Why there is such a thing as a free lunch

The 7-Eleven chain will give away 1,500 lunchboxes tomorrow and Thursday in a move that could stir up a fast-food war.

Three 7-Eleven outlets - in Causeway Bay's Times Square, the Fou Wah Centre in Tsuen Wan and Tsim Sha Tsui's Star House - will each give away 500 rice boxes to promote the chain's new menu. A spokeswoman said police had been told and extra security staff would be deployed as long queues were likely.

'We had excellent feedback from customers from earlier discounts for students and the elderly, so we will give away meals to everyone this time,' she said.

The latest offerings include Chinese steamed rice with spare ribs and chicken, and vegetable curry and pork chops with rice. They will be sold for $10 each for two weeks before prices increase to between $14.90 and $16.90.

McDonald's introduced rice-box dishes in July. It broke with three decades of tradition and introduced two $22 rice dinner dishes - grilled chicken with mushroom sauce and chicken cutlet with curry sauce. Cafe de Coral, KFC and Maxim's have all added rice dishes to their menus. 7-Eleven has 462 stores across Hong Kong.