Majestic Restaurant to grow brand through franchising
HOMEGROWN Majestic Restaurant announced it is opening its business for franchise after over 70 years of operation.
“The future of Majestic is super bright. The company is now opening its doors for franchising within Cebu City and the neighboring cities. This way everyone can have a majestic meal,” said Don Edrian Tirol, the group’s chief operating officer.
The company is still developing the franchise package to introduce this year.
“We’ve never intended Majestic Restaurant to become a chain, but when it joined the Kuya J Group, the group is known to be expanding to so many branches and taking in new brands. So we want Majestic to be in the same direction,” he added. “The franchise for now will be (offered) in Cebu City and neighboring cities, where we can control the quality of the product.”
Tirol said Majestic is considering opening at least three franchised outlets in locations such as Mactan and Guadalupe, among others, this year. They are also exploring the possibility of offering a franchise for a smaller space of about 250 square meters.
On Wednesday, May 8, 2024, Majestic Restaurant unveiled its new look at its new location inside the SM City Cebu, aiming to remain relevant and competitive in the post-pandemic restaurant business.
“Food business is still a good business to get into. But we’ve noticed a shift in Cebuanos’ spending preferences. That’s why we’ve made a big effort to make this branch a bit high-end while maintaining a good price. Right now, we are still the value-for-money Chinese restaurant in Cebu City,” said Tirol.
He said they’ve decided to elevate Majestic to a more upscale level because Cebuanos increasingly seek dining experiences they cannot replicate at home.
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Tirol said many restaurants offered frozen items for at-home cooking. He noted that without providing customers with a superior experience and ambiance, they may choose not to revisit the same establishments.
“The trend with restaurants renovating and making it more higher-end looking, while maintaining a good price is starting to catch on. That’s why you now see a lot of restaurants upgrading their interiors,” he said.
History
The original Majestic restaurant was established in 1952 by the family of Mr. Winglip Chang and a group of Chinese immigrants from Hong Kong. Headed by Chang’s uncle Cheung Sui Hing, the restaurant had its beginnings along Colon St. beside the old Oriente Theater.
By 1981, Majestic closed its doors because business in the downtown Cebu area had slowed down tremendously during that time.
It was in 1985 when the second generation took over and reopened Majestic Restaurant at the Belvic Building in Gen. Maxilom Ave. Ten years later, in 1995, Majestic transferred to SM City Cebu.
More than half a century later, since its humble beginnings, the Majestic Restaurants joined the Kuya J Group in 2018. With this move, management decided to revitalize and redesign all the restaurants.
After the Covid-19 pandemic, Majestic opened a new branch at SM Consolacion featuring a whole new look.
Under the Kuya J Group are brands Landers, Popeyes, Majestic Restaurant and Kuya J.