AJ Halkes

Who says all F&B is struggling in Hong Kong? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law The challenge is not that the market is dead. The challenge is having the right product, the right location, the right people, the right PR, and yes, the right timing. I keep seeing new launches popping up everywhere. Look at […]

Is it cider if there’s no alcohol ? Or is it a false trade description? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Words have common meanings: beer, wine (and cider) are defined and commonly known. And for centuries, we have understood what beer or cider or wine is. Now, if you look up cider, it is

My mother’s kitchen timer shows time slipping away, you’re overcooked if you ignore it. By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law A loud reminder, time passes fast, so make the best of it. If you’ve lost track of time, get a manual kitchen timer, wind it up, and invest manual labour in the process. Connect physically

Negotiating with a Japanese government agency taught me never to assume you know how the other side thinks. By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Our logic and approach don’t always translate into effective communication because that demands understanding the recipient deeply. In a negotiation with a Taiwanese-born executive raised in America, treating him as anything

Can You Beat a Prosecution for Damaging a Hong Kong Car Park? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law If it happens, what is your next move? Where is the rabbit? No lawyer gets points for giving away trade secrets. Like magicians, they get paid for rabbits pulled out of hats, preferably with a bit of

Thailand does it, Japan does it, out of respect and care; can we “fast track” over 70s at our airport and border crossings? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law I’m impressed with the Hong Kong government‘s special lines in places like the transport department, so people who are a little older can enjoy swift services.

Should Hong Kong Create Its Own Mega Diagonal Crossing like Shibuya? Here’s Why It Might Be Time. By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law How about a Hong Kong mega-crossing for video shareable iconography and everyday efficiency that rivals Tokyo? Here’s how. For years in Central, we’ve been using an informal diagonal crossing method in at

HERE THAI MARKET opening on Wellington Street shows no shortage of people to take up spaces provided the deal is right! By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law HERE THAI MARKET opening on Wellington Street shows no shortage of people to take up spaces provided the deal is right. The big advantage is probably a cheaper make-over

At 1000 customers an hour McDonald’s Hong Kong flagship is set to become the busiest on the planet, F&B is coming back in the city! By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Recently reopened after a massive refurbishment, the Admiralty Centre store has long been McDonald’s innovation and testing hub in Hong Kong, used for automation,

I Explored 3COINS in Japan—Now It’s Set to Launch in Hong Kong as Part of a Rapid Japanese Retail Comeback By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law 3COINS in Hong Kong signals retail is on the rebound, at least at the bottom of the value/price chain, and it isn’t just a one-off; many more are coming.

Pub with no beer? Depressed by Gen Z coffee discos and non-drinking? If zero alcohol is the new normal embrace it! By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Zero alcohol drinks need no liquor licence, so why not start from zero and work your way up? Every major beer brand has a low- or zero-alcohol beer

Insomnia, Simon Squibb, crying in your beer, Law Society regulations, help, timing and collaboration is the takeaway. By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law When my law firm was representing Insomnia in Lan Kwai Fong, we also knew Simon Squibb, who went on to great heights with HelpBnk after selling his HK company and relocating to

AI and Legal Advice: When “Good Enough” Isn’t Good Enough it’s disaster! By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Not too long ago, I saw disaster loom on asking ChatGPT questions specific to restaurant and liquor licensing practice in Hong Kong; the answers were BAD! The responses were specifically wrong in multiple ways, missing key issues,

Why Does Hong Kong Have Hundreds of Kilometres of Railings and Barriers? What Are They Actually For? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law I’ve never quite understood why Hong Kong insists on fencing off the public at every possible opportunity. Barriers line pavements, walkways, and especially where there might be the slightest chance of interaction

Can this SoHo F&B site succeed where so many have failed? Yes but it depends on a lot of factors. By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law It’s been reported that Thai Pai Dong is taking over the corner site opposite Staunton’s, at the junction of the Mid-Levels Escalator and Staunton Street. One of my early

