Banh tells 8days.sg that his recent TikTok fame has made his job a lot busier lately, so he recommends placing orders via WhatsApp before heading out or having his meal delivered via GrabFood instead.

Because it prepares each order fresh on the spot, some customers who don’t order in advance have to wait 40 minutes to an hour for their food. He says people who place their WhatsApp orders in advance typically receive their meals 10 to 15 minutes after they arrive at their home.

But in cases where walk-in customers have to wait up to an hour for their food, Banh tells them to go home first or take a walk around the area before returning to pick up their order. So usually the only people hanging around in the living room are people waiting for a short time.

Does he or his family members feel uncomfortable having strangers in their home?

He laughs: “My son doesn’t bother much, he usually just watches TV. My daughter is a little shy, so she usually stays in her room while my husband makes small talk with customers. For me, I don’t see any harm in that since I’m running a business after all!”

Banh says that although his shop is open until 20:00, this does not disrupt family meal times. “My kids often eat out, otherwise they just eat in the living room. No problem. “My husband also works late and sometimes only comes home at 10pm,” she explains.

But Banh has no plans to open his apartment for dining. “I’m afraid that if there are too many customers in my house, the neighbors will complain,” she shares.

He says he’s been receiving about 50 to 60 banh mi orders a day since he became known on social media. While most of his customers reside in the Choa Chu Kang area, he tells us a significant number also come from as far away as Bugis and Tampines.

Despite this, he shares that his business makes a modest profit: “We are very busy, but we don’t actually make that much profit because our food is cheaper than (other stalls) outside. “But as long as my customers eat good, authentic Vietnamese food and I make enough money to live on, that’s good enough for me,” he thinks.

He adds that his net profit is around S$3,000 a month and says he has fewer customers now compared to when he worked at kopitiam. “At that time, it was more convenient for customers because there were seats in the coffeehouse. “My electricity bill at home is also higher,” he explains.