The 'matrix' of Pho Thin Lo Duc restaurants across Hanoi.

VietNamNet•15/03/2023

Pho Thin 13 Lo Duc, famous for its rare beef dish developed by Mr. Nguyen Trong Thin since 1979, is operating normally and is popular among many people in Hanoi . A unique feature of this restaurant is that customers must pay before choosing a seat.

In recent years, dozens of other pho restaurants also bearing the name "Pho Thin 13 Lo Duc" have sprung up all over Hanoi's streets. The photo shows Pho Thin on Hoang Ngoc Phach street, Dong Da district.

It is known that among the pho restaurants displaying the sign "Pho Thin 13 Lo Duc," there are some that are not franchised by Mr. Nguyen Trong Thin himself. That is why diners don't know which one is the "authentic." In the photo, although it is breakfast time, there are not many customers inside Pho Thin's restaurant on Hoang Ngoc Phach street.

Another pho restaurant with the same brand name sign on Nguyen Thi Dinh Street (Trung Hoa Ward, Cau Giay District) also only has a handful of customers in the morning.

The manager of a pho restaurant on To Hieu Street (Cau Giay District) explained that the restaurant is open for all three meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Recently, social media has been buzzing about the Thin Lo Duc pho brand, which seems to have affected business. "While the number of customers remains consistent, it's not as crowded as before," he said.

Most restaurants display the name "Pho Thin 13 Lo Duc" or "Pho Thin Lo Duc," with some distinctive features such as the Pho Thin sign and the brand logo being similar.

"Today, while we were out sightseeing, we stopped by this branch to try their rare beef pho. Although it suited our taste, it wasn't as good as the one at 13 Lo Duc Street. In my opinion, the prices here are still quite high compared to the general average, but it's okay to try it once in a while," commented Mr. Pham Tuan (Xuan Dinh Ward, Bac Tu Liem District).

Mr. NH, whose house is opposite Pho Thin 22 Trung Yen (Cau Giay district), shared that he used to frequently eat at Pho Thin's main branch because he found the taste very much to his liking. After the branch opened there, he tried it a few times but found it not as good, so he stopped going. "Currently in Hanoi, there are so many restaurants displaying signs that say 'Pho Thin Lo Duc' that I don't know which one to choose. Lately, this Trung Yen branch has been much quieter, no longer as crowded as before," Mr. NH shared.

Ms. Nguyen Thu Ly (manager of the restaurant at 22 Trung Yen, Cau Giay) stated that she and Mr. Nguyen Trong Thin (owner of Pho Thin at 13 Lo Duc, Hai Ba Trung) established this establishment together, using the same processes and recipes as the original pho restaurant. "Recently, there has been public uproar regarding copyright issues, which has significantly impacted our business. Currently, in Hanoi and other provinces, there are many restaurants displaying signs that say 'Pho Thin Lo Duc,' but they haven't received Mr. Nguyen Trong Thin's permission, and their recipes are incorrect," Ms. Ly said.

According to Ms. Ly, the interiors of the restaurants are quite different, and the menus are not consistent at all. All these Pho Thin restaurants no longer sell only the single rare beef dish like at 13 Lo Duc, but also offer many other pho options such as rare and well-done beef, rare brisket, beef shank, etc.

Besides displaying the name "Pho Thin 13 Lo Duc" and a few distinctive features like the sign and logo, these pho restaurants still have unique characteristics in their brand colors.

Recently, Pho Thin 13 Lo Duc has received public attention regarding conflicts over branding and franchising. On February 28th, speaking to Vietnamnet, Mr. Nguyen Trong Thin (71 years old) - the "father" of Pho Thin 13 Lo Duc restaurant (Lo Duc Street, Pham Dinh Ho Ward, Hai Ba Trung District) - said: "There is a lot of conflicting and false information about Pho Thin 13 Lo Duc. I am working with lawyers to successfully protect the Pho Thin 13 Lo Duc brand in Vietnam. I cook pho every day, and I have been doing so for over 40 years. Like many other chefs, I am only happy when I cook and receive recognition from customers. I don't pay much attention to the discussions on social media. In truth, my brand has been around for 44 years. Legally, I have submitted the trademark application to the Intellectual Property Office. I am looking for ways to protect the brand so that it can survive for a long time."

Mr. Nguyen Trong Thin also confirmed that there are 24 franchised commercial establishments within the "Pho Thin 13 Lo Duc" brand chain, including 12 in Hanoi, 1 in Hung Yen, 1 in Quang Nam, 2 in Da Nang, 1 in Hai Phong , 1 in Quang Ngai, 1 in Ba Ria - Vung Tau, 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, and 4 overseas establishments bearing the name "Pho Thin 13 Lo Duc" in Japan, Indonesia, the United States, and Australia. He stated that the other Pho Thin restaurants were not trained or affiliated with him.

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