When China Invades

TODAY in Hong Kong I had an early dinner at my favorite salad place that in the middle of a mall. The preferred seats are at the "window"- more like an open frame with a guard rail to keep people from going in and out that way. Well, that doesn't keep SOME people from going in and out (and in and out). A small family from the Mainland of Grandma, Grandpa, young dad and two kids (yes, two) were seated next to us at the "window" and had draped the little girl's sweatshirt over the seat at our table - maybe to reserve it too? The kids were running in and out of the restaurant, coming in at our table spot, and the grandparents never said anything to encourage them to settle down or use the window at their own table. It's ok because we were only two people.

However, for the people who work in the restaurant it is a sticky situation- soon the dad came back with a bag from the grocery store and they proceeded to bring out yoghurt, drinks, and fruit, which they peeled and left on the table or let drop to the ground. So basically they had bought a small drink for the kids and then brought everything else in with them! and they were settled in while the kids played.

In Hong Kong there are several "public use spaces" that are theoretically open to the public, although restaurants next to them spill into them and serve at the table in the public area, making it look like it is actually part of the restaurant and the "public" feel intimidated to sit at the tables, although legally they may do so. In fact, a popular dim sum restaurant serves at the tables in the public use area that one must go through to get to the restaurant, and, indeed, it really feels as though the space is part of the restaurant. They make customers place their orders inside the restaurant because they are not supposed to make the public use space as part of their restaurant. But of course every table is being used by their customers and they end up cleaning and maintaining the space.

HOWEVER, this seating in the restaurant inside the mall is definitely part of the restaurant and they pay rent for that area. For someone to bring in their own food and proceed to eat and drink outside food at their tables is really not kosher.

When leaving, we noticed another group of Mainlanders who had finished eating and the lady was cleaning out the ears of the man in the middle of the restaurant! I am glad my back was to them.