Durian seller Rosli Che Rose, 55 showing one of the best durian 'Kum Poh' from Balik Pulau that his selling at his stall at Jalan Baru in Bukit Mertajam. ( May 19, 2023 ) - ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: So many “all-you-can-eat” durian buffet packages are popping up that visitors to Penang can expect to eat till they drop this season.
From banks to hotels – and even a private hospital – these binge buffets are priced from as low as RM49.99 to RM160 per person, or even as free bundles for customers.
Through tie-ups with retailers and even the orchards themselves, businesses are using customers’ love for the king of fruits to promote themselves or enhance customer loyalty.
Careful not to get caught with big eaters, one package added a time limit: it is all-you-can-eat within 60 minutes, with rambutan and mangosteens thrown in.
A private hospital is even running promotions in the Indonesian language to draw in healthcare travellers from that country, a fiesta for patients who sign up for the hospital’s health screening package of RM988.
Patients will be driven to “a picturesque durian orchard” to feast, while the health screening comes with a complete medical report plus consultation by a physician.
A large hotel in George Town offers an all-you-can-eat session for two per room booked at a durian stall a few kilometres away, and even throws in a RM20 ehailing rebate for the guests to get there.
A bank, limiting the RM49.99 to RM99 buffet deals to the first 100 customers who sign up, lets each customer bring a child under 12 years old to eat for free.
In another deal, free watermelons are given, since watermelon farmers are experiencing a bumper crop this year and their fruits are retailing for as low as 80sen per kilo.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry Penang director Jonathan Freddy P. Bagang welcomed the initiatives as they would entice more people to visit Penang.
“Many love the fruit and Penang offers so many variants with unique flavours.
“I welcome their efforts and it will be great if others follow suit.
“These promotions will boost tourism and attract locals and foreigners as well who are planning a trip here,” he said.
Earlier this year, durian orchard owners interviewed predicted a good harvest because the dry weather had allowed durian flowers to bloom and be pollinated without disturbances from the rain.
Some expected the harvest to be so plentiful that even the popular Musang King variant might be retailing at RM30 to RM40 per kg.
Penang’s durian began dropping in the middle of this month and are expected to last till early August.
