In a city like ours where competition and rents are steep and consumers’ attention spans are fleeting, keeping a food and beverage business running and popular is not easy. We’ve seen some restaurants and even food delivery companies leave the Hong Kong market in recent months, and now there’s another one to add to the list. Cha chaan teng Daniel’s will be closing down by the end of May this year.
A Facebook user shared a photo of a notice displayed outside Daniel’s in Mei Foo, which stated that their lease will soon be up and that their last day of business will be May 29, 2025. The restaurant also thanked Hongkongers for their custom and support over the years since its opening in 1981.
While Daniel’s was in no way the epitome of culinary flair or fantastic Hong Kong flavours, it was still an old reliable cha chaan teng serving affordable fare that citizens would have been used to seeing in their neighbourhoods over its 44 years of operations. Originally a dessert shop – which is why its punny Chinese name references steamed milk pudding – Daniel’s eventually evolved into a Hong Kong-style diner that was an inexpensive fixture in the local food scene. At the peak of Daniel’s business success, it had 24 branches throughout the territories. Right now, the Mei Foo location is its last branch and once it closes next month, another Hong Kong restaurant will have shuttered its doors forever.
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