• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
    • Volunteer
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

How to expect hawkers to make a decent living?

by onlinecitizen
27/07/2015
in Commentaries, Opinion
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0
hawker centre ST
Image of new hawker centre, Photo credit – Straits Times

 

By Douglas Ng, Fishball Story

After attending the briefing regarding the new hawker centre, I have some thoughts. I am a Gen Y hawker, and it takes a lot of courage to step into this industry. Each year there are so many quality hawkers retiring due to old age if not others would rather move into other industry or end up working for others.

NTUC stated that they are judging 40% base on rental and 60% on other criteria. But everyone is not confident at tendering due to the minimum price set for every stall. For instance fishball noodles at $2.70.

On the papers, they talk about attracting quality hawkers. Do you actually think that a quality hawker will come out with quality food when they use quality ingredients and if the cost of food is so high, how much do you think the profit margin will be?

From what I see, many people in SG are paying for prices in shopping malls & paid $$$ for a coffee or a bowl of ramen, yet moan about prices of Hawker food.

If the basic ingredients are so expensive, how can we expect hawkers to make a decent living?

It is no wonder not many of the younger generation wants to take on the Hawker trade.

$2.70 a bowl/plate is very cheap. Profit margin must be minimal.

Mainly not a lot can offer cheap food,
1) Rental
2) Expenditure on supplier due to GST.
3) Expenditure on Gas, Water and Electric due to the need to open for long hrs
4) Salary due to shortage of manpower

Lastly, they set a price for spaghetti 5.80 and fishball noodle at 2.70. I just think it is not fair. Our cost are really high too.

They said, “experts” have calculated these cost. Everything they say is transparent.
I am a hawker myself. Known to be one of the most famous fishball noodle in Singapore and I know about what cost are as a pioneer generation y hawker. It is only getting higher and its tougher.

What kind of living am I going to make myself if the profit margin is so low? The heritage is dying. If they want young gen to come in, give them a better profit. If their food is good, they make a lot of money, they deserve it.

This system is so wrong. There hasn’t been anyone sounding out. Why? Most of the hawkers are not educated. They don’t listen to the people. What are they trying to prove for coming up with these low prices? Providing cheaper meals for the low income? Is everyone living in Bukit Panjang poor or low income?

If you really want to help the need. You could have come up with a system just like how medical centres are doing. A card for the lower income group. Show us the card and we will give them discounted meals. No problem. I like doing charity but if I put in so much effort to do charity for those that don’t need it, and at the end of the day I don’t make much, then i have a failed business model and do you think it is sustainable being a hawker?

I really want to tender for Bukit Panjang hawker because its near my house and cannot find a good location as most of the good ones are taken up. I discussed this issue with Kf Seetoh and we are all worried about the heritage.

NTUC said they had done surveys with residence there and most of them want cheap food but this is a ridiculous question, who don’t.. but they could have shown more care and attention to the tenders as well because we are the one that put in all the effort in preparing food.

This is not a complain. I am sharing with you what both young hawkers and existing hawkers both are thinking.

Nevertheless, I still want to give it a shot at Bukit Panjang. Everyone business is like a gamble and I will gamble in this opportunity. Thank you for spending time reading this message.

This post was first published on Douglas’s Facebook and republished with permission.

The Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre was the first to be announced out of the 20 new centres that the Government will build by 2027. It has 28 cooked food stalls, 14 market stalls and have a seating capacity of 500.

For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.

Related Posts

Grab SG appoints PAP MP Tin Peiling as director of public affairs and policy
Business

Grab SG appoints PAP MP Tin Peiling as director of public affairs and policy

02/02/2023
Malaysian cleaner sells his land to donate two dialysis machines worth RM 80k to the dialysis centre he works at
Community

Malaysian cleaner sells his land to donate two dialysis machines worth RM 80k to the dialysis centre he works at

02/02/2023
Gautam Adani: the Indian tycoon weathering stock market panic
AFP

Gautam Adani: the Indian tycoon weathering stock market panic

02/02/2023
India’s Adani shares plunge again after stock sale cancelled
AFP

India’s Adani shares plunge again after stock sale cancelled

02/02/2023
Senior Counsel Harpreet Singh: Difficult to appreciate CPIB’s decision of not prosecuting six former KOM executives
Crime

Senior Counsel Harpreet Singh: Difficult to appreciate CPIB’s decision of not prosecuting six former KOM executives

02/02/2023
Myanmar streets empty in protest on coup anniversary
AFP

Myanmar junta extends state of emergency, delaying elections

02/02/2023
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect withD
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

Grab SG appoints PAP MP Tin Peiling as director of public affairs and policy

Grab SG appoints PAP MP Tin Peiling as director of public affairs and policy

02/02/2023
Malaysian cleaner sells his land to donate two dialysis machines worth RM 80k to the dialysis centre he works at

Malaysian cleaner sells his land to donate two dialysis machines worth RM 80k to the dialysis centre he works at

02/02/2023
Gautam Adani: the Indian tycoon weathering stock market panic

Gautam Adani: the Indian tycoon weathering stock market panic

02/02/2023
India’s Adani shares plunge again after stock sale cancelled

India’s Adani shares plunge again after stock sale cancelled

02/02/2023
Senior Counsel Harpreet Singh: Difficult to appreciate CPIB’s decision of not prosecuting six former KOM executives

Senior Counsel Harpreet Singh: Difficult to appreciate CPIB’s decision of not prosecuting six former KOM executives

02/02/2023
Myanmar streets empty in protest on coup anniversary

Myanmar junta extends state of emergency, delaying elections

02/02/2023
Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

India’s Adani group cancels share sale as price nosedives further

02/02/2023
Singapore detains student for planning attacks on city

Singapore detains student for planning attacks on city

01/02/2023

Trending posts

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

by Yee Loon
30/01/2023
25

...

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

by Yee Loon
26/01/2023
24

...

Two Indian nationals paid about S$330 and S$730 respectively for forged certificates submitted in their S-Pass application

MOM found issuing EPs meant for foreign PMETs to PRC waitress and general worker

by Correspondent
26/01/2023
41

...

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

by The Online Citizen
26/01/2023
59

...

Indian rupee falls 60% since signing of CECA while Singapore becomes top investor in India

by Correspondent
25/01/2023
68

...

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

by Augustine Low
01/02/2023
29

...

July 2015
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
« Jun   Aug »

The Online Citizen is a regional online publication based in Taiwan and formerly Singapore’s longest-running independent online media platform.

Navigation

  • Editorial
  • Commentaries
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Community

Support

  • Contact Us
  • Letter submission
  • Membership subscription

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Fact Checking Policy
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

wpDiscuz