Palo Alto’s 38-year-old Jing Jing Gourmet restaurant is closing down

After 38 years in business, Jing Jing Gourmet, Palo Alto’s much-loved Szechuan and Hunan restaurant, is set to close its doors this Sunday, May 19.

“The expenses are too much for us,” said restaurant manager Betty Tsai, daughter of restaurant owner Susan Tsai.

In recent years, the cost of rent, labor and materials increased while customers’ dining habits shifted, as fewer people commuted to work nearby, she says.

The restaurant’s lease ends at the end of May. The plan is for the business to find a new location nearby ...