Can HK Restaurants Survive the Pandemic?

Hong Kong's new normal of restaurants having 50 percent capacity

This morning (well late morning) I ventured to a place near where I live that just organizes pop-ups, or guest chef promotions on a regular basis, with chefs from around the world.

However with the coronavirus pandemic and travel restrictions, the owner had to quickly switch gears -- and in fact he did several months ago already -- and instead do collaborations with young up-and-coming local chefs who are keen to try some new culinary ideas.

Chef Eric Raty with his blueberry pie

The owner was telling me how business was very difficult these days, as his space is not open everyday, and with customers not really having an appetite to sit down to a multi-course dinner, he has moved very quickly to have a bake sale today, his first.

I walked over to the place just after it opened and it seemed to be doing a brisk business, with a lot of people already pre-ordered items that were packaged in large brown paper bags.

I hadn't, but came prepared with my own takeaway boxes and the chef who has a Michelin two-starred restaurant, personally packed my boxes with baked treats like gluten-free chocolate walnut cookies, a blueberry and cardamon pie, and a small Finnish tart.

Later after lunch I had one of the cookies -- it was so delicious and overwhelmingly chocolately that I could not finish the second cookie, which is very rare for me to do. It was just so delicious that texted the chef to tell him that.

The owner was there and we didn't talk much because he was really busy preparing tea and coffee for guests who were sitting inside and enjoying their pastries. I was worried about him because before the bake sale,  he had told me that he needed to find ways to make money fast, otherwise he could only sustain his business for another two months.

Gluten-free chocolate walnut cookies were for sale today

That is the reality of a lot of restaurants in Hong Kong now. One large restaurant group that has 21 restaurants in the city and another exclusively for takeout, and is under a lot of financial pressure to ensure its over 1,000 staff still have jobs.

However, one local group has decided to shut down all 48 of its restaurants for two weeks "for everyone's health and safety", the group said in its Facebook page on Friday.

Tao Heung Holdings has a variety of Chinese restaurants like Tao Heung, Pier 88, Hak Ka Hut, Chao Inn, Chung's Cuisine, and Tai Cheong, famous for its egg tarts.

Meanwhile a lot of places quickly implemented the 50 percent capacity rule, with some restaurants literally taping off tables or removing them on Saturday before the 6pm deadline. Other places had signs outside the doors explaining because of the strict rules they could only have a maximum of three tables at any one time.

One of Tao Heung's restaurants before it closed for two weeks

It will be interesting to see if the implementation of these strict regulations will indeed lower the number of cases in the next few days; the odd thing is that karaoke establishments fall under the restaurant license but how do you prevent people from sitting too closely together in a small room and they are sharing microphones...

Are people still going to these places when they should be social distancing?

Or is now the time to sing your heart out as a stress reliever? It's a dilemma.