Mahjong, art fairs: F&B businesses look beyond food to attract diners

Beyond boosting business, Ms Tan said the hope is to also draw a younger crowd to the heritage restaurant.

“We thought this could be a nice way to have a nostalgic experience,” she added. 

“I feel that a lot of young people, when I spoke to them, don’t know how to play mahjong. But they are interested because they hear about it from their relatives, from other friends. But where do you learn mahjong from? Who’s gonna teach you?” 

Yum Cha is observing a mix of young students, freelancers and retirees come through its doors, with some learning to play the game for the first time. 

But the larger goal is to foster a community of repeat customers.

“We need to be able to build our pool of regulars, people who constantly remember us,” Ms Tan said.

“What mahjong social Fridays do for Yum Cha … people would ask each other at the end of the session: ‘Are you coming again next week? I really enjoy playing with you.'”

Yum Cha is among a growing number of food and beverage operators in Singapore looking beyond their menus to attract customers and build loyalty, as rising costs and weaker consumer spending squeeze the sector.