A surprising dining policy at the food court of the Expo 2025 Osaka in Japan has sparked online debate after a Hong Kong catering veteran shared his “culture shock” moment.
Simon Wong Kit-lung, Chairman and CEO of LH Group, visited the Expo’s packed food hall recently and noticed something unusual: despite many empty tables, nearly all diners were eating while standing. Only two people sat in the designated seating area.
The mystery was solved when staff explained it was a “Reserved Seat Area” – requiring payment for sitting privileges. For ¥550 (~HK$30), visitors get: 50 minutes of seating, a bottle of water and a soybean pudding dessert.
“This would make headlines instantly if implemented in Hong Kong,” Wong remarked, adding he had paid to enjoy the “better-than-first-class” experience.
Despite Wong’s remarks that it would be difficult for such a system to be implemented in Hong Kong, netizens said the arrangement was reasonable.
Many have said that the arrangement can prevent non-diners from occupying tables as rest areas and ensure turnover for actual customers; the fees collected can also offset cleaning or maintenance costs.
AloJapan.com