Food type Cantonese cuisine City London Country United Kingdom | Street address 41-43 Wardour Street Postal/ZIP code W1D 6PY Seating capacity 500 | |
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Wong Kei (Chinese: 旺記; pinyin: wàng jì; Jyutping: wong6 gei4) is a Chinese restaurant in London's Chinatown, once described as "the rudest restaurant in London". It was one of the largest Chinese restaurants in the UK with seating for around 500 diners.
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Restaurant
Wong Kei was once known for the rudeness of its staff, who would shout "Sit down with them!" or "Go upstairs!" to arriving patrons, insult customers who asked for a knife and fork, and chase those who failed to leave a sufficient tip. This aspect was seen as a positive and enjoyable feature rather than a criticism of the restaurant. After a renovation, the restaurant reopened in 2001 with friendlier waiters, and when it reopened under new management in March 2014, new owner Daniel Luc said: "Maybe there was an issue with rude staff 20 to 30 years ago, but I don't think so any more. I don't know whether that's a good thing or not."
Building
Wong Kei is situated at 41–43 Wardour Street, in a building previously owned by Willy Clarkson (1861–1934), a theatrical wig maker and costumier, as attested by the 1966 blue plaque on the façade. The building was designed by the architect H. M. Wakeley in a mixed Baroque and Art Nouveau style; Sarah Bernhardt laid the foundation stone for the building in 1904 and Sir Henry Irving laid the coping stone in 1905. Clarkson's was there from 1905 to 1940.
When Terence Dalley sketched the building in 1972, another Chinese restaurant, Lee Ho Fook, occupied the ground floor.