Asia’s largest low-cost carrier is betting people love its food so much that it opened its first restaurant on Monday, offering the same menu it sells on flights. It’s not a gimmick, either: AirAsia, based in Malaysia, said it plans to open more than 100 restaurants globally within the next five years.
The quick-service restaurant’s first location is in a mall in Kuala Lumpur. It’s called Santan, meaning coconut milk in Malay, which is the same branding AirAsia uses on its in-flight menus.
“We have seen a significant appetite for our in-flight menu offerings beyond our flights across the region and this is our answer to that demand,” the brand’s general manager Catherine Goh said in a press release.
AirAsia hopes its Asian-specific food will attract people over its western competitors. It’s also part of the company’s broader plan to become a lifestyle brand, according to a recent interview CEO Tony Fernandes gave.
AirAsia is also the first airline to bring its in-house food offerings to the ground. Typically, airlines attract high-end chefs from restaurants to craft in-flight menus. For example, JetBlue partnered with New York-based Saxon and Parole for its meals, and British Airways offers items for sale on some of its flights from regional retailer Marks and Spencer.
