With CB Measures, Even Celebrity Daniel Ong is Personally Delivering His Food to You

In case you didn’t know, Daniel Ong, an outspoken radio DJ and TV host who’s also well-known for both the one-half of Twelve Cupcakes and the ex-husband of Jamie Teo, isn’t having a good 2020.

The popular ex-DJ run several businesses, and one of them is a chain of restaurants in CBD.

With monthly expenses of almost $65K and a lack of walk-in customers, he’s taken to social media to plead for his landlords to help out.

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Ran outta space…continued… In the coming days, if the government decides to have a no dine in rule for restaurants. Or a shut down of any sorts. It’s truly game over. For the whole industry. Many have asked me to consider a take away and a online alternative. Ta pau. Truth is, we are in the CBD. Half now work from home. No workers means no sales. Also it’s difficult running a take away biz in a space that costs 25k. And staff that cost 40k. Stall holders rents are much lower to make any sense. But we will try. I owe it to my team to try. The only way now is if there’s such a measure, that you waive rentals. Cash flow is severely affected. Like all businesses now… like hotels…no sales means we can’t even make ends meet. Pay staff. Or suppliers. We are asking for you to look at us as partners. Giving us a 2-4K discount on a 25k rent really just delays the inevitable. On behalf of all small biz owners in all the malls, and cafes, and commercial buildings. And everyone affected in the service and retail space… Just. Give. Us. A. Chance. When times are good… we pay GTO. On top of rent… we’ve also paid rentals that have doubled or tripled over the years. It’s a give and take relationship. Can you be on the other side for once? I’m pleading. Coz past this next few weeks… we are all not going to make it. Defaults at 50% or more. It’s dire now. And we can’t wait for two weeks for an email reply for you to check with your bosses…we are going down now. Now. We are in this together. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 #sgunited #singapore #covid #savefnbsg #struggling #sinking #help #savejobs #save #singaporeans #staff @hengsweekeat @leehsienloong @capitaland@businesstimessg @straits_times @fraserspropertyretail @citydevelopments

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Yesterday’s Solidarity Budget might help, and the new laws that force landlords to pass the property tax savings rebate to tenants might help too, but with the Circuit Breaker measures, it’s almost like pasting a plaster on a gun wound.

And so he’s going all out to paste many plasters on his gun wound.

Delivery without Food Delivery Services

I once had a conversation with a hawker; he said that he’d be affected very badly, and when I asked why he’s not opted for food delivery services, he frowned and said, “They’re taking too much commission and I won’t earn anything.”

The commission can be up to 30%—so if your Bak Kut Teh costs $10, the hawker would only pocket $7. Remember, he still has many other expenses to pay for.

Which is why MPs have advocated to lower the commission of food delivery services, but as usual, it’s all an ecosystem: lower the commission and pay for delivery riders might be affected, and we might finally find our lunch delivery rider during dinner time.

Enterprise Singapore (ESG) is going to pay 5% of the commission to help the F&B industry, but while it’s commendable, the commission is still rather high.

And so, many F&B businesses have resorted to do delivery themselves, and Daniel Ong’s chain of restaurants, Rookery, is one of them.

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Hey guys!🌈🌈 HERE IS OUR ISLAND WIDE DELIVERY MENU!! 🌈🌈 So with us headed to a full take away mode from tomorrow… Need your support in helping spread the love to #saveFnbsg . 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻Share the menu with friends, or tag a buddy here. And FOLLOW us @rookerysg and look out for the family feast menu soon!! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 By going through delivery apps, costs rise by 25%. 😵😵 So we thought we would just keep prices normal by delivering it ourselves. Your friendly rookery team or even me doing the delivery ourselves to you! 🥰 Drop us a message at 9807 9702 an hour or two before and we will get on it! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ See you soon.

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The 44-year-old who looks like he’s in his early 20s creates a menu that’s specifically catered for delivery or pick-up, since dine-in is essentially banned now.

In his post, he said that his “friendly rookery team or even me doing the delivery ourselves to you.”

Yeah, imagine opening your door and seeing Mr Kiasi at your doorstep.

Image: meWatch

In addition, delivery would be island wide, though there’s no mention of any minimum delivery amount.

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Now, I guess you should be wondering: with the Circuit Breaker measures, shouldn’t F&B businesses huat big time?

After all, we need to eat even when we stay at home.

Apparently not.

80% of F&B Businesses Might Close

That’s a shocking number and before you pack your bag to migrate to Mars, hold your horses.

This is a number derived from an informal F&B group, so it might or might not be accurate.

However, it’s mentioned that some of them are seeing a drop in sales as people aren’t dining in, which, if you think about it, is the main attraction of any restaurant.

The problem is primarily the rental and manpower costs that continue to come in even with the drop in footfall.

To quote you an example, imagine you’re an employee who gets $1,000 a month, and your monthly bills are $900.

Your pay dropped to $100 a month, but your bills are still at $900.

That’s what many businesses, and restaurants, are facing.

So as you lie on your bed and watch the next episode of V Wars in Netflix, remember: continue to stay at home.

If the Circuit Breaker measures are extended, you can bet that more businesses would die.

Imagine that even McDonald’s is going out of business.

Reader Bao: Don’t be silly. That won’t happen.

BMT recruits now stay at home.

Reader Bao: Okay I’ll stay at home for 4 weeks.