The best 1-for-1 hotel buffet dining promotions in Singapore (Aug 2019)
PUBLISHED ONAugust 02, 2019 8:34 AMByClara Lim
Nothing gets Singaporeans going like a hotel buffet, but the problem is that most of them are pretty expensive at full price. Luckily, with the current spate of excellent credit card promotions in Singapore, you can get half-price hotel buffets with practically any card.
In compiling this list, I focused only on the biggest discounts, i.e. 1-for-1 buffet and 50% off food bill.
There are plenty of smaller discounts but we ignored those because obviously everyone wants the most bang for your buck. The deals are sorted by expiry date, then by price.
Always check the terms and conditions first.
Typically you have to call to reserve, quote your bank name to secure the discount (because it may be limited to X number of patrons a day) and pay using that card. Usually both credit or debit cards are accepted as long as it’s from the partner bank.
CONTENTS
- DBS/POSB dining promotions 2019
- UOB dining promotions 2019
- OCBC dining promotions 2019
- Citibank dining promotions 2019
- HSBC dining promotions 2019
- Maybank dining promotions 2019
- Standard Chartered dining promotions 2019
- American Express dining promotions 2019
- Other ways to score 1-for-1 buffet deals
DBS/POSB DINING PROMOTIONS 2019
Practically every person in Singapore has a DBS/POSB credit card, so it shouldn’t be a problem for most of us to enjoy these 1-for-1 buffet promotions. Make sure to book in advance, though.
| Restaurant | Promotion | Buffet price | Expiry |
| Courtyard by Marriott (Sky22) | 1-for-1 semi-buffet dinner | $36++ (Sun to Thu) | 30 Aug 2019 |
| One Farrer Hotel (Escape) | 1-for-1 high tea buffet | $38++ (Sat & Sun) | 31 Aug 2019 |
| One Farrer Hotel (Escape) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $50++ (Mon to Thu) | 31 Aug 2019 |
| One Farrer Hotel (Escape) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $65++ (Mon to Thu) | 31 Aug 2019 |
| Courtyard by Marriott (Sky22) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $56++ (Sat & Sun) | 8 Sep 2019 |
| Courtyard by Marriott (Sky22) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $56++ (Fri & Sat) | 8 Sep 2019 |
| Mercure Bugis (Royale Restaurant) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $35++ | 30 Dec 2019 |
| Odoru Kuma | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $36.80+ (Sat & Sun) | 30 Dec 2019 |
| Hotel Grand Pacific (Sun’s Cafe) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $38++ (Mon to Thu) / $40++ (Fri to Sun) | 31 Dec 2019 |
| Hotel Grand Pacific (Sun’s Cafe) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $45++ (Mon to Thu) / $47++ (Fri & Sat) | 31 Dec 2019 |
| Grand Mercure Roxy (Feast@East) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $46++ (Tue only) | 31 Dec 2019 |
| Mercure Bugis (Royale Restaurant) | 1-for-1 high tea buffet | $48++ (Sat & Sun) | 30 Dec 2019 |
| Grand Mercure Roxy (Feast@East) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $52++ (Tue only) | 31 Dec 2019 |
| Carlton Hotel (Cafe Mosaic) | 50% off buffet lunch | $58++ | 30 Dec 2019 |
| Peninsula Excelsior Hotel (Coleman Cafe) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $58++ (Sat & Sun) | 30 Dec 2019 |
| Furama City Centre (Tiffany Cafe) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $58.80++ | 31 Dec 2019 |
| Mercure Bugis (Royale Restaurant) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $68++ | 30 Dec 2019 |
| Furama City Centre (Tiffany Cafe) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $68.80++ | 31 Dec 2019 |
| Amara Singapore (Element) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $72++ | 31 Dec 2019 |
| Park Hotel Clarke Quay (Cocobolo) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $72++ (Fri & Sat) | 31 Dec 2019 |
| Peninsula Excelsior Hotel (Coleman Cafe) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $72++ (Sat & Sun) | 30 Dec 2019 |
| Mandarin Orchard (Triple Three) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $78++ (Mon to Sat) / $118++ (Sun) | 30 Dec 2019 |
| Carlton Hotel (Cafe Mosaic) | 50% off buffet dinner | $88++ (Sun to Thu) / $98++ (Fri & Sat) | 30 Dec 2019 |
| The Westin (Seasonal Tastes) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $88++ (Sun to Thu) / $98++ (Fri & Sat) | 30 Jun 2019 |
UOB DINING PROMOTIONS 2019
UOB had some of the best dining promotions in town last month with deals at fancy hotels like W Sentosa and Mandarin Orchard. Unfortunately, most of them expired at the end of June, so these are the ones remaining:
| Restaurant | Promotion | Buffet price | Expiry |
