Restaurants now struggling for customers due to Hong Kong protests

2019-12-06 07:46:02 source: CGTN



Six months of unrest have meant far fewer tourists and Hong Kongers are staying home more.


And, protesters online have been rating restaurants, between those that support them, and those that support the police.


CGTN's Nathan King visited one Kowloon food court to talk to one stall owner targeted by protesters.


You don't have to go far to find great food in Hong Kong, in fact there are many arguments over favorite places to go for lunch or dinner. But since the beginning of the protests there's also deep division over restaurants, they've been labeled yellow ribbon restaurants, blue ribbon restaurants, yellow means you support the protests, blue ribbon means you support the police. And it's even led to some reprisals, people abandoning certain restaurants and there has been some attacks.


When Annie Kwok opened her stall, flight attendant with beef and rice three years ago,  she could never have imagined this.


After showing her support for the Hong Kong police by giving cops the occasional free meal or drink,  online her stall was branded a 'blue ribbon establishment' and overnight her business was in trouble.


"When they first separated us into yellow and blue color, our business really dropped a lot, dropping around 30 - 50% in a few days," said Annie Kwok, the Owner of "Flight Attendant with Beef and Rice".


But it didn't stop there. Protesters called the Hong Kong health department with fake complaints and spread fake reviews online.


"Saying that my food is awful, my shop is dirty, lots of cockroaches, we are not polite to the customers, but they are not true, they are all fake comments - because we've been running for three years and we never had a negative comment social media or platforms," Annie Kwok said.


Many other food stalls and restaurants have received similar treatment, some even vandalized, some forced to close, but not Annie.


When word about her plight got around, those who supported her bought her food, donations flooded in.


Now business is back and better than ever, and she now has enough to give these coupons to local police stations. A free meal and a drink to say thank you.


Many of Annie's neighbors in the Dragon Mall food court are yellow ribbon outlets, pro protesters. They show their colors alongside their cuisine. In this Hong Kong, it seems everyone has to pick a side. But despite their differences the stall holders seem to get along.


Annie's neighbor Tang Chi Hung says that's what Hong Kong is all about respecting the differences.


"Hong Kong is a democracy city and we can keep different opinions at the same place of work, work together. We don't fight each other because we carry different opinions," said Tang Chi Hung, the Stall holder.


Tang and Annie's politics may differ but on this point they both agree.


"I really don't want to see like why they are always differentiating people into colors, into different voices right. I think in Hong Kong they should be harmony and one community to have different voices right," said Annie Kwok.


In this tight space, with different politics and many different types of food, the stall holders get along despite their differences. Their customers though, continue to divide themselves between blue and yellow.


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Six months of unrest have meant far fewer tourists and Hong Kongers are staying home more.


And, protesters online have been rating restaurants, between those that support them, and those that support the police.


CGTN's Nathan King visited one Kowloon food court to talk to one stall owner targeted by protesters.


You don't have to go far to find great food in Hong Kong, in fact there are many arguments over favorite places to go for lunch or dinner. But since the beginning of the protests there's also deep division over restaurants, they've been labeled yellow ribbon restaurants, blue ribbon restaurants, yellow means you support the protests, blue ribbon means you support the police. And it's even led to some reprisals, people abandoning certain restaurants and there has been some attacks.


When Annie Kwok opened her stall, flight attendant with beef and rice three years ago,  she could never have imagined this.


After showing her support for the Hong Kong police by giving cops the occasional free meal or drink,  online her stall was branded a 'blue ribbon establishment' and overnight her business was in trouble.


"When they first separated us into yellow and blue color, our business really dropped a lot, dropping around 30 - 50% in a few days," said Annie Kwok, the Owner of "Flight Attendant with Beef and Rice".


But it didn't stop there. Protesters called the Hong Kong health department with fake complaints and spread fake reviews online.


"Saying that my food is awful, my shop is dirty, lots of cockroaches, we are not polite to the customers, but they are not true, they are all fake comments - because we've been running for three years and we never had a negative comment social media or platforms," Annie Kwok said.


Many other food stalls and restaurants have received similar treatment, some even vandalized, some forced to close, but not Annie.


When word about her plight got around, those who supported her bought her food, donations flooded in.


Now business is back and better than ever, and she now has enough to give these coupons to local police stations. A free meal and a drink to say thank you.


Many of Annie's neighbors in the Dragon Mall food court are yellow ribbon outlets, pro protesters. They show their colors alongside their cuisine. In this Hong Kong, it seems everyone has to pick a side. But despite their differences the stall holders seem to get along.


Annie's neighbor Tang Chi Hung says that's what Hong Kong is all about respecting the differences.


"Hong Kong is a democracy city and we can keep different opinions at the same place of work, work together. We don't fight each other because we carry different opinions," said Tang Chi Hung, the Stall holder.


Tang and Annie's politics may differ but on this point they both agree.


"I really don't want to see like why they are always differentiating people into colors, into different voices right. I think in Hong Kong they should be harmony and one community to have different voices right," said Annie Kwok.


In this tight space, with different politics and many different types of food, the stall holders get along despite their differences. Their customers though, continue to divide themselves between blue and yellow.


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HongKong;differences;Annie;stall;restaurants