Editorial | Food for thought at hard-hit restaurants in Hong Kong
- As the coronavirus keeps diners away from once popular locations, premises are either shutting for good or temporarily, giving some operators a chance to reflect on providing better decor and menus
Fine dining or neighbourhood eatery – fear among diners in Hong Kong of being exposed to the coronavirus and Covid-19, the disease it causes, is keeping them from sitting down for a meal.
Months of social unrest had already hurt business, with people avoiding districts at risk of clashes and tourists staying away from the city, but the new threat means even locals are keeping their distance.
Wages and high rents coupled with a lack of demand inevitably squeeze profit margins and restaurant doors have been closing, either temporarily or in some cases, permanently. It is a sad state for a place renowned internationally for being a food paradise.
The wide variety of cuisine, particularly Chinese, has long made Hong Kong a favourite destination for foodies. But no matter how tasty or complex the dishes, people understandably put their health and well-being first.
Uncertainty about how the virus spreads has made diners reluctant to eat in often small restaurants, where tables are closely packed. Coupled with government recommendations that public gatherings be avoided and cases where hotpot and dim sum get-togethers have proved infectious affairs, people are heeding the advice and eating at home.