Famous noodle shop to take down neon sign

Mak Man Kee has been serving up its famous prawn won tons with springy duck egg noodles and flavorful broth for 60 years, starting off as a humble street stall in 1945 before going on to become one of two Cantonese soup noodle joints to be added to the 2018 Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand Selection.

Hundreds of hungry Hongkongers have queued for a bite at the eatery on Parkes Street, guided to their destination by the restaurant’s famous neon sign.

But sadly, the streets of Jordan are set to get little darker.

According to a post on the restaurant’s Facebook page, the government has demanded the sign be taken down.

“Due to the implementation of new regulations by the Buildings Department, our neon sign needs to be removed immediately,” the post read.

In light of the decision,  the restaurant has encouraged people to drop by and take photos of the famous sign before it is taken down by the end of January.

With a mind to public safety, they warned people hoping to take the perfect Instagram shot not to stand in the middle of the road… like this guy.

After the news was announced, reporters from on.cc went to Jordan to speak with people taking photographs of the famous neon sign.

One regular, who has eaten at the restaurant for decades, told the outlet she was upset about sign’s removal.

Another patron said she probably would not visit the restaurant as much if the sign come down because it would be harder to see from a distance.

Hong Kong’s neon signs have been a defining characteristic of the city’s streetscapes. However, the number of neon signs in the city have been dwindling in recent years as a result of government cull of structures which they deem to be illegal or unsafe for jutting out of buildings and onto streets.

One of the most famous neon signs to be taken down in recent years is the cow-shaped neon sign for Sammy’s Kitchen on Queen’s Road West, which was taken down in 2015. After it was taken down, the sign was reportedly moved to the West Kowloon Cultural District’s M+ Museum.

It is not clear where the Mak Man Kee neon sign will be moved to once it is taken down.