Case Study: How Happy Lamb Hot Pot Filled a Quiet Orchard Restaurant with Social Media
Updated: 2 hours ago
Short answer: Happy Lamb Hot Pot (快乐小羊火锅) is an all-you-can-eat hot pot restaurant on the second floor of Pacific Plaza, Orchard. When Start Media started working with it in November 2022, the restaurant had almost no walk-in traffic and the owners were considering closing. With 20 short videos a month in Chinese and English, 20+ creator visits a month and a steady run of promotions, its accounts now average more than 100,000 views a month and the restaurant is often fully booked.
Updated October 2026. Figures are from the restaurant's own accounts and from the client.
Key results
100,000+ views a month on average across the restaurant's accounts.
A viral post almost every month, and a bigger hit every few months.
Xiaohongshu followers grew from about 600 to over 5,000, with about 37,000 likes and saves on the account.
Tables are full much of the time, in a mall unit that had almost no foot traffic.
Working together since November 2022, and still running today.
The client
Restaurant: Happy Lamb Hot Pot (快乐小羊火锅), all-you-can-eat hot pot from SGD 19.99++ with 80+ kinds of meat, seafood, vegetables and desserts.
Location: 9 Scotts Road, #02-10 Pacific Plaza, Singapore 228210, near Orchard MRT.
Service: Start Media's outsourced marketing package, including Xiaohongshu account management and creator store visits.
The challenge
No natural foot traffic: the restaurant is on the second floor of Pacific Plaza, and the mall is very quiet.
A large, expensive space: more than 4,000 square feet with high rent.
Losing money every month: the owners were preparing to close.
Almost no social media: a Xiaohongshu account with about 600 followers, and no Instagram or TikTok account.
What we did
20 videos a month: 10 in Chinese and 10 in English, filmed in the restaurant by our team.
Four official accounts: we post on the restaurant's Xiaohongshu, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook accounts.
20+ creator visits a month: we invite, brief and schedule local creators and review every note before it goes live. See our KOC store visit service.
Promotions that give people a reason to post and visit: free yoghurt for customers who check in on social media, 50% off on festive days, an afternoon set, buy 6 get 1 free for groups, and student and senior specials.
Price-led content: titles built around what people search for, such as "affordable hot pot in Singapore" and "Orchard buffet", with the SGD 19.99++ price up front.
Results
Monthly views: averaging more than 100,000 a month.
Regular viral posts: almost every month there is a smaller hit, and every few months a big one. On WeChat Channels, one video ("新加坡人太有福了，20.99+") reached 4,649 shares, and another ("19.99+ 肉卷吃到扶墙出") reached 3,019 shares.
Xiaohongshu: from about 600 followers to over 5,000. The pinned price-guide note has 1,674 likes, 920 saves and 192 comments.
In the restaurant: tables are full much of the time.
Followers were never the goal. What matters is that people who search for hot pot in Singapore keep finding the restaurant, and come in.
Example posts
What other restaurants can learn
Location problems can be solved online. A quiet mall unit needs customers who come on purpose, and search-led platforms like Xiaohongshu bring exactly those customers.
Lead with a clear offer. A simple price and a reason to visit this week make content easier to share.
Volume matters. 20 videos and 20+ creator visits a month keep the restaurant showing up in search and feeds.
Speak to both audiences. Chinese content for Xiaohongshu and WeChat, English content for TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.
Frequently asked questions
How did Happy Lamb Hot Pot grow its customers with social media?
Since November 2022, Start Media has posted 10 Chinese and 10 English videos a month on the restaurant's Xiaohongshu, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, arranged 20+ creator visits a month and planned promotions such as check-in rewards and festive discounts. The accounts now average more than 100,000 views a month and the restaurant is often full.
Can social media help a restaurant in a quiet mall?
Yes. Happy Lamb Hot Pot is on the second floor of a quiet Orchard mall with almost no walk-in traffic. Regular videos, creator store visits and clear offers brought customers who came on purpose.
Which agency runs Happy Lamb Hot Pot's social media?
Start Media, a Singapore social media and Xiaohongshu marketing agency in Tampines, has run Happy Lamb Hot Pot's social media since November 2022.
Want results like this for your restaurant? Get a free strategy call. 中文版：快乐小羊火锅案例.
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