| Hotel Grand Pacific (Sun’s Cafe) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $38++ (Mon to Fri) / $40++ (Sat & Sun) | 31 Dec 2019 |
| Hotel Grand Pacific (Sun’s Cafe) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $45++ (Mon to Thu) / $47++ (Fri & Sat) | 31 Dec 2019 |
| Amara Singapore (Element) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $55++ (Mon to Fri) | 31 Dec 2019 |
| Mandarin Orchard (Triple Three) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $78++ (Mon to Sat) / $118++ (Sun) | 30 Apr 2020 |
OCBC DINING PROMOTIONS 2019
OCBC had a slew of dining promotions – including 1-for-1 buffets at M Hotel and Grand Copthorne – but they all expired in April 2019. Now, we’re left the following two:
| Restaurant | Promotion | Buffet price | Expiry |
| Park Hotel Clarke Quay (Cocobolo) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $72++ (Fri & Sat) | 31 Aug 2019 |
| Holiday Inn Singapore (Atrium) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $58++ (Mon to Fri) | 31 Oct 2019 |
| Holiday Inn Singapore (Atrium) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $72++ (Sun to Thu) / $84++ (Fri & Sat) | 31 Oct 2019 |
| Bhandari’s Saffron | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $26++ | 30 Nov 2019 |
| Fort Canning Lodge (Cafe Lodge) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch & dinner | $32++ | 30 Nov 2019 |
| Holiday Inn Orchard (Window on the Park) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $65++ | 31 Mar 2020 |
| Holiday Inn Orchard (Window on the Park) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $70++ | 31 Mar 2020 |
Also check out their other 1-for-1 and hotel dining promotions. Some good ones are: 1-for-1 wagyu shabu shabu set at City Hot Pot, 1-for-1 pizza at Masons and 1-for-1 steak at The Fine Line. For hotel dining, there’s 15% off at halal buffet Carousel and 1-for-1 main course at Tandoor at Holiday Inn.
CITIBANK DINING PROMOTIONS 2019
Citibank has rolled out a new microsite for credit card promotions, and, along with it, a fresh batch of 1-for-1 buffet promotions too.
| Restaurant | Promotion | Buffet price | Expiry |
| One Farrer Hotel (Escape) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $50++ (Mon to Thu) | 31 Aug 2019 |
| One Farrer Hotel (Escape) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $65++ (Mon to Thu) | 31 Aug 2019 |
| Shangri-La Hotel (The Line) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $80++ (Mon only) | 30 Sep 2019 |
| Marriott Tang Plaza (Marriott Cafe) | 50% off buffet dinner | $78++ (Sun to Wed) / $88++ (Fri & Sat) / $108++ (Thu) | 30 Sep 2019 |
| Carlton City Hotel (Plate) | 1-for-1 buffet brunch | $48++ (Sun) | 6 Oct 2019 |
| Carlton City Hotel (Plate) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $48++ (Mon to Fri) | 31 Dec 2019 |
HSBC DINING PROMOTIONS 2019
Here are the 1-for-1 buffet promotions I found on HSBC’s website:
| Restaurant | Promotion | Buffet price | Expiry |
| One Farrer Hotel (Escape) | (almost) 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $54++ for 2 adults (Mon to Fri) | 31 Aug 2019 |
| Holiday Inn Orchard (Window on the Park) | 54% off buffet lunch | $65++ | 31 Aug 2019 |
| Holiday Inn Orchard (Window on the Park) | 54% off buffet dinner | $70++ | 31 Aug 2019 |
| Village Hotel Katong (Katong Kitchen) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $40++ (Mon to Fri) / $50++ (Sat & Sun) | 30 Dec 2019 |
| Village Hotel Changi (Saltwater) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $42++ | 30 Dec 2019 |
| Shin Minori | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $43.90++ | 30 Dec 2019 |
| Village Hotel Changi (Saltwater) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $46++ (Mon to Thu) / $58 (Fri to Sun) | 30 Dec 2019 |
| Village Hotel Katong (Katong Kitchen) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $50++ (Mon to Fri) / $60++ (Sat & Sun) | 30 Dec 2019 |
| Holiday Inn Singapore (Atrium) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $58++ (Mon to Fri) | 31 Dec 2019 |
| Holiday Inn Singapore (Atrium) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $90++ (Sun to Thu) / $100++ (Fri & Sat) | 31 Dec 2019 |
| Holiday Inn Orchard (Window on the Park) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $65++ | 28 Feb 2020 |
| Holiday Inn Orchard (Window on the Park) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $70++ | 28 Feb 2020 |
If you’re an HSBC card holder, you can also get a whole bunch of 1-for-1 deals with The Entertainer for free. You just need to download the HSBC x Entertainer app and unlock it with a code.
