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Alvinology previously reported on Founder Bak Kut Teh owner Nigel Chua, whose plea for support to save his restaurant business from closure was met with disdain. In an interview with 8Days, he belied some of the claims and reasons that netizens accused him and his family of, in a bid to shore up what the plea did to the restaurant’s image.
What did the owner of Founder Bak Kut Teh say?
According to our previous report, netizens called out the current owner of Founder Bak Kut Teh, who inherited the business from his father for asking for help in a manner similar to Daniel Ong.
Chua put up a social media post on Instagram saying that he and his father were struggling very hard to preserve their business through the pandemic, even with pivoting to delivery and making other changes. With sales dropping by 85%, they said they were two months away from closure.
He then offered a 30% discount on special family sets that customers may order.
Here’s a man who is going to jail for a bowl of Bak Kut Teh.
What did netizens say?
Netizens responded with their usual disdain for businesses who leveraged the pandemic to ask for more support. Much like how they initially responded to Daniel Ong’s plea that said he needed tens and thousands of dollars to support his workers and overhead expenses, netizens didn’t mince words.
Some said that Chua could close his other branches and sell his watches and cars. Others said that Chua’s offerings were overpriced to begin with, and that his market consisted mainly of tourists.
Nigel Chua responds
In an interview with 8Days, Nigel said that his own father, the original owner of Founder Bak Kut Teh, did not want to post the plea, so as to save face for the business. Chua went against 75-year-old Chua Chwee Whatt’s wishes, and when the negative comments started rolling in, made sure not to defend himself online.
According to the interview, he said, “I wanted to cry when I was writing this letter. I thought — will people attack me? Will they say this is a ploy for sympathy? But for my business, I put my pride aside. It takes courage to write a letter like that.”
Nigel Chua belies their lavish lifestyle
The interview also mentioned that Chua belied all the allegations of wealth that his family enjoyed. His father allegedly lived at a 5-room HDB flat, and he himself did not buy brand new cars or watches.
When people mentioned an Audemars Piguet watch made by a Swiss luxury watch company, Chua said that he used some money he had saved over the years working for the business to treat himself to a second-hand item. He alleged the price of the watch was $14,000 when it would have been $30,000 in brand new condition.
Chua also said that he did not own luxury cars, and only drove a second-hand Toyota Vellfire. Netizens have accused him of driving a Ferrari.
Netizens still skeptical
While Chua has indeed not answered any of the criticism himself online, the interview still made netizens doubtful of him. They also mentioned how he was not wearing the offending watch in the interview photos with the online publication.
Would you support Nigel Chua and Founder Bak Kut Teh after what he has said? Let us know in the comments!
No Founder bkt for me. For shame! You ought to do better than beg.
I cannot even afford the strap of AP watch. Wow, I can’t even afford to pay hdb carpark for a luxury Vellfire $190k that you own. Sell your watch and Vellfire to save your business. Cut throat price for BKT quality and quantity that does not do justice to other BKT outlets with the same quality but much lower price. In good times, the walls of your restaurants all plastered with artistes and celebrities…go ask them come and support you now. Where are they ? You worship and idolised them so much and now where are they when you need them to patronise your exorbitantly priced but mediocre food ? If you Close down all your outlets, no locals would miss any thing because you food caters to to tourists only. Please go ahead and close down if you cannot compete. But if you really sincere, reduce your price to be same as food court BKT…I support you.
No way, totally over priced, lacking in sincerity or even showing signs they are really trying to sustain the business with the hefty ‘discounted’ prices!
He mentioned on newspaper that he and sister/dad owned 3 condos and he stayed in HDB. Sell one away cannot tide him over? For the watch, he can say whatever price he paid for it 2nd hand, nobody is able to prove it.