Trapped in Tai Po: McDonald’s runs out of buns and hash browns and supermarket shelves are bare as Hong Kong protests limit supplies to one town
- Tai Po residents affected as protesters block major roads near Chinese University
- Fast-food chain low on signature items and stores run out of rice, eggs, and meat
Residents in one Hong Kong town have this week been hit hard by the anti-government protests sweeping the city – their local McDonald’s is running out of food.
With radicals bringing major roads, tunnels, and parts of the rail system to a standstill in recent days, people have struggled to get in or out of the New Territories, leaving places such as Tai Po in semi-isolation.
Restaurants and supermarkets have run low on supplies too, and residents hoping to get breakfast at their local McDonald’s on Thursday discovered the only items on the menu were pancakes or macaroni.
A staff member at the chain’s location on Kwong Fuk Estate said they had run out of some buns, including Sausage McMuffins, and hash browns, but managed to get more from other locations on Thursday night. They expected to run out again, he said, and on Friday morning ran out of macaroni and some McMuffins.
“The traffic has affected our trucks getting into the district,” the staff member said. “The manager appealed to other shops nearby and was able to get some supplies last night. But they might run out of stock at any time if no new supplies come in.”
Of the six McDonald’s branches in the Tai Po district, two – on Kwong Fuk and Fu Shin estates – had shortages on Friday morning.
A staff member said this might be because of the different delivery times of stock to different locations.
People wanting to eat at home also faced difficulties, with local grocery stores running out of eggs, bread, rice and cakes.
Hong Kong protesters’ ‘friendly gesture’ comes with election ultimatum
“Some local restaurants have been closed or are out of food, since no trucks could come into the district and bring new supplies,” said Tommy Chan, 30, a local resident. “McDonald’s are affected with much of their food sold out, supermarkets’ shelves are empty, since people rushed in and cleared the stocks on Tuesday.”
Major roads in Tai Po have been hit by heavy congestion after Chinese University became the site of intense clashes between protesters and police, with hundreds of petrol bombs thrown, and thousands of rounds of tear gas and rubber bullets fired.
After the Tolo Highway was partially cleared on Friday afternoon, shops gradually opened and people flocked onto the streets in Tai Po. They said they felt a sense of relief and joy as they could finally break away from confinement and enjoy shopping and meeting people outside.
In Tai Po Mega Mall, shops and restaurants gradually opened and people picked up items at supermarkets or queued to buy bread at bakeries.
University student Brian Wong, 22, said he felt like had been trapped on an island over the past few days in Tai Po, as he could not go to other areas to meet people.
Protesters use Chinese University as kitchen, weapons factory and training camp
“Tai Po was like a dead city over the past few days,” he said. “Now I feel like being reborn as I can go out to meet my friends in Kowloon,” he said.
Before the highway was reopened, businesses on Hong Kong Island were also affected, with one small bakery in North Point only able to produce three trays of buns and egg tarts on Friday morning, as its usual delivery of flour had been unable to reach it.
An employee at the restaurant next door, which the bakery supplies bread to, said the flour delivery usually came from Tai Po.
Additional reporting by Zoe Low
