Saigon eateries innovate to keep their distance

For nearly a week now, Le Hoai Nhan's pho shop in Tan Phu District provides only takeaway service. Nhan has rigged up a pulley system that collects money and delivers food with a cute message of thanks. 
"To ensure everyone keeps minimum distance of two meters between two people, I have designed this pulley system to limit contact with customers," Nhan said. 

Nhan also prepares hand sanitizers for customers to clean up hands. 
"Thanks to this pulley system, I have tried to keep a certain number of custo
mers. Though my revenue from this business has fallen but is still within acceptable level," he said.

A pennywort juice shop on Phan Xich Long Street in Phu Nhuan District uses a plastic fence to ensure a minimum distance of 2 meters between guests and staff.

Plastic cups of pennywort juice are placed in a basket. All customers are required to wear face masks. 

Buyers have to pay and get the change through a basket attached to a plastic rod. The owner said these measures received sympathy and support from everyone. 

Since the beginning of this week, a coffee shop on Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street in District 1 has glued decals in front of the shop to ensure customers are not in close contact with each other when they wait to get their drinks. 

After receiving their drinks the customers would put money into a plastic cup tied to a fishing rod. "This way creates a sense of security and makes customers happy. However, the shop's revenue is still very low, and this is just a temporary measure to keep it going," said 29-year-old owner Hoang Van Tien. 

A "broken rice" eatery on Ung Van Khiem Street in Binh Thanh District has arranges chairs 2 meters from each other so that takeaway customers sit apart. The shop has also prepared hand sanitizers for everyone to clean their hands before receiving their orders and paying for them. 

For a week now, more than 100 decals have been glued to the floor in the checkout area at CoopMart supermarkets so customers can keep a safe distance to each other.

In addition, before entering the supermarket, customers must get their temperature checked and wash their hands. All supermarket employees also must wear visors and masks.