McDonald’s has announced the closure of its Ben Thanh branch in Ho Chi Minh City, effective September 19. This location, situated at 2-2A Tran Hung Dao, District 1, was one of the first McDonald’s outlets in Vietnam.
In a post on its official Facebook page, McDonald’s shared, “Although we don’t want to say goodbye, at 2:00 a.m. on September 19, McDonald’s Ben Thanh will close its 10-year journey.” The branch, which opened in May 2014, had become a familiar spot for locals, and news of its closure has drawn expressions of regret from many.
Occupying a prime location at the intersection of Tran Hung Dao and Pham Ngu Lao streets, close to Ben Thanh Market and 23/9 Park, the three-story, 660-square-meter restaurant was open 24/7. It was also the first in Vietnam to feature a custom food conveyor system, transporting meals from the kitchen on the third floor to the ground floor in just 15 seconds.
McDonald’s entered the Vietnamese market in February 2014, with its first branch at 2-6 Bis Dien Bien Phu, District 1. At the time, the company aimed to open 100 stores within 10 years. However, a decade later, the chain has only reached a little over one-third of that goal, operating 36 locations in major cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Binh Duong, Khanh Hoa, and Hai Phong.
McDonald’s is not the only global brand scaling back operations in Vietnam. Starbucks recently closed its Reserve store at 11-13 Han Thuyen, District 1, on August 26, with plans to relocate. Real estate brokers are now seeking tenants for the 210-square-meter property, offering it for lease at $30,000 per month (over 750 million VND).
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Source: Vietnam Insider