Ronaldo in Hong Kong: restaurants eye 30% business boost as Saudi Super Cup kicks off
Operators near Hong Kong Stadium upbeat about foot traffic from Saudi Super Cup, although rain may put damper on dining for some
Hong Kong’s much-awaited hosting of the Saudi Super Cup, featuring football legend Cristiano Ronaldo, has brought thousands of fans to the city and may give a boost to restaurant operators, who are optimistic about an increase in business of up to 30 per cent.
Fans have been following Ronaldo’s every move since his arrival in the city on Thursday last week, as they try to catch a glimpse of him training or making a surprise visit to his CR7 Life Museum at the K11 Musea shopping centre.
The football mega-event will kick off on Tuesday and run until Saturday at Hong Kong Stadium in Causeway Bay, with food and catering operators saying they expected to benefit.
The operator of Yuga, a cha chaan teng near the stadium, said it expected business to increase by about 30 per cent if there was no rain on match day.
“The rain affects our business a lot, as many will go to restaurants closer to the MTR station when it rains,” said Christy Hung, manager of the Hong Kong-style cafe.
“We have arranged more manpower for the night [of the Saudi Super Cup], but business fluctuates a lot. We had arranged more staff for a previous match, but it rained and business got more quiet than usual.”