General Restaurant Licence
The general restaurant licence, commonly called the "big licence", is the most flexible restaurant licence. The licensee may prepare and sell any kind of food.
To open a restaurant in Hong Kong you must have a restaurant licence. FEHD issues many types of food licence; the three most common are the general restaurant licence ("big licence"), the light refreshment restaurant licence ("small licence") and the food factory licence. Each shop applies for the licence that matches the service it offers and the food it sells.
Trust or Company Service Provider licence TC007926
Restaurants that commonly hold a general restaurant licence
- Hotels / Chinese restaurants
- Hotpot restaurants / Western restaurants
- Southeast Asian / Thai cuisine
- Japanese / Shanghainese cuisine, and others
Location requirements
Building types that can apply for a general restaurant licence:
- Shopping centres / malls
- Shops designated for restaurant use in public or private housing estates
- Commercial buildings for non-industrial use / commercial-residential buildings / residential buildings / street-level shops
- Others (for example, properties whose land use has been changed)
Other food licences
General restaurant licence questions
What food can I sell with a big licence?
With a big licence you can prepare and sell most kinds of food, including rice dishes. Some restricted foods need a separate licence. For example, to sell alcoholic drinks you need a liquor licence as well as the restaurant licence.
What size must the shop be for a general restaurant licence?
The shop must be at least 30 sq m.
What should I watch for in the fit-out for a general restaurant licence?
Because there is no specific limit on cooking methods, the kitchen in a licence application has to meet more safety conditions, such as height, fire door specifications and ventilation requirements. All of these must be certified by qualified professionals, then the documents are submitted to the government departments for approval.
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