Singapore lok lok chain founded by local influencer hawker to shut after 5 years

Fei Zhu Lok Lok, a Malaysian-style skewer chain in Singapore founded by local influencer Phyllis Seah, is closing its doors after more than five years in operation.

A Fei Zhu Lok Lok stall

"After thinking about it for a long time, I’ve finally decided to close all my outlets and bring this chapter to an end," Phyllis wrote in an Instagram post on Wednesday, adding that Sept. 13 would be the chain’s last day.

She did not give a specific reason for the closure, but described Singapore’s food and beverage industry as "really, really tough" for businesses without "a huge organization or strong financial backing."

Lok lok is a popular Malaysian street food consisting of skewered ingredients dipped into boiling stock.

Fei Zhu Lok Lok is known for its selection of skewers, which include Taiwan sausage, cheese tofu, broccoli and fried beancurd soy skin, and its Signature Lala Soup. It operates two outlets, in Ang Mo Kio and Toa Payoh, according to AsiaOne.

Although its physical stores are closing, the business will continue catering to private events, corporate functions, house parties and pop-up events.

Fei Zhu Lok Lok was launched by Phyllis and her childhood friend in early 2021 when they were both 24 and unable to travel to Johor Bahru to enjoy the snack due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to local media reports.

The business initially operated from a hawker stall in a coffee shop, where skewers were sold for S$1 each. It quickly gained attention after local news outlets featured the stall, with the resulting popularity drawing queues that stretched for hours.

Phyllis told 8days at the time that she had wanted to name the business "Chio Bu Lok Lok," with the term being a Hokkien slang for pretty woman. The outlet subsequently dubbed her the "self-proclaimed ‘chio bu’ hawker."

The brand later expanded to several outlets and even opened a full-fledged restaurant at Kallang Wave Mall in 2024.

Fei Zhu Lok Lok’s closure adds to the growing number of F&B businesses that have shut in Singapore this year. Between January and July, the city-state recorded 2,101 F&B closures, up 25.1% from a year ago, according to the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority.