Ask any café owner or restaurant operator in Singapore, and you’ll hear the same challenge—rental prices are sky-high. For small F&B startups, this can make profitability feel like a distant dream. The good news? You can fight back using the right mix of technology and smart operations.
Here’s how to keep your costs low, efficiency high, and customers happy—even with expensive rent.
1. Rethink Location and Shift Budget to Marketing
A prime location isn’t always the best decision for a new F&B brand. Not just due to the high rentals, but when operating in prime locations you are likely to be competing directly with well established F&B brands.
- Pick a slightly less central area to save on rent
- Invest those savings in branding and promotions
- Use delivery apps as customer acquisition tools—promote aggressively so people discover your food first online, then offline
2. Cut Manpower Dependency with Automation
Labour costs are climbing. Self-ordering kiosks and QR code menus help you:
- Operate with fewer service staff
- Speed up order processing
- Improve order accuracy
- Create a seamless customer experience
3. Control Inventory Like a Pro
Throwing away expired food is like throwing away cash. POS-linked inventory systems let you:
- Track stock in real time
- Predict demand accurately
- Avoid over-purchasing and wastage
4. Fill Empty Seats During Off-Peak Hours
With yield management strategies, you can keep the business flowing throughout the day.
- Flash deals via Instagram or TikTok
- Loyalty perks for off-peak diners
- Special menus available only between 3–5pm
5. Make Your POS the Heart of Your Operations
A fully integrated POS can help you:
- Manage dine-in, takeaway, and delivery orders in one place
- Monitor sales trends
- Sync loyalty programs automatically
- Make faster business decisions based on live data
While rental prices in Singapore won’t drop overnight, the right tech approach lets F&B startups run more efficiently, keep costs under control, and compete with bigger players.
If you are looking for F&B solutions such as F&B POS systems, Self ordering kiosks, QR ordering, online ordering and CRM solutions, click here to enquire!






