George Kao used to close his Chinese restaurant every Christmas. That was until 2008, when his Jewish customers begged him to reconsider.
DALLAS — On Christmas Day in Dallas, there’s just no place like Royal China.
“[It’s] tradition every year!” restaurant owner George Kao said.
Kao used to close his Chinese restaurant every Christmas, which has been a staple in Dallas for almost 50 years. But in 2008, his Jewish customers begged him to reconsider.
“Open it!” Kao remembered they told him. “We will come!”
And, every Christmas for the last 15 years, they have.
Royal China has become such Christmas Day hot spot, in fact, that Kao said he and his team feed a whopping 400 people every December 25. As a result, he said reservations open a full six months in advance.
If you don’t snag one, you can fight for a spot on the waitlist. But expect to stand in the doorway for up to three hours if that’s the case.
Kao acknowledges that most of his Christmas Day customers are indeed Jewish. So, over the years, he’s taught himself some Hebrew.
“Yes, shalom!” he exclaimed.
But Kao made it clear: Families of all faiths join him and his staff on Christmas. Some bring gifts for Kao and his staff. Other just spend time embracing and catching up with him.
“You feel like family [here],” said one customer, Sheri Chaponick. “You really do.”
She and her husband Jeff have spent the last 10 Christmases with Kao at Royal China.
“He’s an incredible human being,” Chaponick said. “So, it’s not just the food; it’s George also.”
Kao is just as fulfilled as his croweds are are by the tradition.
“This is a great neighborhood, great community,” he said. “The connection — to see everybody happy right, to celebrate Christmas and the holiday.”
If you want to spend Christmas at Royal Lane next year, Jeff Chaponick says don’t wait: “You have to register to come here… [basically] next week!”
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