Can We Please Have “Provisional Outside F&B Seating” in Hong Kong Now By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Between 1989 and 2000, I developed the concept of “provisional restaurant licensing,” and by 2001, it had become a reality. In 2025, it is overdue to apply the same concept to outside seating accommodation (OSA). I advised

Hong Kong is going “all in” on pedestrian safety with a sparkly new approach to road crossings By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Hot on the heels of the flashing red ground-level lighting alerts, a new wave of pedestrian crossing upgrades is underway. Not only are we seeing old-school orange globe lights, but they now

Two Official Languages Vs. One Language and Free Trade : Hong Kong is far more welcoming and open that most people realise. By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law On the legal and practical front, Hong Kong operates with a high level of transparency in English as an official language that is deeply embedded in government

Casa 218 on Gloucester Road had its opening party on Thursday; what a journey it has been. Hats off to the team! By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law This opening showed classic Hong Kong spirit and can-do determination plus commitment from the owners and everyone involved to make it happen. It’s always a privilege to

JD.com Moves Into Full-Time Delivery Riders in Hong Kong. Perfect timing to Trial E-Bikes? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law JD.com is launching a full-time food delivery rider business in Hong Kong. So why not trial it with e-bikes? This is a major boost to the city’s online food business, and to the growing number

Japan Makes Food Trucks Work. Hong Kong can do it too very easily – here’s how! By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Remember the food truck experiment here? Meant to unlock opportunity and spark entrepreneurship. Instead, operators cited high costs, limited use cases and lack of practical planning. The business case if evaluated clearly looked

I’ve got a soft spot for Hong Kong’s lucky number plates and the upcoming May 25th auction has a LOT! By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law If you’ve dreamed of giving your car (or future car!) a touch of personality, the Hong Kong government’s special number plate auction on May 25 is full of options.

Almost five new F&B outlets opening every day shows Hong Kong’s Resilience in the F&B Sector. By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law 1,779 new licences were issued in a year (according to the SCMP), yet the focus of the paper was on a slight decline in totals. 4.88 F&B outlets opening in Hong Kong every

Tai Mo Shan Tourism — Has Hong Kong Thought It Through? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law I’m all for tourism and showcasing Hong Kong’s spectacular countryside, I’ve written about it often but has anyone truly thought through how to make tourism at Tai Mo Shan safe, enjoyable and sustainable? Let’s start with some questions: Have all

Ramen is the New Rice (box) for Hong Kong and Yoshinoya’s ramen tsunami is coming. By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Yoshinoya, the beef & rice giant of the F&B world, is projecting their ramen business to fly up from 4% to 13% of total sales in just the next few years. We’re talking billions

China’s Private Economy Promotion Law (May 20, 2025) is huge news for small business protection! By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law No one needs arbitrary fines and unjust charges let alone the targeting of ‘small guys’ by enforcement because they are soft-targets. This law tackles such economic pressures head-on, fostering a stable environment for SMEs.

Good Retail Space in Hong Kong: Going, Going – is it all Gone By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Hong Kong’s retail and F&B scene is a tricky one to read. In a few short months, four prime F&B spaces on Aberdeen Street—once sitting empty—have been snapped up. One will house a cheese bar, introducing

Charging for Condiments and Fancy Water – Are Restaurants Crossing the Line? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law A friend recently found an unexpected charge on his bill at a dim sum restaurant—an extra fee for a small chili sauce condiment he never ordered. It wasn’t within the traditional “tea money” (“cha gaai” – is

Why do so many people not want to get to “yes” – and why might a German phrase help us do just that? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law When I began studying law at university, one of our earliest required readings was Getting to Yes by Fisher and Ury (1981), a book focused on

Super impressed by the MSc students in International Wine Management at Hong Kong PolyU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law https://lnkd.in/gPzA-si9 Spent a fun Sunday afternoon tackling bright and challenging questions from a highly curious group eager to explore Hong Kong’s future in wine, the F&B industry, and the