Old School Delights, an eatery at Singapore's Esplanade Mall, is closing after struggling with reduced footfall and soaring operational costs. The restaurant, known for its mix of local and Western dishes, cited factors such as increased overseas travel by locals, venue changes for large events, and road closures for events like Formula One as key reasons for the decline in sales.
The eatery at Esplanade Mall has seen a drop in sales due to reduced footfall and rising costs. Amid the recent slew of F&B closures in Singapore , yet another business will be closing its doors.
The eatery, which serves a mix of local dishes and Western fare, announced the closure "with a heavy heart" on social media on Monday . Old School Delights expressed its gratitude for customers who supported the restaurant over the years, thanking them for being "part of the family".
"What started out as a passion for preserving local flavours and nostalgia became much more because of you. Your support, encouragement, stories, and smiles have meant everything to us," it wrote. Owner Koh Choon Chye, 55, who runs the business with his wife, told local media that the main reason for the closure is a decrease in footfall.
"Since tourism recovered after the Covid-19 pandemic and Singapore's currency strengthened, more locals began spending school holidays and long weekends overseas instead of in Singapore," he said. While footfall has dropped by 20 per cent to 30 per cent every year, the costs of ingredients and energy have soared, Choon Chye noted. Despite slight changes to their rent in the past nine years, the restaurant has been incurring losses on and off for over a year, he said.
On a bad day, they would only make $300. Choon Chye pointed out that the large-scale events previously held at The Esplanade now take place at Marina Bay Sands instead, which further contributed to the drop in sales. Business was also affected by road closures for events such as Formula One as well, since they made The Esplanade less accessible for visitors, he said.
In its closure announcement, Old School Delights invited customers to dine there one last time before its last day. Old School Delights serves local dishes such as Nasi Lemak and Laksa as well as Western fare such as Fish & Chips and Grilled Chicken Chop. The eatery first opened along Upper Thomson Road in 2010 and opened a second outlet at Esplanade Mall in 2017.
While the outlet at Upper Thomson moved to City Square Mall in 2018, it closed down after a year. It is known for being one of the few affordable dining options in the area of Esplanade Mall, offering a-la-carte mains for under $20 and weekday set lunch deals for less than $15.
Singapore Restaurant Closure Esplanade Mall F&B Footfall Costs Old School Delights Tourism Local Cuisine
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