Yong
KOTA KINABALU: Coffee shop operators are going to lose their breakfast business following the State Government’s decision to revise the operation hours from 9am to 6pm.
Sabah West Coast Coffee Shop Association chairman Yong Chee Yun said the new operation hours would have a major impact on coffee shops and eateries as they would not be able to cater for breakfast customers.
“Many customers in Lido, Kota Kinabalu and Damai purchase breakfast for takeaway at 8am before they head to work.
“We will lose out on these breakfast patrons with the new operation hours that only allow us to open at 9am.”
Yong said coffee shops were just starting to get back on track when dine-in was allowed as customers have returned to patron their premises.
“However, the latest ban on dine-in has slashed our revenue by half.
“Some food are not suitable for takeaway, like noodles.
“Some customers have also complained that their hot beverage takeaway has turned lukewarm by the time they consume it.”
He also hoped that the government would restore the operation hours from 6am to 12 midnight soon.
At the same time, Yong said business operators found it tough to keep up with the ever changing standard operating procedures (SOPs).
“It is difficult for us to adapt to the SOPs when the government keeps changing it all the time.”
Yong also hoped that enforcement personnel would be more considerate and reasonable towards business operators.
He said an eatery operator in Peninsular Malaysia was compounded when his customer took a sip of the beverage out of thirst after exiting the premises.
“Both the customer and the business operator were fined by the enforcement, which was overly strict.
“We hope that the enforcement would be more considerate towards the plight of business operators.”
The association has more than 300 members in the west coast.