Latest news with #Makansutra
Independent Singapore
3 days ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
‘Retailers, hawkers and restaurants need to survive' — KF Seetoh says Urban Hawker NYC costs less to run than Orchard Road, MBS food halls
SINGAPORE: Operations and rents in Urban Hawker in New York are way cheaper than in prime Orchard Road and Marina Bay Sands (MBS) food halls, says Makansutra founder KF Seetoh in a Facebook post on Monday night (June 2), explaining that he knows this because Makansutra was their setup consultant. Mr Seetoh said he needed to 'exhale some facts and realities' after seeing the news of how a group of retail and food and beverage (F&B) players were banding up to raise concerns over the 'sky is the limit' rents, operating costs, and manpower woes in Singapore. Pointing out that manpower is not a major issue in New York City, and people there pay market prices for food even in the Times Square and Rockefeller Centre area, where Urban Hawker is located, he said, 'Sure, taxes may be higher but it works out way better than paying ridiculous 5 figure stall rents plus a profit percentage.' ' In Singapore, selling S$8 platters. It's US$17 for fried hokkien mee in Urban Hawker and there's no entitled customers about prices there… ,' he added. Mr Seetoh said, 'Retailers, hawkers and restaurants need to survive. They pay full price for other living and business costs here, too. Who's gonna take up your shops and stalls if you happy keep cranking up that rent and operation cost machine?' warning that the current setup will only push hawkers and small operators out. 'Rethink this whole business infrastructure. Put on your crystal ball and binos and look ahead, it's bleak. Don't even talk about affordable food for the masses in the future, for a start,' he added. One commenter blamed 'insatiable landlords' who keep raising rent and making it difficult for small hawkers and retailers to survive. Another pointed out that, unlike Singapore, which charges customers for takeaway containers , 'Urban Hawker portions are American-sized, and if you need to dabao your leftovers, the containers are free.' See also Will Singapore's missing recession delay next GE? The concerns raised by Mr Seetoh echo what many in the F&B sector are going through. In February, a hawker with a vegetarian stall at Serangoon Road , who had operated for over 10 years, moved out after learning that his rent would rise to S$3,000 from just S$930 due to a new operator. He said the rent was too much, as he was only earning enough to survive. In October 2024, Singapore's monthly F&B business closures surpassed even pandemic levels , with government data showing that over 3,000 F&B outlets had closed by the end of last year . More recent figures don't offer much relief. The Department of Statistics reported a 2.8% drop in F&B sales in March this year compared to the previous year. This followed a sharper 5.7% year-on-year (YoY) drop in February. In April, government data revealed that an average of 307 F&B businesses had closed each month in 2025 due to high costs and fewer diners, up from 254 in 2024. See also Just how many 'preneurs' does Singapore need? Mr Seetoh said, 'There are more harsh realities I know about doing business in Singapore than what I tell you here. I will tell more soon.' In the comments, he added, 'Looks like we need to go back to Rent Control Act days.' /TISG Read also: Singapore bars serve non-alcoholic drinks and unique experiences to win over Gen Z amid falling alcohol consumption
Independent Singapore
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Independent Singapore
Kf Seetoh: If you let ‘sweet promises determine your life in next 5 years, you may get just desserts'
SINGAPORE: Singapore's very own food guru, who is as outspoken on social media as he is in real life, weighed in on this year's General Election, which will be held on May 3. Rather than focus on the 'sweet' promises candidates will make in the days of the campaign, Kf Seetoh urged Singaporeans to see whether they have, or would, address 'daily common man interests.' Kf Seetoh joked in an Apr 25 (Friday) Facebook post that he heard so many promises from candidates the day before that he 'got struck down with diabetes yesterday' as his blood sugar shot through the roof. 'The deluge of sweet rhetoric from the political candidates assailed my ears and into the system. All the air punching and cloud nine pointing… Oh man!!,' he wrote but warned that if people let the 'next 7 to 8 days of hustings with the sweet promises determine what your life will be the next 5 years, well, you may get (your) just desserts.' On a more serious note, the Makansutra founder advised that it would be better to instead ignore the next seven to eight days of campaigns and choose instead to see what they've done as professionals or, simply as human beings or, when applicable, during their terms as incumbents. 'Google them,' he enjoined readers. Although he did not name names, Mr Seetoh pointed out that an opposition Member of Parliament raised a full motion on the issues that hawkers face, while another 'created a coup in the region by getting Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga' to perform in Singapore, to the dismay of other Southeast Asian countries. Others, meanwhile, from the ruling and opposition parties, have advocated for sports, education, healthcare, and other issues. He went on to zero in on what he believes is important to determine in selecting whom to vote for. 'But are your daily common man interests and concerns and small business needs, addressed? Did they deliver on what you needed and deserve? Did they act on what you don't even know you needed? I know they're gonna make a lot of promises. Just like at the last elections. I am still waiting for one particular MP to make good on his promise to address manpower and rising cost concerns of the F&B and retail sectors.' He asked voters not to 'look at beautiful portraits and online portrayals' but to 'look into their hearts and minds and past deeds, judge them, then go make the best decision for your next five years. ' Mr Seetoh added that a reminder that no politician is perfect but appears to find it a reasonable request for them to 'strive to be better' and make tomorrow 'a little better than today. This world today is very fragile cos of you know who and why. Vote wisely, folks.' /TISG Read also: KF Seetoh: Why can't the government give a discount or lower HDB prices for those deserving first-time buyers?
