Vegetarian food restaurants have seen a huge upswing in customers during the Vu Lan Festival that falls on the 15th of the seventh lunar month.

“I’m selling around 1,000 rice servings on average compared to just 500 on normal days. I have had to hire more staff to cover increased demand,” Truong Thi Thuy, owner of a vegetarian food restaurant on Hoa Binh Street, Tan Phu District, HCM City said.

The owner of Dinh Y vegetarian food restaurant on Cong Quynh Street, District 1, said, “The restaurant is busiest between 11.30 and 2.30pm.”

It’s no surprise these vegetarian restaurants are doing so well, with meals costing just VND6,000-8,000 (USD0.28-USD0.38) per dish at restaurants in the city centre like Thu Duc and Tan Phu districts. The price is higher at VND20,000-30,000 per serving in districts 1 and 3. A vegetarian hot pot will still set you back around VND120,000.

Many families also cook vegetarian food at home.