Dining disputes top consumer complaints, misleading menus among top issues

Restaurant-related complaints have topped all categories in Hong Kong over the past three years, with the Consumer Council receiving more than 1,500 cases annually, highlighting persistent issues in the dining sector.

The council said common complaints include discrepancies between menu descriptions or photos and the dishes actually served, unclear promotional terms, and misunderstandings over dining time limits.

In one case, a Chinese restaurant advertised a Cantonese-style barbecued meat platter priced at HK$198, with a menu image showing five items including roast suckling pig, roast goose, smoked pork knuckle, jellyfish and poached chicken. However, when the dish was served, only the jellyfish and chicken matched the picture, while the remaining items were replaced with lower-value alternatives such as braised beef, duck breast and cucumber.

When the customer raised concerns, staff responded that the image was “for reference only” and offered no further explanation. Following intervention by the Consumer Council, the restaurant agreed to issue a full refund and remove the dish from its menu.

Another complaint involved a Western restaurant offering a discounted afternoon tea set for two through an online platform at HK$298, plus a service charge. The customer was told twice by restaurant staff that payment could be made upon arrival, as no upfront payment was required during booking. However, after dining, the customer was informed that the discount only applied to prepaid reservations, and was charged the full price instead.

After reviewing the case, the restaurant admitted that incorrect information had been provided by its staff and agreed to refund the HK$99 difference.

Separately, a diner lodged a complaint after being asked to leave a restaurant for exceeding a 60-minute seating limit. The customer said no time restriction had been communicated upon entry, nor was any notice visible inside the premises. After finishing the meal, the diner remained seated briefly but was told to leave, despite empty tables still being available.

The restaurant later explained that a notice regarding time limits during peak hours had been displayed outside its entrance, but acknowledged that some customers might not have noticed it. The restaurant apologized for the incident.

The Consumer Council urged the industry to improve the accuracy and transparency of information provided to customers, including menu descriptions, pricing terms and seating arrangements.

It also encouraged frontline staff to proactively communicate key details to diners to enhance the overall dining experience and avoid misunderstandings.