As Americans become more familiar with Vietnamese cuisine, new restaurants have begun cropping up in major cities, including areas without high concentrations of Asian American residents. With its popularity on the rise, Vietnamese restaurant owners are looking for more convenient ways of bringing their cuisine to customers.

Hughies Tavern and Vietnamese Grille, located on West 18th Street in Houston, is one of several Vietnamese spots in the city that have opened drive-thru windows, used broadly by fast-food joints. The restaurant was formerly a Dairy Queen, but owner Paul Pham told The New York Times, "We are going to shift toward more of a Chick-fil-A type of concept."

Kenny To, an owner of Canada's first Vietnamese drive-thru concept, To Me Vietnamese Sub, pointed out that transitioning towards an American-style fast-food concept makes sense because many Vietnamese dishes are portable and easy to pack. He said he got the idea for his restaurant by ordering coffee at the Tim Hortons drive-thru.