49 Seats walked away from franchising & closed its outlets. It may have saved the biz.

After surviving for over a decade in Singapore’s brutal F&B scene, 49 Seats is expanding again

Hanging metal chairs and walls plastered with plates, plastic bottles, and even egg trays—all spray-painted in a metallic silver. This was the scene when I visited 49 Seats’ newest outlet at Holland V.

Those unfamiliar with the brand might assume it’s a new restaurant trying to establish itself in Singapore’s unforgiving F&B scene. As it turns out, 49 Seats is one of the few homegrown F&B brands that has survived since 2012.

Determined to uncover the secret ingredient behind its longevity, I spoke with Riston Foo, concept designer and the overall mastermind behind 49 Seats, in an exclusive interview to learn how the business has thrived for more than a decade.

49 Seats’ founder used to be an interior designer

Before founding 49 Seats, Riston worked as an interior designer, starting his own firm, Whiz Concepts, in 1996. As a built environment specialist, he’s designed a range of residential and commercial projects in Singapore, and his philosophy has never changed after more than 30 years in the field.

“Rather than blindly following trends, my philosophy is to create original ideas and set new trends that move the design industry forward,” shared Riston. 

His experience also led him to design for many homegrown F&B concepts, and that was when he became fascinated by how food, service, and atmosphere come together to shape the guest experience. “Moving into F&B felt like a natural extension of my creative journey.”

49 Seats first opened at 49 Kreta Ayer Road, and the space was designed to fit exactly 49 seats. The restaurant is also credited with creating Singapore’s first Tom Yum Seafood pasta and XL fish and chips with tom yum sauce, a combination that was rare at the time.

“I am a big fan of spicy food, so I decided to create a restaurant that serves spicy Western fusion food to Singapore spice lovers,” explained Riston.

And it became a hit amongst the locals. Photos on the brand’s Facebook page showed snaking queues of customers waiting to be seated at one of the 49 seats, and the business also caught the attention of franchisees looking to help the brand expand.

Riston took that opportunity to grow the brand, leading 49 Seats to open their second and third restaurants at Orchard Central and Bugis+ in 2014 and 2015, respectively. While the response was equally rousing as their debut, obstacles soon emerged.

Taking back control

According to Riston, the franchisees were not adhering to their operational guidelines, which made it difficult to maintain consistency. This prompted him to regain control of the brand, and the team made the bold decision to shutter all three outlets and consolidate operations into a single location at The Centrepoint in 2017.

The move also resulted in the business gaining the largest space it has ever had, allowing it to expand its dine-in capacity to more than 49 seats. However, the restaurant was also tucked away in a corner of the mall with low footfall, keeping it hidden from walk-in traffic.

“Filling the huge space up with 180 people feels like filling three regular restaurants at once,” added Riston.

Nevertheless, 49 Seats has continued to draw crowds since its relaunch, with multiple customer requests to expand to more locations. The team eventually decided to set up shop at Holland V in Dec 2025, a whopping eight years after opening at The Centrepoint.

While Riston did not reveal the reason for their seemingly late move, 49 Seats’ expansion into Holland V comes at a time when many F&B operators are still navigating the aftereffects of the pandemic, alongside rising overhead costs such as rent, ingredients, and manpower.

The area also became a hot topic earlier in Jun 2025, when four mainstay tenants announced their closures (though Wala Wala Cafe Bar continues to operate), highlighting its declining popularity amongst Singaporeans.

However, these news reports never deterred Riston. “We saw it as an opportunity to bring a fresh breath of air to the neighborhood and create a space where people could enjoy good food and a warm dining experience.”

I attended a media tasting at the outlet just days before its opening, with measured expectations. After all, tom yum pasta and fusion cuisine are hardly considered novel in Singapore today, so what makes 49 Seats different? 

With its signature metallic motifs and industrial aesthetic, the restaurant stands out along the Holland V stretch. Following the staff’s recommendations, I ordered the signature tom yum seafood pasta along with a plate of salted egg popcorn chicken and a sour plum cola.

The pasta wasn’t overwhelmingly spicy and rich, and came with a generous amount of seafood, from prawns to mussels to clams. The dish was priced at about S$20, which is good value for the amount of seafood and portion size. While the salted egg popcorn chicken leaned slightly rich alongside the pasta, the sour plum cola helped cut through the heaviness with its tartness.

I spontaneously decided to get a dessert, and they only had the Wicked Brownie with Ice Cream available, but the classic combination was satisfying. 

Standing out amongst cookie-cutter concepts

While the dishes and experience don’t involve innovative gastronomy or culinary techniques, its no-frills dishes and distinguishable interior remain a pleasant memory weeks after my visit—a lasting impression designed by 49 Seats that has helped the brand stand the test of time.

Without naming names, Riston shared that aside from the food itself, he believes that as Singapore’s F&B scene becomes more competitive and saturated, business owners also need to craft a brand identity unique to them to survive.

“The market is flooded with cookie-cutter design restaurants whose interior design is so generic that, without their logos, they lack a clear identity and could represent almost any brand,” he added.

But as the local food scene continues to change, complacency is not an option for longtime brands like 49 Seats. Riston plans to establish more outlets at neighbourhood locations across the North, South, East, and West of Singapore within the next year and continue innovating its menu.  

However, expansion comes with its own challenges. Having previously scaled back after franchising issues, maintaining consistency across multiple outlets will be a test for the brand, especially in a climate where rising rents, labour shortages, and higher ingredient costs continue to squeeze margins for homegrown operators.

That said, the harsh realities of the local food scene don’t seem to dampen Riston’s spirits, as he remains optimistic about the brand’s longevity. “We believe that Singapore has the appetite and support for homegrown F&B concepts, and we want to be part of the thriving local scene.” 

• Learn more about 49 Seats here.
• Read more stories we’ve written on Singaporean businesses here.

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Featured Image Credit: 49 Seats