SINGAPORE: The 50-cent surcharge some hawkers are charging has contributed to the rising cost pressures facing Singaporeans, even though some hawkers have argued that they need to charge the fee to manage their own escalating expenses.
The issue came to the fore with a recent social media post by user typicalsingaporean, igniting a heated debate among locals.
The post read, “Paid 1 dollar more for my fried rice and dumplings. I really hesitated to pay cause I didn’t see the sign that takeaway was 50 cents per box.”
It quickly garnered attention online and led to a cascade of comments, exposing various experiences and opinions on the matter.
One user, imivan111, chimed in with a unique approach, saying, “Best thing is I bring my own box, the store owner refuses to accept the box I brought, insists I pay for the takeaway box provided.”
Another user, fawe9374, suggested a different strategy, commenting, “Order dine in, when it comes, pour into your container in front of them and return the plate.”
The suggestion was met with approval from yellowsuprrcar, who added, “Return the plate straight to them for added effect,” while ‘nellymai’ humorously suggested, “Charge them 20c for the plate return service.”
LaustinSpayce, who shared an encounter at a halal stall, stated, “One time I bought my own box to a halal stall, they said I couldn’t use it because it might have contained non-halal stuff in it. They weren’t wrong, but I’m also a bit surprised it’s that strict.”
User arunokoibito took a strong stance, advising others, “Dine in or stop supporting these businesses.”
Looking into the future, cinabunnyrolls shared stating: “$1.1 coming in 2025. $2 in 2034.” While this may be speculative, it gives a ‘chilling potential glimpse about the trajectory of takeaway box charges.
On a more practical note, Mckay8919 offered a unique perspective, stating, “Actually, it’s weird. The shop does less work by selling them takeaway. They should only charge minimally.”
On the other hand, paperxuts95 expressed gratitude for the discussion, saying, “lol. Thanks for reminding me. I should remind my father to bring takeaway boxes now since he tapaos often. Crazy surcharge on these boxes, and he never complains about it…”
As more Singaporeans talk about the 50 cents takeaway boxes, we’re left wondering: how will businesses respond to customers’ concerns?
With everyone thinking about sustainability and costs, Singaporeans are facing another area of rising expenses. So, maybe it’s time to bring your containers next time, folks! /TISG