Businesses are projected to experience a decline of approximately 10 percent on Father's Day, as the restaurant industry reports a lukewarm response, with booking rates reaching only 40 percent compared to the previous year.
Simon Wong Ka-wo, President of the Hong Kong Catering Association, commented on the current economic environment and the shifting consumption patterns of "heading north" are adversely affecting the local catering sector.
The market demands for Father's Day have always been 20 to 30 percent lower than that of Mother's Day, the sector's veteran added.
He said the number of reservations for Father's Day is notably low, with many customers preferring spontaneous dining over advance bookings, resulting in an increased frequency of walk-in customers.
Compared to last year, Wong estimates a business decline of approximately 10 percent for restaurants during Father's Day.
So Man-shing, deputy general manager of London Chinese Restaurant, indicated that there has been a decrease in the number of young people and children in the current generation, with most families consisting of only one or two children.
This has led to a reduction in the number of celebratory activities and scale associated with the festivals. However, he still hopes that business will improve on Father's Day.
He noted that this year's dinner table reservation rate for Father's Day is only about 30 to 40 percent of that recorded last year.
Additionally, he said the business generated during the Dragon Boat Festival was significantly more robust in comparison to Mother's and Father's Day, which may be attributed to the fact that older individuals tend to celebrate traditional festivals.
