Festive break: Chinese New Year celebration operation hours seen at a Chinese restaurant in Pudu. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star
PETALING JAYA: Some restaurants are maintaining normal prices during the Chinese New Year period, despite the practice of others that introduce a “festive season surcharge” that ranges from five to 10%, sometimes until the first 15 days of the lunar new year.
Restaurant owner Maggie Lee said not only will she not increase prices, she will even offer Chinese New Year packages at a reasonable price.
“We are keeping our prices the same, because our products are of the same quality and quantity, and we don’t see a reason to hike up the prices,” she said.
Lee added that for the 15 days of Chinese New Year, her shop will offer takeaways without additional charges so that it is convenient for large families to order food for their households.
“We understand that Chinese New Year can involve big family gatherings, which makes it easier to stay at home and eat,” said Lee, who owns Yat Sing Smokehouse at Kuala Lumpur’s Salak South.
Another eatery manager, who wished to be known only as Tan, said that his shop will be open throughout the Chinese New Year.
“We don’t raise our prices during Chinese New Year, and run exactly the same as a normal day.
“People still need to eat during the festive season, and they are very welcome to patronise our shop,” he said.
Although the shop does not have a special menu for Chinese New Year, business remains good over the holidays, he adds.
Checks by The Star at over ten non-halal restaurants in Petaling Jaya found that most eateries choose to close on the first two days of Chinese New Year.
Those who choose to open will raise their prices by at least 10% on both days, citing reasons such as staff shortage and increased prices of ingredients.
However, the managers of these eateries said that prices will return to normal after the first two to three days of Chinese New Year.
Petaling Jaya Coffeeshop Association president Keu Kok Meng said that most coffeeshops will be closed on the first day of Chinese New Year and resume business on the second day.
“However, this depends on the shop, and each has their own reasons whether or not to operate on Chinese New Year,” he said.
He added that coffee shops traditionally do not raise their prices if they choose to open on the second day of Chinese New Year.
Chinese New Year falls on Jan 29, with the reunion dinner on the night of Jan 28, when families that do not want the hassle of cooking at home will opt to have lavish reunion dinners at restaurants.