MAYBANK DINING PROMOTIONS 2019
Maybank is pretty new to the dining promotions game and has quite an impressive number of hotel partners and buffets, but only a few are 1-for-1. The rest typically require 2 to 4 paying adults to “earn” the discount. Have a look at the most bang-for-buck 1-for-1 buffet deals below:
| Restaurant | Promotion | Buffet price | Expiry |
| Swissotel Merchant Court (Ellenborough Market) | (almost) 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $54++ for 2 adults (Mon to Fri) | 31 Aug 2019 |
| Furama RiverFront (Kintamani) | 54% off buffet lunch & dinner | $65++ | 31 Aug 2019 |
| Furama RiverFront (The Square) | 54% off buffet lunch & dinner | $78++ | 31 Aug 2019 |
| Hotel Fort Canning (The Salon) | 1-for-1 breakfast buffet | $35++ | 30 Sep 2019 |
| Hotel Jen Tanglin (J65) | 1-for-1 high tea buffet | $39++ (Sat) | 30 Sep 2019 |
| Marriott Tang Plaza (Marriott Cafe) | 50% off high tea buffet | $45++ (Mon to Fri) / $48++ (Sat & Sun) | 30 Sep 2019 |
| Furama RiverFront (Kintamani) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch & dinner | $65++ | 30 Sep 2019 |
| Furama RiverFront (The Square) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch & dinner | $78++ | 30 Sep 2019 |
| Holiday Inn (Atrium) | 1-for-1 buffet lunch | $58++ (Mon to Fri) | 31 Dec 2019 |
| Song of India | 1-for-1 buffet lunch (Mon to Fri) | $60++ | 31 Dec 2019 |
| Park Hotel Clarke Quay (Cocobolo) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $72++ (Fri & Sat) | 31 Dec 2019 |
| Holiday Inn (Atrium) | 1-for-1 buffet dinner | $90++ (Sun to Thu) / $100++ (Fri & Sat) | 31 Dec 2019 |
You might also want to check out their other dining promotions just to see if your favourite buffet restaurant is in there. Maybank has a number of halal buffet deals in there, such as a $50 nett weekday lunch buffet at Aquamarine and 15% off at Carousel.
STANDARD CHARTERED DINING PROMOTIONS 2019
Standard Chartered has an excellent promotion with Fullerton Hotel and Fullerton Bay Hotels restaurants, where you can get up to 50% off your food bill. You get the maximum 50% discount if you dine with 1 guest (or 1 guest + 1 child); see how it works here.
| Restaurant | Promotion | Buffet price | Expiry |
| Fullerton Hotel (Town Restaurant) | 50% off weekday buffet lunch | $57++ | 30 Apr 2020 |
| Fullerton Hotel (Town Restaurant) | 50% off buffet dinner | $59++ | 30 Apr 2020 |
| Fullerton Hotel (The Courtyard) | 50% off chocolate buffet | $45++ (Fri, Sat) | 30 Apr 2020 |
| Fullerton Hotel (The Courtyard) | 50% off afternoon tea buffet | $49++ (Mon to Fri), $55 (Sat, Sun & PH) | 30 Apr 2020 |
| Fullerton Hotel (The Courtyard) | 50% off weekday Indian curry buffet | $45++ | 30 Apr 2020 |
Another one that would appeal to atas gourmet types is a collaboration with Les Amis group of restaurants, which includes loads of fancy places like Bistro Du Vin, Sushi Jin, and (obviously) Les Amis. You typically get a 20% discount the bill (e.g. $20 off min. spend $100, or $100 off min. spend $500), except for Peperoni Pizzeria which has 1-for-1 weekday set lunch.
It’s not quite as good, but Standard Chartered also has a tie-up with Marina Bay Sands restaurants such as Adrift by David Meyers, Bread Street Kitchen and CUT by Wolfgang Puck. You can get either a $25 return voucher when you spend $250, or 1 person dines for free with 3 paying diners. The promotion runs until 30 Sep 2019.
You can check out the rest of the Standard Chartered dining promotions here.
AMERICAN EXPRESS DINING PROMOTIONS 2019
The Platinum card lets you take part in Amex’s dining programme, Love Dining, which gives you up to 50% off at atas restaurants and hotel buffets in Singapore. To get the maximum 50% discount, you need to dine with one friend/date. Otherwise, your discount ranges from only 15% to 35%.
