By Alexandria Grace C. Magno
DIN TAI FUNG PHILIPPINES, the local franchise of the world-renowned Taiwanese restaurant brand, is marking its 10th year by expanding beyond Metro Manila, with new stores opening in Cebu and Pampanga as it responds to growing demand outside the capital region.
“So, for the first 10 years, we really stayed within Metro Manila. We were very mall-centric, and we went to the neighborhoods where we understood our market, which was largely within Metro Manila,” The Moment Group Co-Founder for Creative Development Abba Napa said in an interview with BusinessWorld.
“We were nervous about whether we would be appreciated and accepted in the Visayas — but we were genuinely surprised and happy because now we see that Filipinos from all over seem to appreciate dining at Din Tai Fung,” she added.
Din Tai Fung is an international franchise under The Moment Group, the food and beverage company behind homegrown restaurant brands such as Manam, Ooma, 8Cuts, Mo’ Cookies, Moment Catering, and Hayop in Singapore. The first Din Tai Fung branch in the Philippines opened at SM Megamall in 2015.
In July 2025, the company opened its ninth store in Cebu, its first in the Visayas. The tenth branch, marking the brand’s 10th anniversary, will open in Clark, Pampanga.
“We’re hoping to open maybe three to four more shops by next year as well. We opened Cebu Din Tai Fung a couple of months ago in July. We’re hoping to open our second one next year,” said Eliza Antonino, co-founder and managing partner of The Moment Group.
She said that while the company has no fixed expansion targets, it continues to follow market demand.
“Nothing specific. We open where the market is. We don’t want to target and say, ‘Oh, we need to open there,’ it’s really about responding to demand,” she said.
“We’re also very mall-centric, so we know we need the foot traffic from the malls. We try to support our commercial partners as well when they open in different parts of the country.”
Din Tai Fung Philippines has built a loyal customer base by maintaining its Taiwanese authenticity rather than adapting recipes to local tastes.
“We constantly market it as a Taiwanese brand. We don’t say that it’s Filipino-inspired at all,” Ms. Antonino said.
“We don’t even develop any kind of dishes that are Filipino-inspired. Everything is really true to the Taiwanese culture and brand. Including our own dishes that were made by us originally is still Taiwanese, like the crispy beef strips and the chocolate xiaolongbao.”
The Chocolate Lava Xiaolongbao — a dessert dumpling with molten chocolate in a mochi-like wrapper often paired with rock salt and cheese — has since become popular globally, alongside other Philippine-origin creations such as Crispy Beef Strips and Salted Egg Yolk Prawns.
Before acquiring the franchise, Din Tai Fung Taiwan required The Moment Group team to undergo six months of hands-on training in Taipei.
“We learned how Din Tai Fung operated. We learned the front of house, back of house, front of kitchen. We even learned — I even learned personally — how to make a xiaolongbao,” Ms. Antonino said.
Although language differences initially posed challenges, Ms. Antonino noted that the franchise has consistently met Din Tai Fung’s global standards for quality and service.
“I think maintaining consistency with what exists in the country where it originated is important — making sure you are attuned to what the brand is, the food is, and the service, so you don’t feel like, ‘Oh, it’s more delicious there,’” she said.
“It’s the balance between two things — contextualizing the brand for the countries where it can be successful, and never disrespecting the brand’s DNA, always trying to live up to the reputation of what the brand’s quality is in its home country,” Ms. Napa added.