Editorial | Hong Kong meal coupons provide more food for thought
City scheme involving the government and five restaurants will help feed the elderly and disadvantaged
Abundantly available across Hong Kong, fast-food outlets come as a convenient option for many who do not prepare their meals. But the spiralling cost of a simple dish, which typically exceeds the city’s statutory hourly minimum wage, means it is becoming unaffordable for some.
The occasional sorry tales of elderly and unemployed people eating leftover food in restaurant chains are a reminder of the inadequate support for those in need.
In a welcome move, some 50,000 elderly residents will be given coupons for subsidised fast-food meals under a government-funded programme. Recipients will each be given five vouchers to cover the discounted price of HK$25 (US$3.20) for each of five designated meals offered at participating restaurants – Fairwood, Cafe de Coral, Tai Hing, Maxim’s and McDonald’s.
The target groups, which include those living alone or only with a spouse, as well as the “hidden elderly” – those not known to community networks – were identified through 214 centres for the aged across the city. It remains to be seen how the coupons may reach those who are “hidden”.
As with the existing safety net provided by the government and welfare groups, there are bound to be those who slip through the net. In any case, the 50,000 beneficiaries account for just a fraction of the elderly population.