eyes ), a rich Westerner, with your skills your best bet is a restaurant.

I'm not sure how you interpreted "somewhat familiar" as me claiming to be an expert, but if that's how you read it, ok. I understand your feeling on taking business from locals. I've seen guys in BKK and Phnom Penh doing the same thing. Since this was going to fill a niche in the market and there were others doing it I thought maybe it would be ok. Especially since my price point would be 200-300% higher than the locals. I have no desire to run another restaurant and really prefer not to cook in one either. I'd consider private Chef contracts and catering work, possibly training or consulting but that's it. The lifestyle, low overhead, outdoor cooking, mobility and creative freedom is what draws me to the cart. The tuk-tuk was going to be imported from Cambodia or Thailand and it was just another crazy idea. Who knows if its even possible to import.

Do people go all the way to VN to eat overpriced Western yuppie food?

A lot of naysayers here - but I would be a customer. The food sounds delicious.

I'm not sure where you would put the pushcart actually. In D1, the pollution comes from passing cars, people smoking etc etc, so the hygiene isnt going to be great. Each corner also seems to have their own "guy" selling stuff, if you set up next door, you might get beaten up. Finding an empty spot might be your first challenge. Maybe go around D7/D2 in a food truck like the US?

If a bowl of noodles is about USD1, and you sell a taco at USD3, then you need to sell about 10 tacos a day for a revenue of USD1000 a month. I bet if you set up shop in front of Saigon International School in PMH, you could sell plenty of junk food to rich kids and their parents.

This sounds like a good idea only if you plan on living here and want to make extra money. $1000 a month isn't very much according to American standards. Especially since minimum wage is now $15/hr in Washington.

For a country that serves rice and pork chop at almost every single restaurant... I would definitely pay $3 for a corn tortilla carne asada taco. Give me 3-4 of those and I would be extremely happy lol.

There are always plenty of foreigners looking for something familiar. Not to mention a ton of rich locals wanting to explore with culinary adventures. I think you could easily net $1000usd a month if you wanted to.

ozzyman wrote:

This sounds like a good idea only if you plan on living here and want to make extra money. $1000 a month isn't very much according to American standards. Especially since minimum wage is now $15/hr in Washington.

For a country that serves rice and pork chop at almost every single restaurant... I would definitely pay $3 for a corn tortilla carne asada taco. Give me 3-4 of those and I would be extremely happy lol.

There are always plenty of foreigners looking for something familiar. Not to mention a ton of rich locals wanting to explore with culinary adventures. I think you could easily net $1000usd a month if you wanted to.

Pork chop??? I think you mean pork " chopped ", I'd love a real Pork chop, but would probably have to buy 1/2 the pig to get it.

sell dirty dogs (LA bacon dogs) in front of lush. chill bar and bui vien for all the drunk people trying to sober up. I thought about it. don't want to deal with the authorities though. but you should give it a shot. make sure you will know how capitals on social media and location.

bluenz wrote:

RastaJohn wrote:

Hello,

I have a question for all you expats living in Vietnam, particularly HCMC and Nah Trang. I've been bouncing around the world for about 4 years now and want to change things up. Basically, I just finished a contract with a little money to play with and I feel I have 1 more adventure in me before I give in to "normal life" here in the US. I'm a private chef and restaurant consultant in my early 30s with 18 years in the business and have been considering coming back to Vietnam to start a street food cart or stall. I spent about a year exploring SE Asia with 2 months spent in Vietnam riding the coast so I am somewhat familiar with the country, seasons, ingredients, cost of living, etc.

When I was in HCMC, I met a German who sold schnitzel from a little cart that he rented for $100 a month. The details of the conversation are hazy but if he was doing it, some how it can be done. So, I'd like some feed back on how difficult the process would be to start my own cart. I have friends working there now who say just come, rent the cart and start selling food or find a job. Apparently people with my skills are in demand. While I'm sure that is possible, I'd rather be as official as I can. My plan is to sell a wide array of food including the most incredible gourmet tacos in SE Asia along with a few other specialties including homemade sausage/hotdogs and other artisan products. Catering to expats, tourists and upperclass locals. Offering delivery, catering, etc. There would be a daily rotating menu based on freshness and availability. I would also like to train local cooks who are interested in learning western cooking. This would be for free and just a way to give back to the community if it was possible.

