Banquet has served its very last meal

[Scrooball (clone)]

Jalelah Abu Baker
MyPaper
Monday, Nov 25, 2013
SINGAPORE - Halal foodcourt operator Banquet has thrown in the kitchen towel, just as shop rents escalate and firms struggle with the manpower crunch.

The home-grown chain, which opened in 2000, had 46 outlets in its heyday. By last year, only 14 remained. This number dwindled to just five outlets by June this year.

And now there are none, going by MyPaper checks.

Rival operator Kopitiam has taken over the outlets at VivoCity, HarbourFront Centre and Jurong Point.

NTUC Foodfare will replace Banquet's outlet in Clifford Centre in Raffles Place next month, according to a notice in the mall, and the outlet in IMM Building is now managed by Teck Kee, which also runs House of Steamboat in Bugis.

All the new eateries are halal foodcourts.

Calls to Banquet's owner, Mr Alan Lee, went unanswered, but a spokesman for Kopitiam said that it was approached by the landlords of the malls to be the new tenant.

According to two stallholders who did not want to be named, Banquet still owes them some money.

Ms Sarah Lim, a retail lecturer from Singapore Polytechnic, said that the chain was likely a victim of high rents and manpower costs, which "may have pushed them into the red".

Pointing out that it may have expanded too fast, she added: "There are also so many new players with modern foodcourts and interesting themes."

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[Narong Wongwan]

Maybe this concept go mudland or indo where Moslems are majority then can work.

 

[bakkuttay]

when will lee con you be served his last meal????

 

[The_Hypocrite]

U r right. If the owner not greedy. When his first few outlets did well should have expended to mudland. Indon n pinoyland the muslim part. Use singapore as a base than expend overseas. Expend in spore is stupid. Too many competitors who r copycats. Get crowd out damn easily.

Maybe this concept go mudland or indo where Moslems are majority then can work.

 

[laksaboy]

Banquet would do well having an outlet at City Square.

The rent price increases in Sinkieland are screwing everyone over. Many F&B outlets are casualties.

The only businesses doing well in Sinkieland are tuition centres, pawnshops and moneylending shops.

 

[Stompiss]

It is stupid not to serve pork, period.

 

[blackmondy]

No pork no talk.

It is inevitable Banquet end up ban-krupt.

 

[Sinkie]

How come the Lees never help another Lee?

 

[spotter542]

Do they serve soursop juice ?

 

[eatshitndie]

target the wrong market segment. in sg, must concentrate on chinese with big appetites and itchy palettes. :p

 

[Bangali]

Hey TS, your title sounded like the last supper.

 

[kopiuncle]

the idea is already baised and the food served is not so great and it cuts off a large segment of pork eaters. how can it survive? the escalating cost and rental is killing many other outlets. those who stay and struggle are giving shit service and dishes to the consumers who are paying more and more.

this will end in disaster. junction 8 used to have a nice variety of food outlets.you go now, and you see a eating place like a ghost town with plenty of funeral lots. you go to NEX, many retailers have closed shop. they just cannot survive. again high cost and rentals are killing many of them.

 

[Sinkie]

Where got high cost??

Dun blame the landlord if the tenant wishes to be fucked by the rent.

Already food prices are getting higher by the day. It cannot be the high rent alone.

These hawkers run a food-stall and want to be millionaires, like doctors.

So when they realized they can't do it, they quit.

Same as George Yeo. Talk so much about serving the people. When not elected, he immediately quit.

 

[wayanggedek]

Maybe this concept go mudland or indo where Moslems are majority then can work.

Indo have plenty really

 

[kopiuncle]

ilovesingapore: you want my services
client: if you can do it like my wife
ilovesingapore: sure can
ilovesingapore asked client for payment after sex
client: you said you can do like my wife who does for free

speak no evil bkt
think no evil bkt
do no evil bkt

 

[eatshitndie]

Indo have plenty really

very low margins, and generally muslims are not horrendous gluttons like the chinks.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

m&d slime food courts that discriminate non m&d slimes and chinese deserve to close.

 

[ykhuser]

How come the Lees never help another Lee?

simple.
black eat black.
lee eat lee ok?