A Hong Kong restaurant faced an unusual situation when a planned wedding banquet failed to take place, leaving only the groom and a few of his former colleagues in attendance. With ingredients already prepared for 60 guests—including premium items like abalone and clams—the owner decided to invite the public the following day at one-third of the original price.
The banquet, originally priced at HK$580 (~RM320) per guest, was offered at just HK$180 (~RM100) to prevent the food from going to waste, according to HK01.
The groom, a 55-year-old returning customer, had experienced personal setbacks, including losing his job six months prior and allegedly falling victim to a romance scam. He had booked the banquet a month in advance, paying only HK$10,000 (~RM5,400) of the HK$17,000 (~RM9,000) deposit, later refusing to pay the balance. When the restaurant contacted him days before the wedding, he claimed he “still had not found” his bride but expected all 60 seats to be filled.
On the night of the banquet, January 28, the groom appeared unstable, and only a handful of former colleagues arrived, confused. He attempted to borrow a colleague’s credit card to settle the remaining balance of around HK$2,400 (~RM1,300), prompting the restaurant to report the matter to the police. Authorities subsequently sent him to a hospital.
With the restaurant accepting only reservations and no walk-ins, staff faced the prospect of wasted ingredients. Owner Yiu Koon Tung posted on Facebook offering the dinner to the public. Despite planning for 40 people due to manpower limitations, the post received an overwhelming response, and more than 70 diners attended on January 29. Additional ingredients had to be purchased to ensure enough food for everyone.
That night’s menu included abalone braised with huadiao wine and goji berries, salted egg yolk prawns, fried “hundred-flower” fish balls, brisket in clear soup, Tung Kee soy sauce chicken, sake-cooked clams, steamed dragon garoupa with preserved olives, stir-fried pea shoots with dried scallops, and coconut milk snow fungus for dessert.
Yiu expressed gratitude for the public’s support, saying, “There is love and kindness in the world. It is this mutual support that allows us to continue to bravely carry on in Hong Kong!” Approximately 80% of the diners were strangers, while others were friends, and many appreciated the opportunity for a high-quality meal at a fraction of the price.
Reflecting on the incident, Yiu sympathised with the groom and highlighted the importance of mental health awareness. He also pledged to be more diligent with future bookings and ensure full deposits are collected early on.