Business license and work/extended visa? Are these relatively easy to obtain? What about resentment and backlash from locals and restaurant/food cart owners? How do you think a high end street food cart/stall would do? With the right diversification, does a $1000 a month net seem feasible? The quality and innovation you would expect in NYC, Los Angeles or Melbourne. Aggressive social media marketing campaign directed towards young rich Vietnamese along with utilizing and encouraging online review sites. Attractive Western chef in his custom whites serving up sous vide pork belly and roast duck tacos. Or grilled oysters with chili garlic butter and roasted bone marrow gremolata? How about a smoked cat fish and scallop tostada with smoked garlic chipotle aioli from my homemade smoker? Shrimp scampi burrito? Fried soft crab spring roll? Grilled Jamaican jerk chicken with coconut rice and beans? Searing creme brulee with my blow torch while Bob Marley plays from a little radio on my brightly painted cart... I have many ideas for fabrication, storage and food prep, you would be surprised how much equipment you can pack onto a little cart that would possibly be a converted tuk tuk. Obviously my hygiene practices would be seriously above par.

I have no desire to run another restaurant. I love to cook, be outside behind a grill interacting with people. It's what I was born to do. My vices are in check and I don't date local women. So with it's growing economy and large expat community in a country that seems friendly to Western owned business, Vietnam seems like it would be a good fit for me. In my travels, I found the south to be more welcoming so I would start the cart in HCMC or possibly Nah Trang. I'd much rather be near the beach if it was possible and there was a good customer base. Cost of living was pretty cheap there too from what I remember. This isn't a plan to get rich, it's a conscious lifestyle choice so please be brutally honest. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I would be moving around the middle of July.

Thank you!

Tuk, Tuk??? This is VN not Thailand. 2 months in VN and you're an expert, ( sounds familiar ), you do realise you will be competing with MANY poor locals, and they won't take too kindly to competition from , ( in their eyes ), a rich Westerner, with your skills your best bet is a restaurant.

What blue said.





'Rastajohn'.
Did you go to Pham Ngu Lao area and ask about what happened to the German 'hot dog' man?
Most folks would say that he stopped business because he
-got married
-was wealthy anyway and decided to retire
-lost interest in the late nights
- moved away

He got chased out of every street corner he tried to peddle his wares.
The locals do not take kindly to those crowding in on their 'turf'.
The schnitzel man was a novelty. A curio for the locals.
Then he started to get money coming in.
Then they saw him as threat.
Then he got run out.

Sure,'RastaJohn',bring your funds and your ideologies.

Just remember-

The only way to make a small fortune in Asia is to bring over a large fortune.

The members here are offering honest advice.

There are no 'naysayers'( simon.1711.     How many times a week  will You go to visit RastaJohn's street stall?),



just honest opinions.

I recently saw a white guy selling bratwurst/polish sausages/hot dogs down in district 7. Same guy? He had a little crowd of people, didn't seem like the locals were trying to shut him down.

Also what can the other local food vendors do? They can bitch and moan but I doubt they're going to resort to violence.

ozzyman wrote:

I recently saw a white guy selling bratwurst/polish sausages/hot dogs down in district 7. Same guy? He had a little crowd of people, didn't seem like the locals were trying to shut him down.

Also what can the other local food vendors do? They can bitch and moan but I doubt they're going to resort to violence.

It may just be the German.But it's been quite some time since I've heard him mentioned in conversation.
And let us consider that District 7,with it's demographic of majority Asian and Caucasian long term residents,
is a far cry from the  'passing through' tourist crowds that you'd find in District 1.
Competition there is much more fierce for vendors.

Also I don't think it's about the actual violence aspect.
More so,it will tend to be the 'Vietnamese way' of handling outsiders.
Foreign or domestic.

