The economic recession has not fully dampened Chinese New Year spirits here, as Singaporeans spend on goodies and dinners for this festive period
Many still willing to spend on that reunion dinner
By
Ang Yiying
A woman steps out to roll a giant foam orange back to the pavement after it was sent rolling across Eu Tong Sen Street by a gust of wind. -- PHOTOS: ALPHONSUS CHERN
WITH just over a fortnight to go before Chinese New Year, restaurants are cautiously optimistic that revenues from reunion dinners will be strong, despite the economic downturn.
A check with almost two dozen restaurants found that most are expecting business volume to be similar to last year's for what is traditionally the busiest night for Chinese eateries.
'The market is not short of cash. It is just being very selective,' said the president of the Restaurant Association of Singapore, Mr Ang Kiam Meng.
'But Chinese New Year is a once-a-year affair.'
The association, which has more than 100 members with 400 outlets among them, said reunion dinners are 'quite safe' from the effects of recession.
Singaporeans, though, seem to be taking a mixed approach towards the prospect of spending hundreds of dollars on a meal.
Madam Denise Koh, 54, is going ahead with a reunion dinner with 20 relatives at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia.
The housewife said it was traditional for her husband's side of the family to eat out. 'We don't want my mother-in-law to cook because it's too much work to prepare the food,' she said.
Others, however, are cutting back.
Retiree Vince Lim, 69, who went to a restaurant last year, will have his reunion dinner at home in the light of the downturn. There is a positive side, though. Mr Lim said this year's dinner will be 'cosier, promoting better bonding'.
Of the roughly 40 outlets surveyed by The Straits Times, about half have more than 80 per cent of their tables booked.
Others said reservations are slower because customers usually start planning their reunion dinner in the new year. They expect reservations to pick up closer to Chinese New Year's Eve, which falls on Jan 25.
Tung Lok Group, which owns restaurants with the Tung Lok namesake and Lao Beijing, Zhou's Kitchen and Lingzhi, said this year's 'response is slower but still encouraging'.
Some restaurants said diners are scaling back.
Mr Benson Loi, general manager of PFS Pte Ltd, which runs Teochew City Seafood Restaurant and Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant, said more customers are opting for lower-priced meals this year. Last year, about 10 per cent of diners splashed on $888 and $1,288 set menus. This year, most are going for the $588 menu.
Peach Garden's senior business development manager Ho Toon Chian said that while all its three outlets are more than 95 per cent booked, customers are being more cost-conscious.
'There is the trend of customers being more price-sensitive and choosing the basic menu,' said Mr Ho, who expects takings to be 'affected slightly'.
Still, four out of five hotel-run restaurants have not noticed changes in their reservation rates and customers' selection of menus compared to last year.
The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia director of public relations Michelle Wan attributes this to the emphasis that the Chinese place on the occasion.
'It's a very important family-centric celebration. You wouldn't want to miss the chance to usher in good fortune and prosperity,'she said.
