Pelita Nasi Kandar

The Pelita Nasi Kandar (Malay: Nasi Kandar Pelita; ) is the largest nasi kandar restaurant chain in Malaysia.[1] Its main headquarters is in Taman Chai Leng, Perai, Penang. The parent company also owns several hotels.[2] The chain has outlets in multiple cities, including one in Chennai, India.[1]

History

The chain was founded in Butterworth, Penang as a food stall in a coffee shop in Chai Leng Park market.[2] It opened additional outlets in the Malaysian states of Penang, Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Negri Sembilan. The firm purchased a multistory building in Ampang, and because it only wanted to use the ground floor as a restaurant, the firm turned the upper stories into a hotel.[2]

As of 2017 the chain had 28 outlets.[2][3] It was included in the Malaysia Book of Records in 2016.[2][4]

In 2017 the chain denied rumors that the corporation was not owned by Muslims and that therefore its food was not halal.[5] A director who owned 25% of the company shares said he'd been attacked on social media for being Hindu.[4] In 2019 Business Insider included the chain in their list of those they'd like to see open outlets in the US.[6]

In March 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic the chain announced it would close all outlets in response to the government of Malaysia's Movement Control Order.[7]