Honda Cub(apparently)

The image is for entertainment and educational purposes only.

Bluenz nailed it.

a western food cart wouldn't last long on any asian street; especially with your qualifications.
if you're so good then your best bet is a tiny corner restaurant with no seating- just an outlet -

open late in the evening or early at night to service customers coming out of clubs / take away meals.  soon enough young locals will ask to deliver for you - if the business booms -

its much more comfortable that way.  i've seen similar spots around the world and they make fortunes working 6 to 8 hours a night.

quality, hygiene, price and quantity are the keywords in the business.

good luck,

Hey Jim - I would probably go once a week or so, I'm trying to lose weight.

Setting up shop in D1 would not work for him - but in front of the international schools in D7 or D2 might be ok, when I used to live there, hordes of students would eat the nearest convenience store. If you are paying upwards of 20k a year for school, you can afford a 3 dollar taco. And these guys love their junk food. To sell 10 tacos a day should be ok. There would be problems with the police, licensing, etc of course.

An alternative would be a take away business as gulfport mentioned - much as complicated - but a little less fun

Know a guy who runs a small kitchen and sells Mexican food from, Cafe Bay, coffee shop at the front beach here in Vungtau. His kitchen is closed now, as he is on holidays to the States but will open again in some 4 weeks. Don't know if he makes good money but he can pay the rent and his beer as far as I know.
Regards.

Hi John,

I'm doing business in Vietnam since 1989 and things change fast here.
A lot of what was commented already is true, but it should not put you off...
Everything is possible here, you just need to work out the right way to do it.
Just coming here, buying your car and driving around is not going to work.
It has to be a well thought-off and organised project.
My advise is also to adjust your concept to the reality of the market: if you want to target rick locals, the kart concept is probably not going to work...
If you are keen on a mobile concept, you should target a different market: expats, tourists, holiday spots,... and probably adapt the menu as you go.
Local regulations for retailing food are very strict for foreigners, but rather liberal with locals. So the plan would be to find a local partner. Many will warn you that this is risky, and of course it is. But if you know the risk, if you can valuate that, it is easily manageable.
I've had a restaurant in town for 13 years now, and love this business: love the good and accept the bad parts.

I wish you luck!
Frank

What Frank said is spot on.
The back packer area is crowded with people that want cheap food and drink. I would avoid that. Phan Xich Long is a better area. Other people may have other ideas for locations. Best to visit each one and determine for yourself. Street carts are generally not legal, even though they are common. It is legal to have a street cart in a hiem (alley) that is in front of your house. Also, rainy season is about to start...

I live in Dist 8 of Saigon and know the German vendor you are referring to. He serves very good product all made fresh by himself including the sausage and bread. He has 4 carts now.

I have lived in Vietnam for over 6 years and now have retired full time here. Here are my comments.

Licensing for your venture is not complicated but you MUST pay local police a minimum fee weekly to operate in that district. $100 a month is acceptable and give them free food sometimes.

To get MORE SALES get a portable credit card machine and become a vendor with a credit card merchant account. Yes you have to pay a small % but your sales will be higher and more frequent.

Limit your menu to items under 75,000 VND per item. If you go above that you are competing with restaurants. Creative menu is good but not too complicated. Print menu in English and Vietnamese and have hand out brochures to offer variety of menu and delivery options. You can hire a local to deliver for 20,000 vnd no problem.

Your real profits are made on beer and wine. The food is only marginal except it brings people in to drink more.

Nha Tran is overrun with Russians. Be careful.

You can live very good and comfortable in 4 star apartment for 14,000,000 VND a month in Saigon as long as you stay out of Dist 7 and Dist 1. Competition in those districts are tough and police are greedy.

benolocki wrote:

I was thinking about doing the same, locals don't care, they don't sell tacos.
And take tuk tuk  is in Cambodia, I have been in Vietnam for 12 years

Look at the date when replying, this thread is 7-years old.

benolocki wrote:

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