Mandatory appetizer in Hong Kong

[hzrt8w]

One thing from my home-coming visit to Hong Kong is:

Most restaurants (those who charge 10% service charge - you can count on it) charge for "appetizer" in addition to the tea charge on a per person basis. It usually ranges from HKD5.0 to HKD10.0. It is an industry "standard", pretty much. The actual appetizer served depends on the restaurant. Most serve fried peanuts. But I have had different (unique) ones:

- pei dan (fermented duck eggs) and pickled ginger slices: Yung Kee

- #1: braised beef (or pork?), #2: celery slices: Farm House

- some provides a mix of wasibi flavored peas and "fish skin" peanuts

- some serves pickled leek(??)

These are "mandatory" charges. I don't think this practice can fly in the USA. The restaurants can be sued to no end. How can a restaurant charges on something that the customers did not order? These are "forced upon" appetizer. Most serve peanuts. What if I have an allergy to peanuts? Not only the restaurant is putting me at risk, and it is charging me for putting me at risk?

How do you feel about these mandatory appetizer charges? Have you had any other unique appetizers in some of these restaurants?

[aprilmei]

Hi Ah-Leung,

Oh, you went to Farm House too. Every time i've been there the appetisers have been braised beef shin and jah choi (pickled mustard green) - separate dishes, not together. Did you have the chicken wings stuffed with glutinous rice?

Did you know that many places here charge for XO sauce that's on the table - even if you don't ask for it.

And almost all restaurants automatically add 10 per cent service charge - but the money doesn't necessarily go to the staff, not as tips, anyway. The money goes towards staff meals, cleaning the uniforms, staff parties etc - stuff the restaurant owner should be factoring into the cost of running the place.

And if you want white rice you pay for it per portion - you don't automatically get a big container of rice as you do at Chinese restaurants in the States.

[hzrt8w]

Oh, you went to Farm House too. Every time i've been there the appetisers have been braised beef shin and jah choi (pickled mustard green) - separate dishes, not together. Did you have the chicken wings stuffed with glutinous rice?

Did you know that many places here charge for XO sauce that's on the table - even if you don't ask for it.

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Yes aprilmei I sure had the chicken wing stuffed with glutinous rice. (Previews coming up). It's another great suggestion, thank you!

I might be confused about the sliced celery. I have to refer to my pictures later on. Their XO sauce is really great! One that I don't mind paying extra for, definitely. (And as their extra-charge appetizers)

But some of these eateries just brought fish-skin peanuts and wasabi-coated peas... come on... I can get those at any snack shops in MTR stations thank you.

[mizducky]

These are "mandatory" charges.  I don't think this practice can fly in the USA.  The restaurants can be sued to no end.  How can a restaurant charges on something that the customers did not order? 

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While I haven't run into any US restaurants--yet--that do things this way, I have run into plenty of US restaurants that have a mandatory minimum charge per customer, and plenty of US bars and nightclubs that have a minimum drink order (i.e. you have to order a minimun of, say, two drinks per person--sometimes, even, that's on top of a cover charge to get in the door). These practices kind of work out to the same thing as being automatically charged for a mandatory starter--in either case, the minute you sit down you're obligated to spend a certain amount of money.

Ehhh. I can see the restaurant's side of things--if you occupy a seat and order only a cup of coffee or something, you're filling a space that could have earned them a lot more money. But such practices as mandatory charges do wind up feeling a little tacky to the customer. Though occupying a seat during primetime and only spending two bucks on coffee is, admittedly, kind of tacky-feeling to the restaurant management. I have no brilliant ideas for a solution that would leave nobody feeling tacky, so ... I dunno!

Edited December 11, 2007 by mizducky (log)

[bethpageblack]

One thing from my home-coming visit to Hong Kong is:

Most restaurants (those who charge 10% service charge - you can count on it) charge for "appetizer" in addition to the tea charge on a per person basis.  It usually ranges from HKD5.0 to HKD10.0.  It is an industry "standard", pretty much.  The actual appetizer served depends on the restaurant.  Most serve fried peanuts.  But I have had different (unique) ones:

- pei dan (fermented duck eggs) and pickled ginger slices:  Yung Kee

- #1: braised beef (or pork?), #2: celery slices:  Farm House

- some provides a mix of wasibi flavored peas and "fish skin" peanuts

- some serves pickled leek(??)

These are "mandatory" charges.  I don't think this practice can fly in the USA.  The restaurants can be sued to no end.  How can a restaurant charges on something that the customers did not order?  These are "forced upon" appetizer.  Most serve peanuts.  What if I have an allergy to peanuts?  Not only the restaurant is putting me at risk, and it is charging me for putting me at risk?

How do you feel about these mandatory appetizer charges?  Have you had any other unique appetizers in some of these restaurants?

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Did you try refusing the appetizers? I do that all the time when I eat with my girlfriend. Not sure if it's bad etiquette to reject them, as my girlfriend does all the talking for me. If I'm eating with the guys, on the other hand, we usually finish those appetizers a minute after they put them on the table.

