Now three years after that initial announcement, KUB Malaysia Berhad has received the nod from the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) to demolish the A&W outlet so work on a high-rise can commence.
As the finality of the decision sunk in, many expressed how grief-stricken they were that the restaurant, located next to the Taman Jaya LRT station, will no longer be a part of the PJ landscape and to a certain extent, their lives as they know it.
More so since the outlet has been standing there, humble and welcoming, since 1965. It also earned for itself the proud label of being the country’s first drive-in restaurant. And memories of the famous Root Bear, who thrilled kids for decades at birthday parties held there, cannot be easily wiped off.
A visit by FMT to A&W revealed that although over five decades old, and looking every bit like the relic it is, there were still many who popped-in for the restaurant’s favourites.
Some patrons FMT spoke to shared their fond memories of the place, when they came to pay their “last respects”, so to speak.
A 60-year-old woman was teary-eyed as she recounted bringing her two little nieces – now adults – to the restaurant whenever they visited from Ipoh during the school holidays.
“There are other A&W restaurants nearer to where we live but it just doesn’t feel the same,” she said, adding that more than 20 years later, the iconic branch was still their go-to place for burgers and root beer floats.
“It’s such a shame that they are closing the restaurant.”
Both her nieces, now in their 30s and 40s, were with her when FMT interviewed them. One of them, giving her name as Narayanan, who obviously still harbours strong feelings for the place, said the authorities were irresponsible for approving the new development project.
“It’s an iconic place. A famous place for people to hang out and eat with their loved ones. Why would they want to tear it down?
“They should keep this place. We don’t want this place to go,” she said, drawing comparisons with the recent demolishing of another iconic building not too far away, Ampang Park, in Kuala Lumpur.
Several others who were interviewed also remembered the restaurant as being a big part of their childhood.
Raihan Hanim, 43, even referred to the restaurant as her playground, a place she used to go to with her parents when she was just six years old.
“This place was regarded as a family restaurant then mostly because many came here were their families. There weren’t youngsters like the ones you see today,” she said.
She said despite living so far way in Klang, she and her family thought nothing of making the long trip to the restaurant in PJ three to four times a week.
She remembered following her father to work at MPPJ just so she could make a pit stop at A&W to satisfy her cravings.
“A&W was the only famous fast food restaurant. There wasn’t McDonalds or anything like that around here at the time.
“We found out that the place will be closed soon, so today I came with my husband and son to revisit old memories.”
Similarly, Nur Baizurah Md Shariff said she found it hard to bid farewell to the restaurant that she fondly remembers as part and parcel of her school days.
“I remember coming here when I was only a small child and today, I’ve come here with my own kids,” she said.
Like Narayanan, Baizurah also questioned the need to demolish what she regarded as an iconic landmark.
“Everyone sees this A&W as a place where people come to hang out and eat with family and friends.
“It’s just so sad and wrong that the restaurant is to cease operations. Such a shame that a place as significant as this, will no longer be around,” she said.
KUB took over operations of A&W Malaysia in 2001. The corporation also owns the A&W franchise in Thailand.