Singapore's Street Food: Surviving COVID-19 | 101 East
Singapore’s street food is a vital part of the country’s cultural heritage and identity.
But as COVID-19 hits hard, hawkers face a stark choice – innovate or admit defeat.
Ageing vendors are grappling with new digital ways of working, while younger ones struggle to attract customers amid Singapore’s worst-ever recession.
As deliveries soar during the pandemic, two entrepreneurs are stepping up to help older hawkers boost sales. Meanwhile, a chef is bringing hawker food into homes by creating a simplified version of a beloved dish, but at a steep price.
101 East investigates how the pandemic is changing Singapore’s hawker culture.
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That 10% – 15% profit margin is unreal. Most hawkers make much more than that.
keep your stupid lockdown and watch your country falling apart. lets see how much your reserve money can last.
street?
I used to fly to Sing at least once a month for whatever reasons, but now.. its almost a year.. ohh I miss Sing so much !
I'd also be willing to pay more for these small business, they are integral part of the community and are the real ones committed to providing great quality food.
when i visited singapore 12 years ago, the chinese food in china town are thecheapest and generous in portion, they taste delicious too. even compared to my country, its price-portion ratio is better. hainan chicken rice there is the best
It happen to all around the world.
Singapore 🇸🇬 is My second Motherland . May the Buddha bless my beloved Singapore
why not have the kids cover part of the shift? kinda selfish kids imo. Mind you, got my masters/work/personal matters attendingto my parents
Thank you for that in depth look at the hard grind of being in the F&B industry. Osteoarthritis, and varicose veins are sadly parr for the course, l am sure that Singaporeans could find a way to pay 15% more for their meals as the average GDP can under normal times allow for this. Average plate of fried noodles is SGD9-10 in Hong Kong. If Singaporeans demonstrate fairness and compassion they will have to "pay a fair price for a fair meal" or lose their beloved hawker stalls for good.
Good side, there's still plenty of food.
Nyc
The cost of everything else in Singapore has risen substantially, rent is very high, primary food inputs are very high, but Hawker food remains very very cheap. Too cheap. Hawker prices have not kept up with the rate of inflation. Cheap foreign labour is not the answer as this will cause other problems. Perhaps cap rents? Or create a public campaign about the importance of paying small 10-20% increases for Hawker food. I’m honestly in awe of their amazing work ethic!!
Why they call it street food.the food was sold in a building not streetside
Merci, the food looks so yummy plus the heat omg. Bring a fan
The problem is that big companies are now riding on the scene at the hawker shops trying to catch a piece of that overrated hype award giving body so called michelin star.
That contributed to the rise of rental fees that every uncles and aunties shop is experiencing. Smh.
Awesome!!!!
What about the wet markets? Stop the wet markets!!!
With everything going on, I think a lot of people are getting distracted from the real purpose of life. You must believe and have faith in God, and only take what God has ordained for you. Do not walk on this earth a bigot, like a bully in the sandbox, playing with toys that are not yours, just because you can. This is devilish behavior and God does not like an arrogant disbeliever.
Life beats you, wears you down and tests you until you are at the breaking point. Then, after the test is over, the pressure is relieved. Unfortunately, some people are too fragile spiritually and succumb to their evil desires, in an attempt to fill the void inside of them and silence their guilty conscious, even if momentarily. All this while forgetting the blessings they have. So God curses them, he gives them everything they want, but leaves them never satisfied. This is God trying to show you the most important thing is your soul, not material worldly possessions or pleasures.
Mankind was made capable of sin, and capable of doing good. There's the good path and the evil path. Sin is part of human nature, don't feel in despair because you think you're too far gone down the wrong path. There's always hope. The decisions you make is the path you decided to follow. Think of the forbidden tree and the original sin. Adam & Eve were curious about the forbidden fruit, even though they had all of heaven to go on about. They still took a bite of the fruit from the forbidden tree, forgetting all the blessing the have. God still forgave them, after they repented. This is the image we were created in. On the flipcoin, one good deed will be rewarded 10 times. This is the mercy of God. Take one step in his path, he will take 10 towards you.
For if God didn't give you the option to sin, we would all be angels and there would be no need for the trails and tribulations we face, and existence would be meaningless. Humans were created weak, but in return God treats his creation with great mercy and compassion. All you have to do is repent sincerely.
But what happens when you lose faith? Then you lost it all. Once you lose faith in God, you will try to find the path back but you can't. God will abandon you like you abandoned him. What follows is a steep descendance into a life of evil and arrogance. Why you may ask?
Because you lost faith not only in God, but also in redemption by God. This is the biggest mistake. For God is the most merciful, most benevolent. After all, why did God create us and give us a chance at life if it wasn't out of pure belief and admiration for Adam & Eve, our original mother & father.
God is great, merciful, all seeing, all hearing.
So, if you are one of those people that lost faith, repent sincerely and God will forgive all, if he wishes. Your job is to find that deep seeded love for the creator in your heart. Then, genuinely ask for forgiveness. Keep believing that God hears your call for help and all your problems will be resolved. Once you do this, and just when you least expect it, God will bestow his mercy upon you and ease all your problems. God is with those who are patient.
May God make this year blessed for everyone
we ❤️ Singapore's hawker food culture👍🏼 Wishing them the best🙏🏼
Hawkers shd collectively get togther and charge slightly more. If we are just gonna keep worrying abt whether the few older folks can afford the food, then we may see more hawker stalls closing down. People just have to learn to pay more. Older folks just have to be less entitled amd practice cooking at home more. You see foodcourts charging way more but yet so crowded. So price isnt always the issue. If I'm forced to make only 1 choice between seeing a hawker being able to carry on his trade by upping his price a little vs seeing an uncle able to have the luxury of eating out daily, I would opt for the former.
Everyone is talking about Covid-19, thinking that's the only reason business is closing shop… The high rent pandemic has been killing businesses too.
Yay I really wanted to see this yay
It's not just about paying more, but the government are not providing support such as quota for local owners to engage foreign worker for manual labour, which can help them to have time to expand the business.
The government think like a school university student. None of them understands what a business needs to survive. They think everything can just go machine and problem solved.
They eat dogs
Love you.
Authenticity is great but needs to improve the dishes by redefining; like artistic presentation.
Truly heroes! Long live Singapore's hawker culture!
long hours preparing the delicious food and selling them at dirt cheap prices year after year with no increase in price…the cost of inflation needs to be factored in.
Salute to Singaporean hawkers. Greetings from India 🇮🇳
Lmao, western media loves Authoritarian Singapore but shits on China everyday.
I love hawkers for their taste and affordability however I think it's time for them to increase their prices. The new generation is so willing to spend $8 on bubble tea but not for a good meal? Kinda ridiculous if you ask me
Now we see the power of social media
All the country suffering not because Covid-19 instead the variety of Bank Loan absorb the money from public. Me sounds idiot but the reality if the Bank collapse the country so on. Hope there is an answer for this issues in the future.
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LAKSA