There's standing room only at most of the restaurants in town this week. Like most of the territory's entrepreneurs, restaurateurs are living up to the challenge of the demand for 1997 mementos and thousands of additional bodies to entertain and mouths to feed.
Pulling the plug on tradition, Michelle Garnaut has decided to open M at the Fringe (tel: 2877-4000) throughout the celebrations. The Central restaurant is usually closed on Sundays and public holidays.
A special attempt has been made to highlight local ingredients for the handover menu. These include items such as Chinese caviar, Hong Kong pigeon and Governor Chris Patten's special trifle.
Ms Garnaut's famous pavlova will also be served 'because that's one thing we can't give up', she says.
Meanwhile, in an attempt to provide a one-stop reservation service, Elite Concepts has set up a handover party hotline on 2525-9111.
Try for a table at Elite's Tokio Joe, where noodles have been dyed red for the occasion. Of course, special menus are the order of the day, with complimentary 1997 T-shirts at all of Elite's eight restaurants.
Toasted hot shots For official handover whisky, reach for the Highland Regal, which is the official whisky for the International Hong Kong Celebrates Banquet at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on July 2.