Commentary: Singaporeans’ reluctance to pay more for hawker food is endangering the trade

[Jman888]

  On 3/10/2025 at 8:06 AM, Dafansu said:

They started with this stall I think, after that franchise out, now got 20 over stalls island wide if I'm not wrong. So got some form of standard. 

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got more than 20 stalls? then give up this one lah!

[SGMCF328]

All the ministers earning million dollar salary just don't get it: Eating $18 or $20 pasta is a personal choice, but hawker food is for the mass, which is not really a choice especially for lower income families!😤

High overhead and rental cost is the elephant in the room, which is what the government should be looking into.

Deep Dive Podcast: Singapore's hawker culture can thrive but we need to embrace that it is evolving, says Grace Fu

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/podcasts/singapore-hawker-culture-thrive-evolving-public-toilets-grace-fu-deep-dive-podcast-5012246

Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and Environment: 
So that tells us a few things. That the livelihood of hawkers is actually not what our young people would aspire to have, because (for) our parents or grandparents ... that's the only thing that they know of, but their children, their grandchildren are probably well-educated, and there's actually better livelihoods besides being a hawker.

Secondly, we need to think about how to really treat our hawkers better. Is there a way for us to share a bit more with the food costs?

I always think that if you're prepared to pay S$18 or S$20 for a pasta, why are you not prepared to pay S$5 for wonton mee? So sometimes we expect too much from our hawkers as well. Our hawkers find it's difficult to adjust their prices.

So there are three parties that need to come (together) and have some social compact. What is the role of the patron? What's the role of the government in providing facilities like this, and what's the role of a hawker in providing affordable, tasty, delicious food. I think this has to come to equilibrium that's acceptable to all three parties.

[L23]

  On 3/27/2025 at 2:21 AM, SGMCF328 said:

All the ministers earning million dollar salary just don't get it: Eating $18 or $20 pasta is a personal choice, but hawker food is for the mass, which is not really a choice especially for lower income families!😤

High overhead and rental cost is the elephant in the room, which is what the government should be looking into.

Deep Dive Podcast: Singapore's hawker culture can thrive but we need to embrace that it is evolving, says Grace Fu

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/podcasts/singapore-hawker-culture-thrive-evolving-public-toilets-grace-fu-deep-dive-podcast-5012246

Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and Environment: 
So that tells us a few things. That the livelihood of hawkers is actually not what our young people would aspire to have, because (for) our parents or grandparents ... that's the only thing that they know of, but their children, their grandchildren are probably well-educated, and there's actually better livelihoods besides being a hawker.

Secondly, we need to think about how to really treat our hawkers better. Is there a way for us to share a bit more with the food costs?

I always think that if you're prepared to pay S$18 or S$20 for a pasta, why are you not prepared to pay S$5 for wonton mee? So sometimes we expect too much from our hawkers as well. Our hawkers find it's difficult to adjust their prices.

So there are three parties that need to come (together) and have some social compact. What is the role of the patron? What's the role of the government in providing facilities like this, and what's the role of a hawker in providing affordable, tasty, delicious food. I think this has to come to equilibrium that's acceptable to all three parties.

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Did the govt take the lead to hire more Singaporean then?

Many years ago, I heard about 1 stupid slogan, 'Cheaper, better and faster' 

So by achieving this, the influx of foreign workers came in...

Are we really better and faster now?

So why give 18k to 20k to a foreigner and not prepare to give Singaporean some decent pay

[Victor68]

  On 3/27/2025 at 2:37 AM, L23 said:

Did the govt take the lead to hire more Singaporean then?

Many years ago, I heard about 1 stupid slogan, 'Cheaper, better and faster' 

So by achieving this, the influx of foreign workers came in...

Are we really better and faster now?

So why give 18k to 20k to a foreigner and not prepare to give Singaporean some decent pay

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They hired the cream for MOE and put the best to be the minister but say what we studied not relevant for work. Then we import FT because their MOE is smarter than ours. So, until now, we don't know where is the problem. Maybe it is the leader lor. 

[inlinesix]

  On 3/27/2025 at 7:03 AM, Victor68 said:

They hired the cream for MOE and put the best to be the minister but say what we studied not relevant for work. Then we import FT because their MOE is smarter than ours. So, until now, we don't know where is the problem. Maybe it is the leader lor. 

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Govt took the smartest students.

Of course what left is not smart enough.

[Volvobrick]

  On 3/27/2025 at 7:47 AM, inlinesix said:

Govt took the smartest students.

Of course what left is not smart enough.

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The smartest go overseas like Silicon Valley, NY and never come back.  You are referring to the second smartest joining gahmen?

[L23]

  On 3/27/2025 at 7:53 AM, Volvobrick said:

The smartest go overseas like Silicon Valley, NY and never come back.  You are referring to the second smartest joining gahmen?

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if 2nd class scholar can sink NOL, i dont see any reason why should pay themselves million dollar...

And i believe any Ah Lim or Ah Tan can do a better job for NOL.

