Screwing the F&B Businesses in Singapore

[Ng Cheh Hwang]

Lately, we read about many F&B businesses shutting down because of competitors from overseas, staff shortages, or soaring rents.

When I look back at the quality of my meals, I think these F&B businesses need to reflect on themselves.

For years, i paid a lot of spectacles at local opticians, and at one stage I needed to go JB to get specs for less than $100. Now I make cheaper specs at Lenskart and Ownsdays (cheaper than JB if I am not fussy about the frames).

Likewise, I thank Mixue for giving me cheap BBT and big $1 ice-cream while my local brands charge me double. Even premium imports like Chagee use better tea-leaves compared to local brands for the same price.

When I pay $4.50 for my chicken rice and the chicken meat was flatted before slicing. Even if they give me double serving for the meat, it will only them less than $0.50 but they wouldn't. For those of us, who are willing to pay local F&B operators more, the culinary standards are also not as good these days.

These folks don't understand the fundamentals of food business - letting your customer eat well don't cost you much. Even my $5 macdonald's value meal come with a meat patty, fries and drink. I thank McDonald's.

 

[Ng Cheh Hwang]

Many are not honest to begin with. While some F&B bosses can't get manpower, many others resort to artificially inflating their EP and S-Pass employee's pay when they don't have sufficient work-permit quotas. Doing so can help them to reduce their income taxes, and get kick-backs from their staff. win win

Then our own country also screws them, went on to invite big players like HDL into Singapore, hoping that their founders will move to Singapore and list here. We went on to grant them unlimited foreign staff quota in earlier days.

 

[Ng Cheh Hwang]

Next, the big boys get government grants and subsidies. With such advantages and central kitchen, their costs are lower than your average sole-proprietorship F&B players.

Lastly, some individuals went on to operate as restaurant or private-chefs from homes, causing sewage chokes, rats and roaches issues.

 

[Ng Cheh Hwang]

Best Buffet Deal in 2025!!!

 

[zhihau]

Can eat, don’t waste

 

[Ng Cheh Hwang]

In the past few years, Singapore has seen a mushrooming of Chinese-owned businesses—restaurants and retail outlets that seem to appear overnight.

When Chinese coffee chain Luckin Coffee entered Singapore in 2023, for example, it opened 32 self-operated stores here within its first year.

Collectively, the number of Chinese F&B outlets in Singapore has more than doubled within the past year, surging past 400 outlets across the island.

https://www.ricemedia.co/malatang-mixue-taste-of-changing-singapore/

 

[True Believer]

Rental used to take away 15% of a FNB outlet's takings, but it has become 50% now. This accounts for the "shrinkflation" diners usually see.

 

[Vlad Tepes]

When I pay $4.50 for my chicken rice and the chicken meat was flatted before slicing. Even if they give me double serving for the meat, it will only them less than $0.50 but they wouldn't. For those of us, who are willing to pay local F&B operators more, the culinary standards are also not as good these days.

These folks don't understand the fundamentals of food business - letting your customer eat well don't cost you much. Even my $5 macdonald's value meal come with a meat patty, fries and drink. I thank McDonald's.

For the chicken rice, I assumed you meant from hawker centre. There's tons of things the hawker needs to pay, depending on whether it's NEA or Social enterprise managed ones. The latter needs to pay even more and hamstrung with more stupid rules. Coffeeshop rental prices are worse.

They simply cannot offer more due to their limited capital. Most hawker prices are simply not sustainable now and in the future. Go to YT and watch the documentaries on the hawker trade (It's dying from a slow death).

Honestly, $4.50 chicken rice ain't gonna have much meat on it these days. You be looking at $7-$8 or maybe more. Fast food chains are able to offer more as they have way larger capital. You're comparing apples to oranges and your lack of understanding in business model and capital shows. Your claim of "Even if they give me double serving for the meat, it will only them less than $0.50". That extra potion of meat entails all the running costs and probably cost easily a dollar or more.

MacDonald's definitely gonna offer you more in serving size (compared to that $4.50 chicken rice)as they have way more capital and bargaining power when purchasing supplies and ingredients. This is a no brainer. Next time, if you want to present an argument / presentation, do it coherently. Honestly, it's all over the place like a bad Indian curry diarrhea. Since you like MacDonald's so much. You should compare it with Wendy's, Carl's Jr, Burger King. Least, these chains are more or less on the same level. And present which one gives you a better deal for the same burger set.

Give you another example. Say MacDonald's abandons selling burgers / fast food in general and switch totally to selling chicken rice. Then, ballpark the number of chicken sold per month is 80,000 - 100,000 across the whole island. Your typical chicken rice stall only sells parkball figure 280 - 350 chickens per month. Both approached you (chicken supplier) asking for better pricing per unit. Who do YOU give the better pricing to? Even handicapped by franchising fees (Yes, the MacDonald's in SG is a franchise), the former still eventually wins as they have the sales volume alone to make it up. Knn.... you brainless.

