A netizen has highlighted the tray return system at coffee shops and food centres as a potential issue after birds “attacked” his food when he was dining at a coffee shop on Yio Chu Kang Road.
Referring to the National Environment Agency, Facebook user Paul Cmk posted a thoughtful grumble on the comment page Complaint Singapore on April 18.
He said: “I’m wondering if NEA implemented these rules needing to return trays but created another problem of attracting wild birds. They attacked my food too when I went to grab a cup of kopi.”
As well as highlighting the wild bird issue, he noted that the tables in a coffeeshop in Jalan Benaan Kapal, which is not far from the National Stadium, had not been wiped “as the cleaner was busy elsewhere”.
His post has already attracted more than 100 comments to date, and members of that group commented that the situation “has always been like this”.
“We create one solution and then find other problems pop up due to the solution,” said Facebook user Loh Wai Poon.
“You’re so naive to believe that clearing your own trays (means) the table will be cleaner,” said Facebook user Joe Koshi San who added he would rather eat at a restaurant or at home.
Looking at the bigger picture, netizen Mick Lim commented, “Getting more and more backward. Pay more for food in the past included plates/trays clearing services, but now we need to clear them ourselves. Furthermore, we need to wipe our table before eating. Maybe next time, cleaners will lose their jobs. What a fantastic plan.”
Meanwhile, Facebook user Risedawn Ang HS suggested putting a plastic cover over tray return stations to keep wild birds out.
This is not the first time the issue of tray and crockery return stations attracting birds has been highlighted on social media.
Other posts by concerned individuals showed overflowing tray return stations, sparking comments from netizens on the whereabouts of the absent cleaners. /TISG