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F&B businesses in Changi’s terminals have become worst as the crowd thinned.
With the initial boost from Jewel Changi Airport’s opening fading, some food-and-beverage outlets across the four terminals at Changi Airport say that business has now become worst, reported Today Online.
Situated at Terminal one, Jewel houses 112 food-and-beverage outlets, with foreign brands like Shake Shack drawing long lines.
During its preview period before its official opening, around 500,000 visitors thronged Jewel to see its new retail offerings and facilities.
The crowds then spilled over to Terminals two, three and four.
“The opening of Jewel has certainly increased footfall to Changi Airport, including to our terminals,” said the Changi Airport Group (CAG).
But as the spillover crowd thinned, many of the food-and-beverage outlet operators outside Jewel began to fell the heat of competition from outlets in Jewel.
PappaMia, a local restaurant in Terminal one, said it drew more diners than usual during Jewel’s opening and preview periods, but its overall monthly receipts have significantly dropped since then.
“PappaMia has been here for nearly seven years already, but this is the first time (business is) so bad,” said PappaMia operations manager Tai Ser Kiong.
“Usually we would be full during dinners and over the weekends, but now we see a lot of empty tables.”
The Chinese restaurant Paradise Dynasty, located in Terminal three, also saw its revenue slightly decrease compared to the same period last year.
“When I’m on the MRT (to the airport), I see more people coming here but most of them are headed towards Jewel (instead of T3),” said Paradise Dynasty manager Li Gui.
Other restaurant owners, however, believe that Ramadan could have been a factor to the slowdown in their business.
Food establishments in Terminal four have also been affected by the Jewel.
Terminal four has no direct connection to Jewel. Visitors from this terminal who want to go to Jewel would have to take a free shuttle bus to Terminal two and walk over a link bridge.
Thanks to the free shuttle bus service, some establishments reported increased sales during Jewel’s opening period.
However, sales began to decline after the shuttle service was suspended.
CAG explained that the direct shuttle service to Jewel was provided specifically to cater to the “very high visitor volume” during Jewel’s preview and the next two weeks following its opening.
For Bee Cheng Hiang supervisor Yeo Wan Chin, Jewel’s opening made “no significant differences” in footfall or sale in Terminal four.
“The only difference is now I get more enquiries about how to get to Jewel,” said the 58-year old.
Victor Kang, Digital Content Specialist at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories, email victorkang@propertyguru.com.sg
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