SINGAPORE: Netizens shared mixed reactions after a call for locals to pay more for hawker food. A Wonderwall.sg article argued that people always lament when a hawker stall in the city-state closes, yet those who consider hawker prices “too much” are often willing to pay similarly high prices at restaurants and cafes—for example, some feel it’s okay to pay S$19 for beef ragu pasta at a restaurant, but the same dish seems expensive at a hawker centre.
It further argued that, in fact, locals who can afford a S$20 cafe brunch or S$10 ceremonial-grade matcha latte should be “paying more” for hawker food than they currently do.
Some netizens on r/singapore supported the call to pay hawkers more.
One commenter said, “Sinkies [are] happy to pay 20 dollars for some central kitchen produced microwaved meal at some cafe but find five dollar hawker food outrageous,” adding, “[It’s] not the job of hawkers to subsidise the needy. That’s what food stamps and vouchers are for.”
However, others argued paying hawkers more should not mean paying more only for the extra money to end up in the landlord’s pockets.
One commenter said, “Why do consumers need to pay more for the upkeep of greedy landlords?”
Another commenter pointed out that this mindset is a “classic scholar mindset”.
He said: “Easy to say pay more when a S$6 plate doesn’t hurt you. The cook won’t see that extra money, the owner earns a bit more at best, and the landlord raises rent because why not. Say the plate goes up S$1 and rent goes up at the next renewal, then we’re back to S$6 pay and the stall still closes due to rent.” “Fix the rent first”, he added.
A third argued, “SG needs cheaper options, not more expensive ones!”
The commenter said that Singaporeans are already overworked, drained and struggling to balance various aspects of life, while many are not paid well. Being priced out of eating out would be “another slap in the average Singaporean’s face”.
He also argued that “nobody is paying S$19 for ragu pasta per pax per meal on a daily basis”, making it a poor comparison.
A fourth, meanwhile, pointed out: “If the food is good I’m sure people won’t complain.”