Even a person like me understand the basics. It's Singaporeans like you irks me of being one myself, mofoking hell......Now, move on before you embarrass yourself further.

 

[eatshitndie]

fail and bankrupted?

 

[bobby]

Why must halal ? When I see non Muslim restaurants display halal sign I will avoid them.

Stupid business strategy to focus on 15% of the poorer population especially when it comes to gourmet food.

Strictly speaking if halal whole shop must be halal and pork eating infidels not allowed….and by right cannot serve alcohol too, which has the best margins.

 

[cocobobo]

For the chicken rice, I assumed you meant from hawker centre. There's tons of things the hawker needs to pay, depending on whether it's NEA or Social enterprise managed ones. The latter needs to pay even more and hamstrung with more stupid rules. Coffeeshop rental prices are worse.

They simply cannot offer more due to their limited capital. Most hawker prices are simply not sustainable now and in the future. Go to YT and watch the documentaries on the hawker trade (It's dying from a slow death).

Honestly, $4.50 chicken rice ain't gonna have much meat on it these days. You be looking at $7-$8 or maybe more. Fast food chains are able to offer more as they have way larger capital. You're comparing apples to oranges and your lack of understanding in business model and capital shows. Your claim of "Even if they give me double serving for the meat, it will only them less than $0.50". That extra potion of meat entails all the running costs and probably cost easily a dollar or more.

MacDonald's definitely gonna offer you more in serving size (compared to that $4.50 chicken rice)as they have way more capital and bargaining power when purchasing supplies and ingredients. This is a no brainer. Next time, if you want to present an argument / presentation, do it coherently. Honestly, it's all over the place like a bad Indian curry diarrhea. Since you like MacDonald's so much. You should compare it with Wendy's, Carl's Jr, Burger King. Least, these chains are more or less on the same level. And present which one gives you a better deal for the same burger set.

Give you another example. Say MacDonald's abandons selling burgers / fast food in general and switch totally to selling chicken rice. Then, ballpark the number of chicken sold per month is 80,000 - 100,000 across the whole island. Your typical chicken rice stall only sells parkball figure 280 - 350 chickens per month. Both approached you (chicken supplier) asking for better pricing per unit. Who do YOU give the better pricing to? Even handicapped by franchising fees (Yes, the MacDonald's in SG is a franchise), the former still eventually wins as they have the sales volume alone to make it up. Knn.... you brainless.

Even a person like me understand the basics. It's Singaporeans like you irks me of being one myself, mofoking hell......Now, move on before you embarrass yourself further.

The smart move now is home based food business. No rental, no cleaning fees, service fees etc.Prep at home and sell on tiktok for deliveries. I ordered a few. Much more value for money. Kana sai? Eat at high rental place also can happen

 

[knowwhatyouwantinlife]

Why is there always someone defending the "hawker" and "F&B" heritage in SG when its very obvious its costs that is going up and these stalls or franchises just pass the costs back to the customer?

A Prostitute chooses to be one as its her choice...she bears the consequences of getting STDs, harassment, fetishism, abuse etc as such risks are part of her job. If one day, when most men become impotent or has ED (which we do, this called aging), she has to do a mid career switch! Nobody is going to sympathise with or pity her.

 

[Boonsiong]

In the past few years, Singapore has seen a mushrooming of Chinese-owned businesses—restaurants and retail outlets that seem to appear overnight.

When Chinese coffee chain Luckin Coffee entered Singapore in 2023, for example, it opened 32 self-operated stores here within its first year.

Collectively, the number of Chinese F&B outlets in Singapore has more than doubled within the past year, surging past 400 outlets across the island.

https://www.ricemedia.co/malatang-mixue-taste-of-changing-singapore/

I always suffering from coffee withdrawal syndrome in the weekend as I have no access to office free freshly brew coffee

Nowadays, I go to ntu to buy cheap freshly brew coffee at Luckin
It really gives me the dopamine effect

 

[True Believer]

The smart move now is home based food business. No rental, no cleaning fees, service fees etc.Prep at home and sell on tiktok for deliveries. I ordered a few. Much more value for money. Kana sai? Eat at high rental place also can happen

Food poisoning at roti prata eateries usually stem from the cooks who prepare the food with their bare hands after passing motion. Traces of faecal matter may end up under their finger nails since they wash their butts with water and their hands.

 

[Boonsiong]

Food poisoning at roti prata eateries usually stem from the cooks who prepare the food with their bare hands after passing motion. Traces of faecal matter may end up under their finger nails since they wash their butts with water and their hands.

Usually from sour curry

 

[cocobobo]

Food poisoning at roti prata eateries usually stem from the cooks who prepare the food with their bare hands after passing motion. Traces of faecal matter may end up under their finger nails since they wash their butts with water and their hands.

Haven't been to one in a long while

 

[True Believer]

Haven't been to one in a long while

You are safe from cholera.