How Singapore’s unforgiving food scene can go hot and cold on brands

How Singapores unforgiving food scene can go hot and cold on brands

Singapore has long been a proven test bed for international food and beverage chains as a wealthy, brand-savvy market where new entrants can generate instant buzz – and just as quickly disappear for those who fail to cook up a storm. The first part of that pattern was on display this month, with long queues…

Singapore has long been a proven test bed for international food and beverage chains as a wealthy, brand-savvy market where new entrants can generate instant buzz – and just as quickly disappear for those who fail to cook up a storm.

The first part of that pattern was on display this month, with long queues forming outside the first Asia outlet of US fast-food chain Chick-fil-A more than a week after it opened in the city state.

The crowds reflect the initial pull of a well-known American brand, but industry analysts say Singapore’s unforgiving dining landscape means early hype is rarely a reliable predictor of long-term success.

Chick-fil-A, the third-largest fast-food chain in the United States by sales, opened its doors at Bugis+ on December 11, serving its signature chicken sandwich and waffle potato fries, alongside a range of sauces – including a Singapore-exclusive spicy chilli.
Chris Wang chose to spend his day off in the dine-in queue while waiting for his wife to take her lunch break. The 31-year-old, who works in IT, eats fast food at McDonald’s two to three times a week because of its consistency, a trait that he believes matters deeply to Singaporeans.

“Singaporeans always say ‘the standard dropped’, that’s the main thing that causes places to fail. If I patronise a store regularly and one day I go down and the food is not nice, the ingredients are not fresh, or the portion is suddenly stingy, then I probably won’t go back,” Wang told This Week in Asia.

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