Light Refreshment Restaurant Licence
- The Light Refreshment Restaurant Licence, known as the "small licence", lets the holder serve dine-in customers. Cooking is limited to simple methods that do not produce a lot of oily smoke.
- To enter the Hong Kong food business, you must first apply for a restaurant licence. Of the many food licences, 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 to the FEHD for the licence that matches its services and the food it sells.
- Free licence consultation. Contact our team.
Trust or Company Service Provider licence TC010617
Location requirements
Building types that can apply for a small licence:
- Shopping centres / malls
- Shops for restaurant use in public or private housing estates
- Commercial buildings for non-industrial use / commercial-residential use / residential / ground-floor shops
- Others (for example, properties with a changed land use)
Cooker limits
Because cooking methods are limited, a light refreshment restaurant may not use these cookers:
- Ovens
- Barbecue grills
- Griddles, etc.
Other food licences
Light Refreshment Restaurant Licence FAQ
What is a Light Refreshment Restaurant Licence?
With a Light Refreshment Restaurant Licence (the "small licence"), the holder can serve dine-in customers. But food may only be cooked by simple methods that do not produce a lot of oily smoke: boiling, stewing, steaming, braising and pan-frying (no deep-frying or stir-frying). Food may not be cooked or reheated at the table, such as hotpot, teppanyaki or Korean barbecue.
What food can I sell with a small licence?
Since 1 March 2023, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has relaxed the rules for the small licence. A Light Refreshment Restaurant Licence applied for after that date can sell basically any type of food. The main limits are the cooking methods above. Some foods still need a separate licence, such as milk products, ice cream and bakery products. Get a professional licence consultant early, so a gap in knowledge does not delay your licence and opening date.
What shop size does a small licence need?
The kitchen, food preparation room and dishwashing room must together be 9–20% of the total floor area, and no less than 4.5 square metres.
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Licence no. TC010617