Vietnam
VietnamAt restaurants
What to pay, what to say, and how to read a street stall.
Do you tip in Vietnam?
Not required, and not a local habit. It has become common only where tourism is the main business.
Can I eat vegetarian or vegan here?
The tourism board calls Vietnam one of the most vegetarian-friendly countries in the world. One word finds you the restaurant — chay. A second phrase is the one that actually keeps fish sauce off the plate.
Is the street food safe to eat?
The tourism board's own words: generally quite safe — but always use your own judgement when choosing vendors. The judgement part has learnable rules.
How do I call someone over, and what happens at the table?
You call people by the family word that matches their age, then ơi — anh ơi or chị ơi for someone a bit older than you, em ơi for someone younger. At the table, pass with the right hand or both, never stand chopsticks upright in rice, and the meal starts when the oldest person does.