The simple truth is that closures are part and parcel of any business’ life cycle, even the seemingly most popular establishments.
With this in mind, here are just a handful of well-known restaurants that have had to call it a day in Malaysia for one reason or another.
How many of these have you eaten at, and did you even realise they were gone? Which other dining establishments can you recall that we haven’t mentioned, excluding these fast-food franchises that also went extinct?
1. Yoshinoya & Hanamaru Udon
Folks who work in and around Mid Valley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur are likely to have fond memories of these adjoined Japanese restaurants, which opened in 2015.
Located on the third floor close to the cinema, these were the go-to eateries for many office workers who needed a quick, hot meal.
Yoshinoya was renowned for its donburi (rice bowls), the beef gyudon being a particular hit with customers. Hanamaru Udon, on the other hand, was the place for noodle lovers, and you could also get some tasty Japanese fried snacks here.
Unfortunately, both fell victim to the pandemic, forcing them to shutter their doors for good in 2021.
2. Pho Street
On Sept 22, 2021, local fans of Vietnamese cuisine woke up to the sad news that a major restaurant chain was shutting down for good.
This statement was posted to its social media: “It is to our greatest regret to inform you that Pho Street (Malaysia) has ceased its operations. Thank you for your past patronage and support.”
Pho Street had six outlets in the Klang Valley, located in shopping centres including IOI Mall, Sunway Velocity, and EkoCheras Mall.
They were frequented by folks hankering for authentic Vietnamese street food and, in particular, their popular beef pho.
According to online chatter, the closure was shocking not just to loyal customers but also to the staff, who were apparently given little warning about this tragic turn of events.
3. Bubba Gump
Despite being the place for great food and greater memories, fate (or the powers that be) decided in 2018 that the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co was not to survive the year.
The restaurant chain was popularised by the classic film “Forrest Gump”, starring Tom Hanks. It served a large variety of American seafood, often influenced by Cajun cuisine, and customers may recall the excellent service at all its outlets.
Bubba Gump had three outlets in the Klang Valley: one at The Curve, another in Citta Mall, and the third in Sunway Pyramid.
The first two closed in March 2018, while the Sunway outlet lingered a little longer before calling it a day in September that year.
4. Ben & Jerry’s
American ice-cream brand Ben & Jerry’s opened its first Malaysian outlet in Sunway Pyramid in 2019. The grand opening saw 10,000 scoops of premium ice-cream being distributed for free, and many Malaysians took up that offer happily.
Ben & Jerry’s is famous in the US for its variety of flavours such as Cherry Garcia, Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Chunky Monkey, and Tonight Dough.
In a serious case of bad timing and bad luck, however, the following year saw the arrival of the pandemic, and the ensuing lockdowns proved devastating to the newcomer brand.
In addition to the Sunway Pyramid outlet shuttering, Ben & Jerry’s discontinued selling its pints at local supermarkets – a great loss for Malaysian dessert connoisseurs indeed.
5. Papa John’s
For most Malaysians, Domino’s and Pizza Hut often come to mind when pizza is mentioned, even though there have been attempts by other US brands to enter the Malaysian market.
Many of you might remember Papa John’s, which, under the Berjaya Group, opened outlets throughout the country, starting in the Klang Valley at Berjaya Times Square.
For a time, it looked like Malaysians had more options for pizza and Papa John’s was a good alternative, with many delectable toppings and a crust that was neither too thick nor too thin.
Sadly, the franchise began shutting down outlets one by one and, by 2016, the last Papa John’s closed its doors for good, with little local reaction over the demise of the pizza chain.