GEORGE TOWN, Feb 4 ― The Covid-19 pandemic has negatively affected Penang’s tourism industry especially hotels that have to sustain high overhead costs with almost zero occupancy.

In recent weeks, numerous hotels here have turned to selling affordable set meals, hawker fare and drinks to drum up some business.

Some such as Cititel Penang, Golden Sands Resort and Jen Hotel Penang even set up hawker stalls outside their premises to draw in the crowds.

Over at Cititel Penang, several stalls lining the entrance offer favourites like assam laksa, Thai laksa, kuih, spring rolls, char koay teow and teh tarik.

The hotel’s acting food and beverage manager Abu Hurairah said their teh tarik, at only RM1, is the cheapest in town.

“We are also offering free ice lemon tea with each order,” he said.

Instead of letting customers queue outside for their orders, the hotel arranged chairs one metre apart and in a line inside the hotel lobby, in accordance with standard operating procedures (SOPs).

“Walk-in customers can order, pay and sit comfortably to wait for their orders... we don’t want them to queue outside in the hot sun,” he said.

Patrons pick up food from the hawker stalls lining the hotel's entrance in George Town February 3, 2021. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin
Patrons pick up food from the hawker stalls lining the hotel's entrance in George Town February 3, 2021. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

Abu said the hotel has also been delivering set meals to nurses and doctors at several private hospitals on the island.

“The medical frontliners get special rates for their orders,” he said.

He said the hotel needed to introduce this special takeaway and delivery menu due to the low occupancy rate and current movement control order (MCO).

“We only have a three per cent occupancy rate so we have to do something,” he said.

Cititel Penang’s “Tapao 2.0” lunch sets at RM8 to RM12 each for takeaway and delivery are only available on weekdays from 11am to 4pm.

Their menu offers fried rice with chicken, spaghetti with chicken bolognese, spaghetti carbonara with chicken, assam laksa, nasi lemak with chicken rendang, char koay teow and Hainanese chicken chop.

Customers can call 04-2911128 to place their orders 30 minutes before pick-up or for delivery.

The Royale Chulan Penang’s takeaways and deliveries for breakfast, tea break, lunch and dinner are from 8am to 7.30pm. ― Picture by Sayuti Zainudin
The Royale Chulan Penang’s takeaways and deliveries for breakfast, tea break, lunch and dinner are from 8am to 7.30pm. ― Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

Over at Royale Chulan Penang, the hotel is offering an expanded menu for its “Take Me Home 2.0” set meals.

The hotel’s marketing and communications manager, S. Vayshnavee, said it is offering free delivery for breakfast, lunch, tea break and early dinner.

“We have widened our delivery coverage from just around George Town to Bayan Lepas and Tanjung Bungah,” she said.

Delivery to anywhere in George Town is free for orders above RM30 while orders outside of George Town will need a minimum order of RM60 to enjoy the free delivery.

The hotel offers breakfast and lunch sets from RM7.90 per set onwards.

Takeaways and deliveries for breakfast, tea break, lunch and dinner are from 8am to 7.30pm and customers can call 04-2598888 Ext 8910 or WhatsApp 016-3303408 to place their orders.

One of the customers at Royale Chulan who ordered the takeaway, David Lim, 48, said he has already tried the takeaway menus of several hotels in George Town and Tanjung Bungah.

“Today, I am buying for my staff as my office is nearby,” he said.

He said he tries to support the local hotels as much as possible as they are suffering during the MCO.

Some of the hotels offering special takeaway and delivery menus are:

1. The Wembley: A St Giles Hotel Penang
“Executive Lunch Box” from RM12 onwards
Mondays-Fridays (11am-3pm)
Call: 04-259 8123

2. Bayview Hotel Penang
Bayview’s “Takeaway Menu” from RM8 nett onwards
Daily: (11am-7pm)
Call: 04-263 3161 Ext 246

3. Hotel Royal Penang
Daily breakfast from RM3 nett
Local delicacies from RM5 onwards
Daily: 7am-6pm
Call or WhatsApp: 019-5566015

4. Jen Hotel Penang
Jen “Express Hot Meals On-The-Go” from RM6 onwards
Daily: 11am-8pm
Whatsapp: 012-5022627

5. Hompton By the Beach Penang
“Take Me Home Drive Thru” from RM8 nett onwards
Daily: 11am-8pm
Call: 04-373 3233

6. Eastin Hotel Penang
“E 2 Go” from RM5 onwards
Daily: 11am-7pm
Call: 04-612 1128 / WhatsApp: 016-417 5531

7. Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa Penang
“Shangri-la Penang Specials” with hawker food from RM10 onwards
Daily:11am-8pm
Call: 04-888 8888
Go to https://www.shangri-la-penang-specials.com to order online

8. G Hotel Gurney
“Wok Stir Fried Takeaways” at RM15 nett
Daily from 9.30am-7.30pm
Call 04-238 0209 or WhatsApp 016-276 2188

9. Olive Tree Hotel Penang
“Olive on the Go” from RM11.90 onwards
Daily: 10am-7pm
WhatsApp 019-559 7114 or go to olivetree.my to order online