SINGAPORE – Home-grown Putien restaurant chain has announced that it will absorb the 9 per cent goods and services tax (GST) and waive the 10 per cent service charge.
From Aug 20, this applies across all 19 Putien outlets, both Uncle Fong Hot Pot Restaurant outlets at Suntec City and Great World, and casual eatery Sam Leong St Chicken Rice at 12 Verdun Road.
This is not a temporary promotion, affirms Putien Group’s founder and chairman Fong Chi Chung, 56, who has been planning this since January.
He says in Mandarin: “With 19 Putien outlets, our scale and purchasing power have increased compared with when we had just one outlet. Over all these years, we have also learnt to control and manage our costs better. Now, we are in a position to return the support that Singaporeans have given to us.
“Also, if people are charged less, they are happier to dine and likely to come more frequently. This will, in turn, help our business to improve.”
He also assures diners that prices on the menu – known for its home-style Fujian cuisine – will not change, nor will portions shrink.
This move was meant to be announced earlier, says Mr Fong, but it was delayed in the light of the ByteDance food poisoning case on July 30.
The group’s catering arm Pu Tien Services and Chinese chain Yun Hai Yao – known here as Yun Nans – had their catering services suspended from July 31.
The Singapore Food Agency gave Pu Tien Services the green light to resume operations on Aug 10, followed by Aug 16 for Yun Hai Yao.
Mr Fong’s younger son Fong Chak Wai, 30, is the deputy supply chain director of Pu Tien Services, while his elder son Fong Chak Ka, 32, is Putien Group’s chief executive.
https://www.straitstimes.com/life/f...o-absorb-gst-waive-service-charge-from-aug-20
