A mooncake store in Ho Chi Minh City has become a hot spot this Mid-Autumn Festival, drawing crowds of eager customers despite its unique “3-no” policy: no agents, no branches, and no e-commerce sales. Customers must queue at the store to purchase, and each is limited to just three boxes.

On Pham Phu Thu Street, Binh Tien Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, long lines of customers gather daily to buy mooncakes either for home use or as gifts for the first day of the eighth lunar month.

According to staff, the store began selling two months ago, but demand has surged in the past 10 days. Compared to the same period last year, sales have increased by roughly 30%. Popular mooncake flavors frequently sell out early, leaving the bakery unable to restock within the same day.

After nearly an hour in line, Vy Tran from My Tho successfully bought four boxes - some to enjoy and some to gift. Prices range from VND 79,000 to VND 187,000 (about USD 3.15 to USD 7.45) per individual cake, while box sets are priced between VND 331,000 and VND 933,000 (approx. USD 13.20 to USD 37.30).

Dinh Truong, a local customer, took advantage of his weekend to visit the store. “They only open for this short season each year,” he said, “so I don’t want to miss out.”

Every 15 to 20 minutes, staff bring out large boxes of fresh mooncakes to refill the display counters and prepare wholesale orders. Inside, more than 20 employees work non-stop, taking orders, processing payments, and packing boxes.

Hong Van, pleased as she loaded two large bags of mooncakes into her car, praised the quality: “The cakes here are soft, the filling smooth - not powdery or overly sweet. The salted egg yolk is rich and flavorful. Even with price increases, the quality justifies it.”

This mooncake store strictly enforces its “3-no” policy: no agents, no branches, and no online sales. To ensure fair service, each customer is limited to buying a maximum of three boxes.

Traditional mooncake craft still thriving in Hanoi’s suburban villages

A similar scene unfolded on the afternoon of September 21 at household-run bakeries in Xuan Tao and Xuan Dinh (Hanoi). Once a hub for handmade confectionery, the area now has only about a dozen families still maintaining the Mid-Autumn Festival tradition.

Despite its distance from central Hanoi, the village continues to attract customers from across the city.

Prices at Xuan Dinh are notably affordable, starting from VND 30,000 (about USD 1.20) for snow skin mooncakes. Baked mooncakes sell for a maximum of VND 60,000–70,000 (approx. USD 2.40–2.80) depending on filling and weight.

Two women browsing mooncakes by the roadside said it was their first time buying from this location. “I saw the crowd, so I stopped to check it out,” one said. “With so many people lining up, the cakes must be good.”

Inside, staff at Sinh Hung’s family-run bakery worked tirelessly to make fillings and mold cakes. The bakery has been operating since 1972, according to manager Si, whose grandfather began the business.

Each day, the facility produces 2,000 to 3,000 cakes - mainly baked mooncakes. Traditional mixed fillings remain the top seller.

In one photo, a staff member brushes egg wash on the cakes before baking. According to Si, their baked mooncakes last up to 20 days, while snow skin versions are good for 10 days from the production date.

Their largest mooncake weighs 300g and is only available at the bakery in Xuan Dinh or through limited online orders. The shop has no other branches.

Customer Pham Thi Hue and her daughter traveled 20 kilometers from Phu Dong commune to buy nearly VND 1 million (approx. USD 40) worth of mooncakes for family and relatives. “I wanted to buy more,” she said, “but they didn’t have my favorite filling today.”

Nguyen Hue - Nam Khanh