Lok Chan, a loyal customer of the Hap Wah food stall in Tai Po, cries as he hugs Chan Man-ying, who, with husband Chow Cheng-tei (left), owned the dai pai dong. The stall closed on Tuesday after nearly 30 years in business. Photos: Antony Dickson

A waiter prepares to serve cups of milk tea, one day before the Hap Wah dai pai dong’s closure.

A member of staff, one of 20 who lost their jobs with Hap Wah’s closure, begins the final clean-up minutes before the food stall officially closed at 2pm on Tuesday.

Customers who turned out for the last serving of lunch at Hap Wah on the Fu Shin public housing estate on Tuesday.

Rinki Chan Tsz-yan (right), who used to eating all the time at Hap Wah when she was a young girl, has her picture taken with owner Chan Man-ying (centre).

Chow Miu-man (centre, with raised hand), who had worked at Hap Wah since it opened, announces its closure and gets a round of applause from customers.

Another customer gets a souvenir photo with owner Chan Man-ying as Chan’s husband, Chow Cheng-tei (rear), looks on.

A last photo for another customer with Hap Wah’s owners.

A member of staff begins the final clean-up following the food stall’s closure.

The tables stand empty a day after Hap Wah’s closure. The owners faced a bill of HK$3 million for renovations to bring the premises up to the standard required by landlord The Link.

All is quiet on Wednesday around the building in the centre of the Fu Shin Estate where Hap Wah had operated for nearly 30 years.

Food & Drink

Photo essay: shutters come down on a much loved Hong Kong food stall

Customers were in tears after eating for the final time at their favourite lunch place, whose husband and wife owners had served some of them since it opened on a Tai Po housing estate in 1986. Antony Dickson chronicles the poignant last hours at Hap Wah

Elaine Yau

Published: 11:30am, 17 Dec, 2015

Updated: 11:32am, 17 Dec, 2015