27 May 2007, ST
IT’S true that a satisfying meal can be had at the neighbourhood hawker centre for under $5.
But canny diners know places where they can eat all they want for under $15.
The hungry but cash-strapped and the budget-conscious are heading in droves to restaurants offering these budget buffets, often filling up all the tables at the seven restaurants that LifeStyle spoke to.
And with the school holidays just starting and hungry teens let loose from school and out on the town, they will be getting more crowded.
The spreads range from Japanese restaurant Yuki Yaki’s $8.90 ice cream buffet, where customers can choose from four types of ice cream and 16 toppings, to the $13.80+++ dimsum buffet at Orient Ocean restaurant in Hotel Miramar.
Most of the buffets are heavy on fillers like rice, noodles and potatoes, although they also offer meats such as beef and lamb. One of the newest kids on the budget buffet block is Amirah’s Grill Restaurant & Cafe in Bussorah Street.
Its owner, Mr Ashraf Mohamed, said he introduced the $9.90+ buffet three months ago, featuring dishes such as beef casserole and shepherd’s pie.
The restaurateurs interviewed say they do not make money from the buffets, but these all-you-can-eat feasts serve to lure customers to the restaurant.
Mr Ashraf, who also runs a restaurant in Pahang Street, says he started offering the buffet to attract people to the new Bussorah Street outlet.
“It’s like an advertisement,” he said. “If my customers like the good food and spread the word, more people will try the buffet and some will ask us to cater for events such as private functions.”
And this strategy has worked – both outlets are packed, he says, even though the buffet is available only at the new outlet. He has also had customers asking him to cater high teas and dinner buffets.
The Restoran Tepak Sireh in Sultan Gate, which serves a $13.90 buffet of dishes such as nasi briyani and steamed fish, also wants to attract more customers.
Its general manager, Madam Engku Abd Jalil, said: “Our prices are very affordable, and our customers are always satisfied with what they’re paying for.
“With more people coming to the restaurant, the more you will get advertising through word of mouth, and that is very important.”
While restaurateurs like Mr Ashraf plan to stop his “promotional” buffet in two months’ time, other restaurants have found that keeping prices low keeps customers coming.
Quality Cafe at the Quality Hotel in Balestier Road started its $10.80+++ Asian rice buffet in 2003 to attract customers, but decided to continue with it when about 120 customers came to dine each day.
The Crystal Cafe, at the Orchard Grand Court serviced apartments in Killiney Road, offers a $9.80+++ Taiwan porridge buffet and sees an average of 150 hungry customers a day.
The cafe attracted fewer than 100 customers a day before it introduced the buffet eight years ago.
But high traffic does not always result in high profits, it seems.
Most of the restaurateurs said buffet revenues do not make up the bulk of their profits. Rather, it is a la carte orders and catering jobs that bring in the money.
Crystal Cafe’s executive chef, Mr David Koh, said the buffet pays for staff wages, and added: “We want to attract families and residents living in the serviced apartments, and we cover the restaurant costs with the help of our breakfast meals.”
The customers are not complaining.
Annie Goh, 19, currently waiting to enter university, said: “These buffets are worth the money especially if they offer seafood or lots of meat, such as the one at Amirah’s.”
IT’S true that a satisfying meal can be had at the neighbourhood hawker centre for under $5.
But canny diners know places where they can eat all they want for under $15.
The hungry but cash-strapped and the budget-conscious are heading in droves to restaurants offering these budget buffets, often filling up all the tables at the seven restaurants that LifeStyle spoke to.
And with the school holidays just starting and hungry teens let loose from school and out on the town, they will be getting more crowded.
The spreads range from Japanese restaurant Yuki Yaki’s $8.90 ice cream buffet, where customers can choose from four types of ice cream and 16 toppings, to the $13.80+++ dimsum buffet at Orient Ocean restaurant in Hotel Miramar.
Most of the buffets are heavy on fillers like rice, noodles and potatoes, although they also offer meats such as beef and lamb. One of the newest kids on the budget buffet block is Amirah’s Grill Restaurant & Cafe in Bussorah Street.
Its owner, Mr Ashraf Mohamed, said he introduced the $9.90+ buffet three months ago, featuring dishes such as beef casserole and shepherd’s pie.
The restaurateurs interviewed say they do not make money from the buffets, but these all-you-can-eat feasts serve to lure customers to the restaurant.
Mr Ashraf, who also runs a restaurant in Pahang Street, says he started offering the buffet to attract people to the new Bussorah Street outlet.
“It’s like an advertisement,” he said. “If my customers like the good food and spread the word, more people will try the buffet and some will ask us to cater for events such as private functions.”
And this strategy has worked – both outlets are packed, he says, even though the buffet is available only at the new outlet. He has also had customers asking him to cater high teas and dinner buffets.
The Restoran Tepak Sireh in Sultan Gate, which serves a $13.90 buffet of dishes such as nasi briyani and steamed fish, also wants to attract more customers.
Its general manager, Madam Engku Abd Jalil, said: “Our prices are very affordable, and our customers are always satisfied with what they’re paying for.
“With more people coming to the restaurant, the more you will get advertising through word of mouth, and that is very important.”
While restaurateurs like Mr Ashraf plan to stop his “promotional” buffet in two months’ time, other restaurants have found that keeping prices low keeps customers coming.
Quality Cafe at the Quality Hotel in Balestier Road started its $10.80+++ Asian rice buffet in 2003 to attract customers, but decided to continue with it when about 120 customers came to dine each day.
The Crystal Cafe, at the Orchard Grand Court serviced apartments in Killiney Road, offers a $9.80+++ Taiwan porridge buffet and sees an average of 150 hungry customers a day.
The cafe attracted fewer than 100 customers a day before it introduced the buffet eight years ago.
But high traffic does not always result in high profits, it seems.
Most of the restaurateurs said buffet revenues do not make up the bulk of their profits. Rather, it is a la carte orders and catering jobs that bring in the money.
Crystal Cafe’s executive chef, Mr David Koh, said the buffet pays for staff wages, and added: “We want to attract families and residents living in the serviced apartments, and we cover the restaurant costs with the help of our breakfast meals.”
The customers are not complaining.
Annie Goh, 19, currently waiting to enter university, said: “These buffets are worth the money especially if they offer seafood or lots of meat, such as the one at Amirah’s.”
No comments:
Post a Comment