Five Burger King fast food restaurants have gone out of business in Hong Kong, leaving just two remaining locations in the city.
The chain’s Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui franchisees had already closed their doors for two months, while the Yau Ma Tei and Tseung Kwan O branches both ceased operations as of last week, according to Oriental Daily. Burger King’s Wong Tai Sin branch was reported to have closed on Tuesday.
Some of the stores bore notices explaining that the closure was due to renovation, while others cited technical problems with the machinery and air-conditioning. Phone calls made to numbers listed online went unanswered.
The stores’ operator, Perfect Combo Limited, has been hit with a series of legal troubles over the past two years, including instances of rent in arrears of up to HK$17 million and delays in payments to renovation and advertising companies.
The two remaining Burger King outlets at Hong Kong International Airport and Peak Galleria are both run by another operator, SSPHK.
The Labour Department said that they have received requests for help from some employees, and that they will actively follow up on the matter and contact the person in charge of the company, RTHK reported.
A Labour Department spokesperson said that any employer who fails to pay wages to employees within seven days of the end of the wage period will have committed an offence. They could be liable to three years in prison and a HK$350,000 fine.
Burger King stores have been in the city for around thirty years. At the chain’s peak, there were around 20 stores across the city, Apple Daily reported.
