Man on mission to save Tash Tish Tosh's last restaurant; internet chimes in

What would you do to save your business?

For one homegrown eatery, they decided to call upon the power of the internet, opening the floor to any and all suggestions that could help them out.

In a video posted to Instagram on Thursday (Sept 24), a man who identified himself as the brother of the owner of Tash Tish Tosh, declared he is on a mission to save the F&B business.

The halal eatery is known for its tulang merah and nasi goreng, among many other local and western fusion dishes including burgers and pizzas.

The man in the video said the eatery has one remaining outlet at East Coast Park, adding that "if this doesn't work, we might have to close our last restaurant".

He went on to explain that he doesn't think the problem lies with the food or the prices, given his view on the taste and the generous portion sizes.

Instead, he wondered if the issue lies in the location of the restaurant, given its proximity to the beachfront.

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"Most people come here to jog, cycle and have a picnic," he said, adding that most people simply walk past their restaurant.

He then urged the public to share their thoughts on whether the establishment should relocate or if they should consider changing their menu to better suit the type of customers found there.

Location, menu, price or service?

As of publishing time, the video has amassed over 101,000 views on Instagram, more than 2,300 likes and nearly 200 comments.

Netizens eagerly chimed in, sharing their ideas for improvement.

One suggestion that resonated was for there to be a takeaway picnic menu, which parkgoers can easily purchase and bring to the nearby beachfront to enjoy.

"It could be light versions of the food that you already have on the menu. Things that are portable, easy to eat with your hands," read the comment. "I would totally get a tulang wrap to eat at the beach!"

Many concur, with one commenter suggesting another idea: a picnic platter filled with finger food such as fries, sandwiches and chicken wings.

Meanwhile, some netizens disagreed that the pricing isn't the issue.

"I love your food but it's very pricey," an Instagram user commented, saying that eating there felt like burning a "hole in the wallet".

Another comment said: "I usually go there, but I will not come in when I'm with my kids mainly because of how much the final bill will be."

Several commenters then shared that the bigger concern was with the customer service, recounting bad experiences and proud staff members.

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Struggling to survive

In an interview with the Vulcan Post earlier in January, Tash Tish Tosh founders Wahid Allapitchay and his wife, Nazihah Ibrahim, shared how the business has been "fighting for survival".

The business was first established in 2013, taking up a small corner stall in a coffeeshop on Onan Road.

Over the years, they moved and expanded to various locations, including in Katong, Simpang Bedok, Kampung Glam and Jurong.

While the business was doing well at one point, Wahid told Vulcan Post that the dining habits of Singaporeans have changed since the Covid-19 pandemic, with crowds dwindling across all outlets from 2-5pm on weekdays.

They also had to battle with higher overheads as they expanded the scale of their operations, including have to pay for more salaries and sustaining a larger inventory, leading to lower sales and revenue.

He added that survival is currently their top priority.

“To be really honest with you, we are also fighting for survival right now to stay relevant…To answer your question on whether I have the right formula about how to go through this current period, I don’t, because I’m actually riding it now, and I’m trying my best,” said Wahid.

AsiaOne has reached out to Tash Tish Tosh for more information.

Address: 1000 East Coast Park, #01-02 Marine Cove, Singapore 449876
Opening hours: Weekdays, 11am to 11pm (Closed on Tuesdays); Sat-Sun, 9am-11pm 

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laili.abdeen@asiaone.com