Cha Chaan Teng Analysis

Given the evolution of cha chaan tengs in the past in response to changing economic, social, and cultural factors in Hong Kong, the notion of ‘fast food’ itself will become increasingly popular, but local family-owned cha chaan tengs will suffer as a result of intensifying competition and escalating costs, ultimately being replaced by multimillion dollar franchises. First, I will start the paper by exploring the characteristics of cha chaan tengs and how distinct features have changed over the past decades to reflect the socio-economic changes in Hong Kong. Subsequently, I will analyze and attempt to identify trends and changes in the near future that may be detrimental to the success of cha chaan tengs, namely the escalating rent prices and

In the 1930s, Western culture was seen as prestigious and luxurious, specifically their food culture. Hong Kong residents admired and often attempted to replicate Western cultural norms, as they believed this would consequently boost their social status. However, the typical Hong Kong resident was unable to afford something as simple as coffee and toast, as these could only be consumed in expensive hotels. Therefore, the initial version of a cha chaan teng, also known as a bing sutt, was created to meet the booming demand of Hong Kong residents. Though the bing sutt menu had limited variety, it offered low-income residents the ability to enjoy Western food culture at an affordable cost. Therefore, the emergence of the bing sutt reflects the economic trends of the 1930s, placing Western culture in a higher level of prestige and reflecting the relatively underdeveloped Hong Kong economy then. Further, the atmosphere of a bing sutt reflects the social ideologies of that time. A bing sutt was more spacious and had dimmed lights, creating a romantic and high-class atmosphere, which was very new and fresh to Hong Kong residents. This shows that Hong Kong residents had very little exposure to Western dining culture, having only been exposed to traditional Chinese dining culture. Because of the limited entertainment services in Hong Kong in the 1930s, couples treated dining at bing sutts as a rare and special occasion, often spending hours at the restaurant chatting after their meal. Therefore, the creation of bing sutts in the 1930s demonstrates the social norms, namely the prestigious ideology placed on the Western culture, and the relatively poor economic status of Hong Kong