The Secret to Longevity in F&B: Hear From Mario’s, Alba’s, and The Aristocrat Restaurant

Raymund Reyes, too, recalls the trauma of survival mode during dark pandemic times while keeping an over 80-year-old icon alive. Reyes is the grandson of founder Asiang Reyes and current president of The Aristocrat Restaurant, and the fear of a legend collapsing under his watch is very real. Still, he knows the brand has been through worse—during World War 2, his grandparents kept the restaurant open and were serving Filipino, American, and Japanese customers. He knows he stands steadily on the shoulders of his ancestors, who have learned to adapt while also staying true to a brand deeply ingrained in local culture.

“Thank god for our chicken barbecue,” Reyes laughs, pertaining to their bestselling dish—an innovation of Asiang when they opened a branch in a Las Piñas beach resort in 1945. They kept losing their cutlery because the customers would bring them back to their huts, so she had to come up with barbecue-style dishes that did not require utensils. Apparently, these same barbecue dishes were also what carried them through the lockdowns when dining-in was unreliable, and they bet heavily on their deliveries. “It was tough to operate during the roller coaster ride of the lockdown levels,” Reyes points out, “under 30 per cent dine-in and much more [under] 10 per cent dine-in. Food delivery helped a lot, but most customers really wanted dine-in. Restaurants were happy if they were breaking even, which was mostly not the case during the pandemic.”

With the air finally clearing, it seems that it is full steam ahead towards their centennial as they open new branches and broaden the reach of Aristocrat Bakeshop. They keep up with the trends and are playing the social media game with the best of them, updating their branding and dining interiors while expanding their branches. “We are hoping to capture the younger generation,” Reyes discloses.

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Innovation, though, is not always the answer to staying relevant. The promise of treasured recipes passed on through generations will always have its appeal. An appreciation for rich traditions and dishes done "as grandma used to." This is the allure of Alba, the restaurant that Don Anastacio de Alba started seventy years ago and is still owned and operated by his son, Miguel. Their Polaris Street branch in fast-evolving Poblacion, Makati, remains untouched and unaffected by the changes in its surroundings. "My father has always stayed true to his goal of serving traditional Spanish food in the Philippines," de Alba assures. "Alba has reached seven decades because we have remained to be the home of traditional Spanish cooking in the Philippines. This tradition has been passed on to the rest of the Alba family."

He recalls how the 1980s was a turning point for the brand when it was going through a time of "financial instability", and he and his wife, Cachelle, had to find ways to revive the business. They installed new systems to improve overall efficiency in their operations and jumpstart marketing strategies by bringing in more loyal guests. However, the pandemic truly posed a threat and challenged them in new ways, which forced their hand to "enhance our policies and product offerings and services to adapt to the current realities of the F&B industry."

Like most, they had to rely on take-out and delivery, which were never their brand's strong suits, working with digital partners and tapping their servers to become in-house delivery riders. Still, there was beauty in the midst of all the madness. "During these crucial times, I witnessed the sacrifice of our people, who have extended their generosity and utmost support to the company by means of sharing their resources and duty hours with one another. This heartfelt gesture created a stronger bond among each other, a silver lining amid the uncertainties of the situation. It has carried us through the challenges of this pandemic, but also recognizing that this will bring us to a different level of resiliency."

See also: The Moment Group's Abba Napa Shares How The Pandemic Affected Her Work And Restaurants

Still, when asked what they believe is that one thing that has kept them around for so long, all three restauranteurs had one clear answer: consistency. To achieve that, there are no magic formulas. No templates. No shortcuts. “A lot of our customers say our food tastes the same as before they left,” Reyes imparts. “Especially the balikbayans that come back home after years of working abroad. We are in their itinerary when they visit the Philippines.”

“Perseverance and hard work. That is really what it takes,” Reyes declares. Benitez echoes this, and it is why he is in his restaurants every day, spot-checking the sauces and soup of the day, and why he scours the internet for reviews and customer feedback that he might have missed. “Never be kampante [complacent], be consistent,” Benitez insists. “That is the key to why our restaurant lasted so long. There’s a joke that goes ‘if you’re going to taste lousy, always taste lousy.’ (Laughs) At least people know what to expect.”

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