Mooncakes with taro, pineapple, and lotus seed fillings are considered the shop's bestsellers. Photo: Nguyen Dieu Thuy

Almost three weeks before the Mid-Autumn Festival, on the evening of 18/9, hundreds of people lined up outside a shop on Pham Phu Thu Street in Binh Tien Ward to buy mooncakes.

According to a shop representative, mooncakes have been on sale for two months, but there has been a sudden surge in customers over the past 10 days, resulting in constant crowds from morning to night.

Shop staff continually bring out more mooncakes and deliver orders to customers who pre-ordered. For large orders, customers usually need to book a week in advance.

Many people wore raincoats and held umbrellas, patiently waiting their turn to enter the shop.

A price list was displayed outside. Customers wrote down their chosen items on paper and handed it to the staff to save time. The shop offers over 40 types of mooncakes, both chewy and baked, ranging from 70,000 to 170,000 VND each, depending on the filling.

After about an hour of waiting, Quang Hoang, a visitor from Hanoi on a business trip to Ho Chi Minh City on 18/9, bought two boxes of mooncakes for 680,000 VND. He said he learned about the shop through social media videos and wanted to buy some to enjoy and give to his family. He found the prices reasonable and the variety of fillings appealing.

The shop, over 40 years old, is quite famous in the Chinatown area. In the past two years, it has gained popularity on social media, attracting a large number of customers eager to try the mooncakes.

Nearly 20 staff members were employed to take orders, handle payments, and pack the mooncakes. Customers can pre-order a few days in advance or come directly to the shop, with a limit of three boxes (12 mooncakes) per purchase.

By 8:30 pm, many types of mooncakes were sold out. Customers continuously called their relatives to change their orders or resigned themselves to returning the next day.

A security guard at the shop explained that due to the daily production being unable to meet demand, the shop operates only during two time slots: from 9 am to 12 pm and from 6 pm to 9 pm.

Mooncakes with taro, pineapple, and lotus seed fillings are considered the shop's bestsellers. Photo: Nguyen Dieu Thuy

Hong Ai traveled almost 15 km from Go Vap Ward, spending about an hour queuing. Ai said she bought mooncakes here last year and invited a friend along this year.

"I've been here three times, and it's always packed. The mooncakes are traditional and suit my taste, so I want to buy them for my family and friends," Ai said.

At 8:45 pm, the shop announced it was sold out, and those who arrived later had to leave empty-handed.

The Chinatown, Binh Tay, and Binh Tien areas, home to a large Chinese community, boast many famous mooncake shops in Ho Chi Minh City.

Mooncakes are a traditional treat enjoyed during the Mid-Autumn Festival, typically round like the moon, symbolizing reunion, completeness, and prosperity.

Tuan Anh