Hong Kong Mother’s Day dining shifts from traditional banquets to casual meals

Banquet restaurants, popular in past years for big celebrations, report weaker Mother’s Day trade as families opt for lunch, afternoon tea or hotpot

Mother’s Day business at many traditional Chinese banquet restaurants in Hong Kong has been weaker than last year, with diners increasingly opting for lunch and afternoon tea celebrations or non-traditional meals such as hotpot, industry representatives have said.

Busy areas such as Causeway Bay were bustling with families on Sunday, as residents flocked to restaurants and shopping malls to celebrate, some carrying flowers and cards.

“I did not want to do a very big dinner this year because everywhere is crowded on Mother’s Day,” said a 56-year-old housewife, who only gave her surname Wong. She said she was having lunch with her daughter at a dim sum restaurant on Leighton Hill Road.

“We just came out for a simpler meal in the afternoon instead. My daughter booked it a few days ago because she was worried walk-in would take too long.”

Kelvin Cheung, 29, who works in the IT industry, said his family had moved away from the traditional Chinese restaurant celebrations they used to have when he was younger.

“When I was a kid we always went to a Chinese banquet restaurant with all the relatives, but now everyone has different schedules,” he said. “This year it’s just six of us doing hotpot together after shopping.”