Bear in mind that there’s a hefty annual fee of $321 attached to the card, and you can only get it waived if you’re a really big spender. Still, if you’re a real foodie, you would probably get quite a bit of utility from this card.
| Restaurant | Promotion | Buffet price |
| Swissotel Merchant Court (Ellenborough Market Cafe) | 50% off high tea buffet (Sat & Sun) | $42++ |
| Marriott Tang Plaza (Marriott Cafe) | 50% off high tea buffet | $45++ (Mon to Fri) / $48++ (Sat & Sun) |
| One Farrer Hotel (Escape) | 50% off buffet lunch | $50++ |
| Swissotel Merchant Court (Ellenborough Market Cafe) | 50% off buffet lunch | $52++ |
| Amara Singapore (Element) | 50% off buffet lunch & high tea | $52++ (Mon to Fri lunch) / $42++ (Sat & Sun high tea) |
| Holiday Inn Singapore (Atrium) | 50% off buffet lunch & high tea | $58++ (Mon to Fri lunch) / $64++ (Sat & Sun high tea) |
| Marriott Tang Plaza (Marriott Cafe) | 50% off buffet lunch | $59++ (Mon to Sat) / $78++ to $98++ (Sun) |
| One Farrer Hotel (Escape) | 50% off buffet dinner | $65++ (Sun to Thu) / $70 (Fri & Sat) |
| Fairmont (Asian Market Cafe) | 50% off buffet lunch | $66++ |
| Swissotel Merchant Court (Ellenborough Market Cafe) | 50% off buffet dinner | $68++ |
| Amara Singapore (Element) | 50% off buffet dinner | $72++ |
| Fairmont (Asian Market Cafe) | 50% off buffet dinner | $72++ (Fri & Sat 8pm) / $76++ (Sun to Thu) / $78++ (Fri & Sat 6pm) |
| W Hotel Singapore (The Kitchen Table) | 50% off buffet lunch | $78++ (Mon to Sat) |
| Marriott Tang Plaza (Marriott Cafe) | 50% off buffet dinner | $78++ (Sun to Wed) / $88++ (Fri & Sat) / $108++ (Thu) |
| W Hotel Singapore (The Kitchen Table) | 50% off buffet dinner | $88++ (Mon to Thu) |
| Holiday Inn Singapore (Atrium) | 50% off buffet dinner | $90++ (Sun to Thu) / $200++ (Fri & Sat) |
Is your favourite 1-for-1 buffet restaurant fully booked? Try The Entertainer, Eatigo, Chope & Fave
Aside from the promotional validity dates, many of these promotions are limited to a certain number of diners per day or promotional period. If for whatever reason you’re not able to get a seat, don’t panic – there are other dining apps to help you save on that buffet feast.
THE ENTERTAINER
The Entertainer is a paid subscription that focuses on 1-for-1 deals, which is our absolute favourite kind of discount. Currently, you can get 1-for-buffet deals at Shin Minori, Katong Kitchen, Straits Cafe and more. As an added bonus, the partner merchants aren’t restricted to restaurants and cafes, too – so you can expect beauty, fashion and fitness deals as well.
At $85, the subscription fee for Entertainer 2019 is kind of steep, but it also includes Cheers, its sister app for bars and pubs, and The Entertainer JB for 1-for-1 deals at hip restaurants and cafes in Johor Bahru.
EATIGO
Eatigo is an online restaurant reservation service that offers discounts based on what time you dine. Check out the full list of hotel buffet deals at their website.
The off-peak hours typically offer the most discounts, but that’s not always the case: Currently, you can dine for half-price at J65 at Hotel Jen Tanglin and Ellenborough Market Cafe at Swissotel Merchant Court from 6.30pm onwards. Others like Azur at Crown Plaza Changi Airport require you to wait until 8.30pm for the 50% off.
CHOPE
Like Eatigo, Chope reservation service that happens to also offer exclusive discounts for their users. Chope is currently having a tie-up with Visa, offering many value-for-money buffet deals. The catch is that you’ll need to pre-purchase discounted dining vouchers to enjoy the discounts.
Some participating restaurants include Gyuu+ and Shabu Tan Japanese hotpot, both of which are famous for their wagyu beef buffets.
FAVE
Fave is the new Groupon, and while they’ve expanded their services to include a lot of new things like FavePay, they still sell discounted dining vouchers.
They may not have a dedicated 1-for-1 buffet section (they go on a discount basis), but some restaurants offer up to 60% and up, which is an even better deal. Check out the current promotions here.
This article was first published in MoneySmart .