[annachan]

What I've seen in the US that I don't like is that some Chinese restaurants would put bottles of sodas on the table when you reserve a table for 6 or more. They aren't free and they don't tell you that they aren't free. If you open them, they just charge you.

In the UK, we went to an Indian restaurant in London. When we got our food, a few jars of chutney were brought to our table. We thought they were just accompaniments to our dishes. Not the case. The place wanted to charge us even though we didn't ask for the chutney.

In HK, 10% service charge has been that way for a long time. I was used to seeing that as a kid dining out. Also, tea is charged per person even if you don't drink tea, which has been standard practice for as long as I can remember.

[kbjesq]

How do you feel about these mandatory appetizer charges?  Have you had any other unique appetizers in some of these restaurants?

In my particular case, I would just be so darn glad that I was eating in HK that I would gladly pay the charges!

Unfortunately, I will not be eating in HK anytime soon, so I must console myself with your pictorials and travelogue, for which I deeply thank you!

On a more serious note, a variation of this kind of practice does happen in the US, as mentioned above, with mandatory minimum charges per customer. As long as the policy is fully disclosed, I do not object to this practice.

Highly objectionable, IMHO, is the practice in some parts of the US (South Beach Miami is one example), where establishments automatically add on an 18% "service charge" to everything . . . and that charge is not readily ascertained by patrons. Moreover, there is a line for "gratuity" to be added on the credit card charge slip, misleading you into thinking that you have not paid any gratuity. I think that this practice stinks, particularly in a place where you are already paying very high prices, and where a majority of the patrons will be tourists, who are unaware of the practice.

[hzrt8w]

Did you try refusing the appetizers?  I do that all the time when I eat with my girlfriend.  Not sure if it's bad etiquette to reject them, as my girlfriend does all the talking for me.  If I'm eating with the guys, on the other hand, we usually finish those appetizers a minute after they put them on the table.

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No we didn't try to refuse the appetizers. Yes it would probably be considered bad etiquette because it is the industry's standard practice. And I think they do disclose the 10% service charge, tea charge, and the "appetizer" charge on their menus but I wasn't all paying that much attention (until the bill comes).

[I_call_the_duck]

I think if it's the norm and known to the customer beforehand, it's not that objectionable. Here in the US, for years we've been paying a per person tea charge when we have dim sum.

In Italy, where tipping is generally not done, you pay a cover charge for bread and service, regardless if you eat the bread. You pay more for a cup of coffee if you sit at a table as opposed to standing at the bar. Just the way things are done there.

But they charge for peanuts and wasabi peas? Can't I just bring my own and not pay the mandatory charge?

annachan, we've been known to bring the (unopened) bottles of soda home, since we paid for them anyway!

[hzrt8w]

In HK, 10% service charge has been that way for a long time. I was used to seeing that as a kid dining out. Also, tea is charged per person even if you don't drink tea, which has been standard practice for as long as I can remember.

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Yes the practice of having 10% service charge has been around for a long time.

And way back when, they used to charge what they called "mustard" charge (Cha Gai, where Cha = tea, Gai = mustard). It is for that small dish of hot sauce and yellow Chinese mustard mix that they put on the table. From what I understand, that used to be for the benefits of the waitstaff so that they can have some extra income besides straight salaries. Tea has always been charged on a per person basis - if they ask you for your choice of tea before you sit down. Though there are low priced places that they don't charge 10%, don't charge for appetizer (as there will be none), and don't charge for tea (and you don't get your choice of tea - they will bring out the "house" tea in a glass or plastic cup).

That "mustard" charge has just evolved in becoming the "appetizer" charge.

These appetizer charges are minimal, usually HKD5.0 or so (US$0.60). But sometimes as high as HKD10.0 (US$1.20), which is enough to buy a beer or half a bowl of wonton noodle soup.

[hzrt8w]

Oh, you went to Farm House too. Every time i've been there the appetisers have been braised beef shin and jah choi (pickled mustard green) - separate dishes, not together.

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My pictures helped me remember: Farm House served braised beef shin and cooked bitter melon (with sesame seeds and sesame oil) when I was there.

[canucklehead]

Ahhh - Farmhouse - will be one of my first stops when I get to HK. Refusing the appetizers are not a big deal - especially if you don't like them or have an allergy. I have never had a problem with them taking that stuff away.

The analogy is how some restaurants handle charging for bread. At some places it's free, at others there is a charge - and sometimes they try the old "can I get you a basket of bread?" and without thinking you've added to your bill. Ha!

I hope Farmhouse lived up to all the hype that I've been heaping on it. Looking forward to more of your pictures.

[hzrt8w]

I hope Farmhouse lived up to all the hype that I've been heaping on it.  Looking forward to more of your pictures.

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Farm House's food is just excellent and the service extraordinary. There is no doubt about it. The only thing is they are pricey. But... you pay for what you get. With no view to offer from the restaurant, they can only compete by the food and service.

And they will try to sell you all the live creatures in their fish tanks!