4 of 15 Hong Kong restaurant chains refuse diners’ request to use own containers for takeaway

Four of 15 chain restaurants in Hong Kong have told diners they cannot use their own containers for takeaway, the consumer watchdog has found, as it called on catering businesses to contribute to the government’s goal of waste reduction.

Consumer Council staff posing as customers made 45 visits to 15 popular chain restaurants during lunch hours on weekdays in August and September, the watchdog said on Friday.

The workers asked to use containers they had brought for takeaway meals but were successful just 31 times.

The staff visited three branches of each chain and the ones who rejected the requests were Cafe de Coral, Saizeriya, Super Super Congee & Noodle and Yoshinoya Hong Kong.

Victor Lam Hoi-cheung, chairman of the council’s publicity and community relations committee, said only 30 per cent of the staff whose requests were denied were satisfied with how the interaction was handled.

“Staff at one eatery specified that they did not accept self-brought containers with a slightly impatient tone and did not expound when trialists asked for the reason,” he said, referring to Cafe de Coral.