[inlinesix]

  On 3/27/2025 at 9:30 AM, L23 said:

if 2nd class scholar can sink NOL, i dont see any reason why should pay themselves million dollar...

And i believe any Ah Lim or Ah Tan can do a better job for NOL.

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The 2nd class scholar was appointed to sell NOL. Not save it.

 

[L23]

  On 3/27/2025 at 12:31 PM, inlinesix said:

The 2nd class scholar was appointed to sell NOL. Not save it.

 

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And they hire a 2nd class scholar to sell something ?

Come on... Hire me then... hahaha..

[SGMCF328]

This is what happening on the ground and yet our mini$ter$ is still living in the castle.

[inlinesix]

  On 3/27/2025 at 12:31 PM, inlinesix said:

The 2nd class scholar was appointed to sell NOL. Not save it.

 

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How to save NOL?

[Davidklt]

  On 3/28/2025 at 1:40 AM, SGMCF328 said:

This is what happening on the ground and yet our mini$ter$ is still living in the castle.

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Coffee shop are run by private entities, the gov cannot control market prices. Hawker center is a better benchmark. 

[Beregond]

  On 3/28/2025 at 3:22 AM, Davidklt said:

Coffee shop are run by private entities, the gov cannot control market prices. Hawker center is a better benchmark. 

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But alway got siao kia go bid hawker stall crazy price

[Throttle2]

  On 3/27/2025 at 7:53 AM, Volvobrick said:

The smartest go overseas like Silicon Valley, NY and never come back.  You are referring to the second smartest joining gahmen?

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oh, you mean like the uniformed groups?  heh heh....

[SGCM928]

  On 1/10/2025 at 9:24 AM, Unfazed said:

I want to laugh die me when G kept putting the hawker line in the limelight this that lah. Say what simi UNESCO lah, what hawker school lah, crap lah blah blah blah...

Hello, when many felt or treat it as sunset trade, it's too late already, ok? Set up all those only these recent years got use meh.

When the problem was being highlighted were all set on deaf ears!

Hawkers themselves cited rent as a high cost and what happened? Were their feedback heard. How many years people like KF Seetoh been relentlessly reviving our hawker culture? 

The management of these hawkers were made more and more complicated. 3rd party operators lah. Pay wash plate pay collect plates blah blah blah how much lah. In the end benefited who? It's the middleman who drove flashy cars but these hawkers slogged to pay all these additional unnecessary costs. 

What minimum wage lah say will increase what meagre amount over how many years lah. Goodness sake. Want to increase just increase fast fast lah. How much are these workers paid anyway?! Cannot afford their increase the following month onwards meh? The increase for higher-ups per month is already easily more than what these meagre blue collared guys are getting. We make it sound like we did so much for them! And the increase takes place faster than these guys with meagre income!

Hawkers used to be able to support their family but now, want a stupid van being a hawker gotto slog like hell. Already long hours and we expect them to put in even longer hours. Of course, not many will take it up.

Coupled with perception that it's a dirty low job which I personally don't think so. How many is willing to go that extra mile to pursue this passion when they have to grapple with unnecessary high cost justified by many unimportant decision makers.

We are just top heavy where this load is being supported by commoners trying to carve out a balance for themselves. 

No wonder hawker trade is dying and it should. We should even boycott and just eat subs thou one sees boredom in eating that. 

Our food haven is just being taken for granted. The increase is from top down not ground up. Because we give the impression that no matter how expensive, one needs to turn to hawker food and there's no other way. 

So much so for managing inflation ya!

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You brought up a valid point, all the non value add 3 party services.

Many hawker center are managed by group like Fei Siong, Koufu, etc. which make the hawkers hundreds of dollars for management and cleaning fees. Yet with the gov drive like return your own plate, cleaning cost still increase as operators will cite PWM as the key reason.

In the good old days, hawker managed everything themselves, taking orders, collecting payment, cooking, washing, cleaning and all earnings goes into their pocket directly.

Nowadays, have to pay for management fee, cleaning, service fee for NETS, or even spending extra on these ordering system, and when we add all these up, the amount can be quite substantial (equivalent to a person salary if not more).

Is this a necessity or just to boost employment (hiring through all these 3 parties service providers)? I can't help but relate it to our ministers saying: Hiring foreigners is to help Singaporean to get employed and get better jobs.

[mersaylee]

  On 3/28/2025 at 2:22 AM, inlinesix said:

How to save NOL?

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I also donno how...but someone managed to sell it thinking it's a titanic...someone else managed to turn it into a caribbean by the sea...😁

[inlinesix]

  On 3/29/2025 at 2:12 AM, mersaylee said:

I also donno how...but someone managed to sell it thinking it's a titanic...someone else managed to turn it into a caribbean by the sea...😁

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金主爸爸不要丟SGD了🤭

[mersaylee]

  On 3/29/2025 at 2:48 AM, inlinesix said:

金主爸爸不要丟SGD了🤭

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You donch...super white someone says...😁