Spending millions to reserve a place at a Hanoi cafe to watch the parade, customers worry about losing their seats

(Dan Tri) - On the morning of August 19, Kieu Anh contacted nearly 10 coffee shops around West Lake and Hoan Kiem Lake where she could watch the parades pass by, but was told they were all fully booked.

To celebrate the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day September 2, Hanoi city will organize many major activities.

Highlights include a large-scale military parade at Ba Dinh Square and central streets. In addition, there will be special art performances and brilliant fireworks displays at designated locations.

As the A80 event approaches, in these days, besides booking hotels and accommodations for visitors from far away, finding cafes with beautiful views to watch the parade is becoming a hot topic of particular interest to young people.

These days, many coffee shops in Hanoi are decorated with colorful flags and flowers (Photo: Nguyen Ha Nam ).

Planning to watch the parade with a group of friends on the morning of September 2, Kieu Anh (20 years old, Tu Liem ward, Hanoi) contacted nearly 10 coffee shops around West Lake and Hoan Kiem Lake to make reservations. However, after nearly an hour, all the establishments she contacted refused, saying they were full.

According to a quick survey by Dan Tri reporters, some coffee shops in the Hoan Kiem Lake area, the Old Quarter or the central area where the parade passes through, serve combo drinks with snacks at prices ranging from 690,000 VND to about 1 million VND/person depending on seating location.

Some restaurants have "golden" locations near Hoan Kiem Lake, but the reservation conditions are also strict. Customers need to deposit 50-100% of the total bill to hold a seat. Some restaurants even promise to only hold seats for a certain period of time. If the customer does not arrive after the appointed time, they must accept losing their seat and deposit.

The owner of a coffee shop on Hang Khay Street said that these days, the shop has received dozens of calls and messages to book reservations via the hotline and fanpage. However, due to the limited number of seats, the shop has to turn away some customers. The number of customers booking from August 30 to the morning of September 2 is full.

Similarly, a representative of a coffee shop on Dien Bien Phu Street revealed that the shop was 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 fully booked more than a week in advance.

According to the representative, the number of customers calling the cafe to make reservations increased faster than expected. Many customers were willing to pay more, but because the cafe had already made a deposit with previous customers, they were forced to refuse. Currently, the cafe only has a few seats left in areas with "not so nice" views on August 21.

Meanwhile, coffee shops in the Nguyen Thai Hoc and Lieu Giai areas offer a deposit of VND200,000 to VND300,000 per guest, along with a drink.

People are excited in the joyful atmosphere to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of August Revolution and National Day September 2 (Photo: Nguyen Ha Nam).

With about 100 seats, a representative of Garden Coffee in Lieu Giai said that the deposit for each day from the time of the parade rehearsal to the final rehearsal is 200,000 VND/seat. On September 2nd, the price is 280,000 VND/guest. The price includes a drink. However, these coffee shops all require customers to transfer a 100% deposit to ensure their seats are reserved.

Suggested ideal places to watch the parade on the morning of September 2

Residents and tourists can choose to observe on many streets in the wards of Ba Dinh, Ngoc Ha, Cua Nam, Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam, Hai Ba Trung, Tay Ho, and My Dinh.

Among them, the Hung Vuong - Nguyen Thai Hoc - Hang Chao intersection is one of the most ideal observation positions, where people can fully observe the blocks. Because this is the point where the parade leaves Ba Dinh Square and splits into different directions.

Parade blocks on lines 1 and 2 turn left onto Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. Line 3 turns right onto Kim Ma Street. Line 5 goes straight towards Hang Day Stadium.

Things tourists need to keep in mind when watching parades and processions

You should arrive early from around 4:30 to 5:00 to choose a good position before the ceremony starts at 6:30.

If residents and tourists cannot choose a good location, they can watch live through a system of 270 LED screens arranged along the roads and 400 supporting loudspeakers.

The groups will go through many central routes such as Nguyen Thai Hoc - Kim Ma - Lieu Giai - Le Duan - Trang Thi - Hang Khay - Ngoc Ha.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/chi-tien-trieu-giu-cho-quan-ca-phe-ha-noi-xem-dieu-hanh-khach-lo-mat-cho-20250819213044144.htm