Where has everyone gone last month?

[Kenny202]

We're up North East in Khon Kaen and city been like a ghost town last month. Understand it's school holidays but we've just been away for a week and all hotels resorts tourist areas empty. Wondering where everyone has gone or maybe everyone at home / no money

 

Wife started a small business 4 months ago. Selling burgers, fries, hot dogs etc to Thais mainly. First 3 months she was going gang busters. Food reasonably priced and plenty of return customers. Good reliable sales every day. About a month ago business just died overnight. Nothing had changed. Food, location, prices the same. Obviously school holidays but she's at the university area and they are still open.

 

I've racked my brain but just can't figure it out? One thing may have something to do with it and a lot of our customers are more well to do Thais, possibly Chinese and it has been Chinese lent ie no meat. 

 

Anybody else have a business here struggling or had the same experience?

[NiwPix]

Hey Kenny,

I've been running a business in Ubon ( also Isaan ) for 5+ years now. One thing I learned quickly is that there is no consistency. If Saturday was your busiest day of the week, the following week Saturday could be the slowest. Same thing with the months. You may have 3 great months and then from 1 day to the other the following month could be your slowest month of the year. The next year your slowest month could be August instead of October.

 

There can be causes for the ever changing slow months. In my case it does have to do with school holidays but also if new restaurants/cafes open up in the area ( talk of the town )...people tend to go there, check-in / selfie, check out the place. And this is a never ending cycle.

All that being said, this is what I have noticed / experienced. It could be different in your case or even your city.

 

The other business I have for about 2 years now benefits from restaurants opening up and doesnt seem to be affected by school holidays

[Jeffrey346]

Where are you located in KK?

[The Theory]

Are you sure there were planty of returned customers ?

My gf opened a Japanese restaurant in bkk. Everything was beautiful, but after 3 months, just a few daily customers mostly weekends. 

I assumed that all those good days happened by one time customers who were trying a new restaurant. 

Then adios muchachos. 

She closed it after 6 months. 

[Kenny202]

Are you sure there were planty of returned customers ?
My gf opened a Japanese restaurant in bkk. Everything was beautiful, but after 3 months, just a few daily customers mostly weekends. 
I assumed that all those good days happened by one time customers who were trying a new restaurant. 
Then adios muchachos. 
She closed it after 6 months. 

Yes sure about the return customers. Probably 40% of our business.

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[Esso49]

Same in Udon. Quiet is an understatement but for those with a business relying on locals then not to much different . However the businesses that rely on foreigners then busineess has gone off a cliff. Sign of the times perhaps as the government's policies are beginning to have a long term impact.

 

As for business dropping off after 3 months then it appears this is not unusual irrespective of the above.  Thais tend to go to a new establishment for a while in droves and then, when another one opens, they go their. Customer loyalties are somewhat fickle.  My wife opened a business 3 years ago and had similar results. She closed it down eventually.

[Kenny202]

We had customers coming everyday buying the same food. And Im sure there is a boredom factor. I tend to do that myself as our choice of good food in KK is not great. Go somewhere every day or 2 for a couple of moths then tired of the same thing. But usually do go back after a while. I guess that is nirvana when you have a steady mix of new customers, steadies and return older customers. We're primarilly selling to locals...but either way it is deathly quiet around town. Traffic about 10% of what it normally is at anytime of the day

 

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[anon2736434]

What can you expect with the economy as it is ? And lets face it restaurants and coffee shops come and go constantly, there are way too many for the economy/population to support