Malaysia
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As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. On 19 Jun 2023, Sushi Tei Malaysia took to their socials to announce their abrupt departure from the Malaysian food scene. The post on Facebook read “Sushi Tei Malaysia will cease operations starting 19 June 2023”.
However, there’s still hope for customers in the Northern region. Just 1 hour after the tragic announcement, Sushi Tei Penang stated that their outlets in Gurney Plaza and Queensbay Mall will resume operations as usual. The same applies to the branch in Ipoh Parade.
There are many reasons why restaurants close down— many have faced financial hardships during the pandemic and were unable to recover, and some are heavily affected by the rising costs of keeping a business afloat.
Blink and you’ll miss this hidden Japanese restaurant in the greenery of Old Klang Road
While the reason for its closure is unclear, some netizens suspect that the popular franchise is simply rebranding themselves due to the fact that one of the sentences used in their announcement states that “This page will no longer carry Sushi Tei contents and/or have any links to Sushi Tei”. This line could possibly indicate that the brand is switching over to a new name or management. However, this cannot be confirmed and is, at the moment, a mere speculation.
Interestingly, Sushi Tei Sabah assured customers that “it’s only a temporary GoodBye for now and we will definitely see you again very soon!” followed by perhaps the most promising statement to cement the idea of a rebrand: “Watch this space & stay tuned!”.
Sushi Tei is a Japanese cuisine franchise hailing from Singapore with outlets in Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Brunei, and more. They offer Japanese Kaiten, also known as conveyor belt-style dining, while also adopting an open kitchen concept to allow diners to fully immerse themselves in the experience.
As a chain with so much to offer, it’s a shame that they’ll be closing down many outlets in Malaysia. Hopefully, they come back stronger than ever.
Old Hands Cafeteria: Japanese cafe in PJ with cream cheese taiyaki & unsweetened matcha lattes
