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Modest meal in stand (Com Bui)

Modest meal in stand (Com Bui)
Com bui (literally "dust meal") is a recent coinage adopted by Vietnamese. It means to have a meal at one of those many popular eateries that have invaded in almost all sidewalks in the city.
Com bui, a sign of the time, indicates certain changes in the customs of the urban families. Eating at home was sacred in the old days. Now going out for com bui has become a habit. It is quite understandable when Vietnamese are so busy with their work. The introduction of the new system for working days of 8 hours a day allows just a short break at noon. Com bui is widely accepted thanks to its reasonable price and its variety of foods. But do not forget that despite its modest price, a meal at one of those sidewalk stands cost a great deal more than a lunch prepared by the woman of the family. This indicates democratisation in etiquette as well as an improvement in the customers' finances. Notably, quan com binh dan (popular stands) of this kind were very common in the former Sai Gon and also in some parts of Hanoi in the old days. But, unlikely their counterparts today, they were not frequentedby people of the middle class, government employees, students and such.