Pho 200,000 VND at Noi Bai Airport: Expensive due to high costs?

On May 6, Dan Tri newspaper published an article "A bowl of pho costs 200,000 VND at Noi Bai airport, customers "complain" it's too expensive" mentioning the story of food prices at international airports being 4-5 times higher than outside restaurants.

The article received thousands of comments and shares from readers, most of whom complained about the high prices of food and drinks at airports.

Hungthanh account expressed: "I have had the opportunity to travel to some countries. Normally, in the airport, they only sell food at prices 10-20% higher than outside. At Noi Bai airport, the prices are too high."

Chicken pho costs 8 USD (over 200,000 VND) at Terminal T2 - Noi Bai International Airport (Photo: Tue Minh).

"Do passengers have to go to the airport to eat... I think people can eat outside. Pho at the airport is nothing special but it's expensive, because the biggest cost is the rental fee," reader Pham Thanh Nhat wrote.

From another perspective, some readers believe that the price is clearly listed, customers have the right to choose instead of complaining.

A reader wrote: "Price information is clearly listed, service and hygiene are good, food is quite good, if customers find it acceptable then come eat, if they don't eat then no one is forcing them, right?".

Decoding the cost of a bowl of airport pho

Sharing with Dan Tri reporter, Mr. Hoang Tung - Chairman of F&B Investment - commented that the controversy over food and drink prices at the airport is not only a story of Vietnam but also takes place in many countries around the world.

According to Mr. Tung, the prices of goods at the airport are often higher than outside because the products have to "bear" many types of costs. Sellers are forced to set prices to cover the costs while ensuring profit.

"Factors affecting the price of goods at the airport include: premises costs, staff salaries, food safety and hygiene standards and controls...", he emphasized.

Mr. Hoang Tung said that the controversy over food prices at the airport is not only happening in Vietnam but also in many other countries (Photo: Provided by the character).

Airports are often located far from the central area, so the cost of transporting raw materials will be more expensive. Food and drinks sold at airports have higher food safety and hygiene standards, and documents proving their origin are very thorough. Bringing raw materials inside for processing must go through a strict control and screening process, especially at international terminals.

The cost of hiring staff to work at restaurants and eateries in the airport is not low. Mr. Tung explained that employees working here must meet standards in appearance, foreign language communication skills, and may have to undergo training in security skills.

"Employees working at airports often have higher salaries. However, high salaries do not mean easy recruitment. When working at the airport, employees have to travel far and strictly follow working hours, making the cost of retaining employees higher than at outside restaurants," Mr. Tung emphasized.

Having experienced food at many airports, Mr. Tung believes that both vendors and customers have their own reasons for the high price of a bowl of pho. Vendors complain about high input costs, while customers find it difficult to accept a price that is more expensive than outside while the quality is not really as expected.

Pho costs up to 10 USD at a restaurant at Noi Bai airport (Photo: Tue Minh).

Sharing the same opinion on this issue, Mr. Nguyen Thuong Quan - Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Vocational Training and Employment of Chefs - said that comparing the price of a bowl of pho at the airport with a similar bowl of pho at a popular restaurant is unfair.

Because, behind this dish at the airport is the story of investment costs for premises, ingredients to make the dish that require food safety standards, staff salaries...

Although they may look similar, the process of making pho at the airport can be more complicated. Specifically, the broth is pre-cooked and brought into the terminal, so the restaurant owner must equip additional machinery and equipment to maintain the best quality.

"At popular restaurants, pho sellers can be family members, and ingredients are imported from familiar sources at the market. Meanwhile, pho sellers at the airport are hired and recruited, and ingredients must go through a strict control process...", Mr. Quan emphasized.

From a customer’s perspective, the expert expressed sympathy and shared with consumers when having to eat a bowl of pho that costs 2-3 times more than at popular restaurants. However, as a frequent air traveler, Mr. Quan has witnessed the high prices of food and drinks at airports around the world, including Thailand, Malaysia, etc.

Solution to have a bowl of airport pho at a reasonable price

The high price of pho at the airport has existed for many years. However, experts say there are solutions to help customers feel more satisfied.

Regarding this issue, Mr. Nguyen Thuong Quan suggested that airport restaurant owners should offer customers many options, instead of just a few prices as at present.

Mr. Nguyen Thuong Quan thinks that there should be smaller bowls of pho and more affordable prices (Photo: Ha Nam).

"Specifically, restaurants in the airport can make smaller portions of pho at affordable prices from VND70,000 to VND120,000. Restaurant owners should calculate how to make the price as cheap as possible while still ensuring quality to reach more customers," Mr. Quan said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Hoang Tung expressed that business owners have the right to choose products that ensure quality but at the most reasonable price. Customers will be satisfied if the product quality and service are good.

This F&B expert believes that restaurant owners can publicly inform customers about the input costs to make a bowl of pho and the actual amount of money received. Of which, a portion of the business's profits can be used to participate in social security activities, enhancing the service experience for customers.

"The price is high but customers get to experience good service, the business has social responsibility will make consumers feel the money spent is worth it. At the same time, diners will understand more about the difficulties of the business to share," said Mr. Tung.

For restaurants, the important factor is to improve and enhance the quality of food. Mr. Tung assessed that this is not an easy task because the logistics at the airport require many standards, and it is difficult for restaurant owners to build a spacious kitchen like outside restaurants.

"Saying that does not mean it cannot be done. Improving product quality within the capabilities and specific conditions of each business will contribute to making customers feel satisfied," Mr. Tung stated his opinion.

In addition, this expert cited that some airports such as Changi (Singapore) or Incheon (Korea)... have areas selling goods at prices not too different from outside.

"The airport is the face of a country in the eyes of international friends. Therefore, the authorities can implement a policy of reducing fees for shop owners. From there, business owners will sell food and drinks at more reasonable prices, and customers will no longer feel uncomfortable spending money," Mr. Tung expressed.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/pho-200000-dong-o-san-bay-noi-bai-dat-do-do-ganh-nhieu-chi-phi-20250507204901851.htm