On the first day of the Lunar New Year, a Hong Kong resident went out to eat and ordered dishes such as beef brisket noodles and dumpling rice noodles. However, when settling the bill, they were surprised to find an extra charge of HKD 15 (about MYR 7.5) labeled as a “Happy New Year” fee. Stunned, the individual immediately took a photo and uploaded it online, triggering heated discussion.
According to HK01, the netizen posted in the Facebook group “True Tuen Mun Friends,” saying, “HKD 15 for a Gong Hei Fat Choy (New Year’s greeting), this is what it’s like on the first day of the Lunar New Year.” The shared bill shows that dishes included beef brisket noodles, dumpling rice noodles, iced lemon tea, and iced milk tea, but the last item was “Happy New Year” for HKD 15, bringing the total to HKD 124.
The incident, once exposed, drew polarized reactions from netizens. Some criticized the restaurant for random charges: “This bad practice can’t be allowed to set a precedent,” “It’s more expensive than the 10% service charge,” and “No wonder the restaurant business is struggling.”
Others thought it reasonable to raise prices during the holiday: “Just consider it a red packet for the restaurant, wishing for good luck,” “It’s all about good fortune on the first day, otherwise just cook at home,” and “In the past, the surcharge during New Year was 20 or 30 percent; now just a small extra isn’t too much.”
Some netizens joked: “Wait, HKD 15 is for ‘Happy New Year.’ Only HKD 20 gets you ‘Gong Hei Fat Choy’—that’s a bargain!”
Others felt it would have been acceptable if the restaurant had clearly posted a notice at the door. Still, there were consumers who were unhappy and said, “Having to pay extra just to eat a bowl of beef brisket noodles? Might as well not eat,” and “The main point is, does this money go to the employees?”
Some also pointed out that restaurants willing to stay open during the holiday do allow those who have to work to get something to eat, showing that there are different perspectives.