Creative 'Going To Die Already' Shrimp Banner Helps A Restaurant Get Back On Its Feet
Photos of the banner at the restaurant on Jalan Tengkera, Melaka have gone viral.
By Yap Wan Xiang — 09 Jun 2021, 06:17 PM
A restaurant in Melaka managed to save itself from winding up thanks to a creative banner showing a dying shrimp
"Please support us! Going to die already..." reads a banner hung outside I Love Penang Street Food restaurant on Jalan Tengkera.
The striking message is accompanied by an even more striking image. It shows a dead shrimp laying on its back with its tongue sticking out.
Speaking to The Star, restaurant owner Anne Lee said she decided to put up the banner in an attempt to get foodies and passers-by to patronise her shop.
"This is a very difficult time for all of us and I came up with this idea to encourage motorists to stop and pack food at this row of pre-war shophouses along the busy street," the 41-year-old restaurateur said.
After the banner went up, Lee said her restaurant managed to receive more orders
Photos of the shophouse with the banner have gone viral on social media. On Reddit's r/malaysia, the photo garnered over 1,900 upvotes.
Meanwhile, on Facebook, a Caltex petrol station in Bachang also supported the business by sharing a photo of the restaurant on its Facebook page.
The photo was even shared to a Melbourne foodie group on Facebook.
Lee said she started the business during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in November last year, reported The Star.
"I took the challenge to venture into the food business using my in-law's Penang-style menu," she said.
"I decided to open an outlet in Melaka. I rented a shop, and employed locals to start the business."
In a Facebook update on Sunday, 6 June, the restaurant denied that they were trying to seek cheap attention, while explaining that it was their last straw to save the business
At a certain point in time, the restaurant said they could barely survive on a day-to-day basis.
"[We] do feel like giving up and wait for better days ahead," they lamented.
"But thinking about the surrounding people [who need] to put food on the table, especially our families, our staffs, and their families, we chose to carry on with the hopes that everyone survives through [these] tough times together."
"Some may say that we are trying to steal the limelight for attention or even seeking for sympathy from the public, but whatever you may say, all we wanted was just to share a humorous and entertaining message to really capture the honesty of our situation."
If you live around Jalan Tengkera in Melaka city centre and want to support the restaurant, you can WhatsApp them at +6016-7397741 or +6016-3513438.
They serve many Penang delicacies, such as char kuey teow, cendol, fruit rojak, taupok rojak, assam laksa, and more.
In the spirit of #sapotlokal, here are some local businesses that would not mind taking any extra new orders:
