SINGAPORE – In a bid to draw diners, restaurants have come up with all manner of deals. In the past year, more have been offering all-you-can-eat-and-drink bundles, set lunches priced below $30 and artisanal offerings – such as handmade pasta – that will not cause a wallet meltdown.
The latest idea is meal deals for two diners to share. Restaurants both casual and upscale are offering well-priced menus aimed at encouraging diners to try a restaurant for the first time and hopefully return, get a quick lunch with a colleague or celebrate occasions.
The going has been tough. According to international market research firm YouGov’s Singapore Dining Out Report 2025, one in three diners here is eating out less often than he or she did the previous year. Respondents say it costs more to eat out, the cost of living has increased, they are trying to save money and they are cooking at home more.
For restaurateurs, this has meant empty seats. Walk into any mall or along restaurant-lined streets, and you will often find staff stationed outside restaurants, menu in hand, hoping to reel in customers.
Goodwood Park Hotel general manager Kris Wong, 47, says: “Diners today are very informed and tend to do their own research before deciding where to dine. Many keep an eye out for seasonal launches, new dishes or ongoing promotions.”
Restaurant operators The Straits Times interviewed say they have noticed that many of their customers dine in pairs.
A spokesman for En Yeoh’s Bak Kut Teh, which has restaurants at Chinatown Point, Suntec City and Changi City Point, says: “A set for two hits that sweet spot perfectly, without the commitment of a larger group order.”
Restaurant operators also deploy the twofer deals strategically.
Fernando Arevalo, 40, chef-owner of Latido, a 50-seat Colombian restaurant in Tras Street, recently introduced a five-appetiser set for two to share.
“We understand that trying an unfamiliar cuisine can sometimes feel intimidating or expensive, especially with so many dining options available,” he says.
“By offering a variety of flavours at an approachable price point, we hope more diners will feel encouraged to visit us for the first time, discover Colombian cuisine and return for the full experience.”
Vineyard at Hortpark, a 100-seat restaurant set amid greenery, is capitalising on the romantic ambience to draw diners for date nights and marriage proposals or to celebrate anniversaries and other milestones. It offers a five-course menu for two priced at $188++ a couple. Diners have the option of pre-ordering a bouquet of flowers (priced from $120) for their celebration.
Chief marketing officer Andie Chen, 40, says: “The idea is to create an intimate and romantic dining experience where couples can step away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, reconnect and enjoy quality time with one another.”
Also looking to appeal to date night diners is French bistro Summer Hill in Claymore Connect. The 60-seater runs a popular weekend trolley brunch. On days when it does not, diners can opt for a roast chicken or fried chicken set meant for two.
French Fried Chicken Platter at Summer Hill bistro comes with five pieces of buttermilk fried chicken and five side dishes.
PHOTO: SUMMER HILL
Owner Anthony Yeoh, 44, says: “Can we serve our community across the full week, not just weekends? We stop being ‘the weekend brunch place’ and become a restaurant that shows up for people in different seasons, different occasions, different needs.”
A spokesman for Uncle Fong Hotpot Restaurant, with outlets at Great World and Suntec City, says its two-person set, which launched in 2024, is meant to drive up lunch traffic, since “hotpot is typically more popular at dinner and tends to underperform at midday”.
The gambit seems to be working.
Putien, a chain of restaurants which serves Fujian cuisine, launched its set meals for groups of two to 10 diners in January, and has reported a 15 per cent bump in sales.
At Uncle Fong, the take-up rate of its lunch sets can go as high as 42 per cent. The sets for two at Italian restaurant Altro Zafferano are just as popular, with about 40 per cent of diners opting for them.
En Yeoh’s Bak Kut Teh launched its set meal for two in March and says these account for 5 per cent of sales.
The spokesman says: “The promotion does result in a lower average spend per table, but we see value in it as a way to keep our regulars coming back and to attract new customers who might not have tried us otherwise.”
There are other benefits too.
Goodwood Park Hotel says set menus help to streamline service and kitchen workflows, and reduce food wastage. Wong says these contribute “positively to the restaurants’ overall operational efficiency and profitability”.
Mediterranean restaurant Moxie offers a set menu for two, with four starters, one main course and two desserts.
PHOTO: MOXIE
Others reporting more business include Moxie, an 80-seat Mediterranean restaurant in the Outram area. It launched a $168++ tasting set for two at the start of 2026. Brand ambassador Cheryl Seah, 46, says the restaurant has had a 10 to 12 per cent bump in revenue and 10 per cent more dinner covers.
She adds: “At its best, a set menu removes some of the friction from ordering and allows guests to relax into the experience, which is something we feel many diners are increasingly looking for.”
Here are some two-to-dine deals.
Altro Zafferano’s set for two comes with three appetisers, options for pasta and main course, and dessert.
PHOTO: ALTRO ZAFFERANO
Where: Level 43, Ocean Financial Centre, 10 Collyer Quay
Open: 11.45am to 3pm, 6 to 11pm (weekdays), 6 to 11pm (Saturdays), closed on Sundays
Info: Call 6509-1488 or go to @altrozafferano (Instagram)
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