Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg

In April 2021, McDonald's said its iconic Japanese-themed Ridout Tea Garden will be closing down in December 2021 due to the expiry of the lease.

The outlet has been there since 1989.

McDonald's wins tender

But it seems that the golden arches will be there for a little while longer.

Hanbaobao Pte Ltd, the Singapore licensee for McDonald's, was awarded the tender for the 580 Queenstown property spanning 57,453.9 sqft.

13 other bidders

In April 2021, the Singapore Land Authority launched a Price and Quality tender for the site that is part of the Queenstown Heritage Trail.

Hanbaobao placed a bid rent at S$40,000 a month, the second-highest behind The Oddle Company's S$55,000 a month.

The Oddle Company owns food delivery service Oddle Eats.

A total of 14 bidders applied for the site designated for retail or F&B purposes, ranging from S$14,888 to S$55,000 per month.

Iconic location

The McDonald's outlet is located within the Ridout Tea Garden.

Formerly called "Queenstown Japanese Garden", the garden serves as a recreational and leisure spot for residents.

A fire in 1978, however, engulfed most of the original garden.

The Housing Development Board later rebuilt a new garden in 1980, which is the current Japanese-themed garden that includes a tea kiosk and a single-storey house pavillion, which McDonald's occupies.

Top image by katayama_yuichi/Instagram

Follow and listen to our podcast here