The disgusting habit we have in hawker centres

by Bertha Henson, Elias Wee, Gillian Lim, Hamzah Yaacob, and Wan Ting Koh

IF THERE’S a habit Singaporeans can’t seem to rid themselves off, it’s picking up after themselves. We’re talking about returning your tray after you’re done eating at a hawker centre. The return-your-tray campaign that the NEA started in November 2012 with a pilot scheme doesn’t seem to have taken off at all, going by TMG checks at four hawker centres. This is despite tray collection points for you to slot your halal or non-halal tray.

Perhaps, it’s a cultural habit. It used to be you get served at the table, eat and then run. Now you stand in line for your food (at some stalls), eat and then run. Self-service is halfway maybe because queuing is a habit. And you can’t quite demand that the hawker serves you at a table.

But with cleaners present pushing their trolleys, the return-your-tray habit is never going to be in-grained in anyone’s brain. Worse, some people think that leaving their dirty plates behind actually means preserving the jobs of cleaners. Lagi worse, even cleaners themselves think they should clear the tables for customers lest they be accused of not doing their jobs.

Here’s what we saw at the four hawker centres at lunchtime on Tuesday:

At Tanglin Halt Market, 48A Tanglin Halt Road: 28 stalls, six cleaners and two tray collection points

At 1pm, within a 20 minute period, out of 27 patrons, 24 of them did not return their trays, while three did. Cleaners were all hard at work clearing tables. The tray collection points, which were conveniently located at the side of the hawker centre, remained empty during this 20 minute period.

 

At Tanglin Halt Food Centre, 1A Commonwealth Drive: 48 stalls, three cleaners and 10 tray collection points

At 1.30pm, within a 20 minute period, out of 22 patrons, 13 of them didn’t return their trays. Many tables were left with uncleared bowls and plates. One of the central tray station return points was full, as was the table to its side. Patrons were seen placing their crockery on the table as there was no space on the racks. One woman was seen meticulously separating her cup, bowl and utensils into the piles on the racks. While we were talking to patrons, a stack of green bowls toppled onto the floor from the rack from being piled too high. Pigeons were seen feasting on leftovers which were not cleared by cleaners. Other tray return points placed to the side of the hawker centres were emptier.

 

At, Holland Village Market and Food Centre, 1 Lor Mambong: 20 stalls, five cleaners, two tray collection points.

Between 12.30pm and 1pm, 18 patrons returned their trays, while six didn’t. However, the vast majority of patrons had their crockery cleared from their tables the moment they were done eating – thanks to pro-active cleaners.  So they didn’t even get a chance to clear up after themselves.  Tray return points were cleared swiftly by a cleaner who regularly positioned herself at the two return points to bring dirty plates for washing.

 

At, Ghim Moh Market, 20 Ghim Moh Road: About 72 stalls, up to 10 cleaners (according to estimates of one cleaner), 16 tray collection points.

At 1.15pm, many tables had leftover trays. Non-halal return points were full – many had plates and cups stacked up to the top of the shelf. The halal return points were empty, and some non-halal crockery was placed there as the non-halal section was full. Despite only having four halal stalls, eight of the 16 return points were designated for halal crockery. Lop-sided don’t you think?

 

Why don’t people return their trays?.

A common argument is that clearing trays isn’t their responsibility. Cleaners are paid to do that,  detractors of the “return your tray” campaign claim. Other patrons said it was simply a habit of Singaporeans not to return their dirty cups and plates..

Mr Chen, 61, who is in medicine sales said in Mandarin: “You have to understand that not returning your trays isn’t a bad thing. It’s their job and they’re paid to clean the tables. They should take into account the fact that I might not return my tray. Some of the patrons are old people also and are not mobile enough. I don’t feel there’s a need for me to return my tray, it’s not a necessity. If the trays aren’t returned, it’s on the onus of the cleaner, not the patron. I just feel that the culture of returning trays in Singapore isn’t that strong.”

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Ms Daphne Yeo, 36, senior manager: “There will be fewer cleaners employed [if people start returning trays]. Problem with that is that cleaners will still be needed to clean the tables. If everyone returns their plates, and there are no cleaners, then there will be no on cleaning the tables. Let me give you one example. There’s a place that requires you to pay a deposit for the plates and trays you use. Only if you return them, then can you get your deposit back. They didn’t have any cleaners around, and the tables were so dirty! It’s called Timbre+, the one at Ayer Rajah.”

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Mr Wong Liang Chian, 77, a club secretary, said: “Very seldom do I return cups and plates. After the meal you’ll walk off. It’s just a bad habit that most Singaporeans have.”

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The cleaners, mainly elderly people, interviewed had some polarising views.

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While some thought that it would make their lives easier, others disagreed, arguing that they will still have difficulty clearing trays that are placed pell mell at the collection points. These cleaners preferred to collect the trays from their individual tables. Even the National Environment Agency (NEA) had said that before the Tray Return Initiative was implemented, table-cleaning contractors and their table-cleaners were briefed on the programme and their roles in facilitating the return of trays by patrons.

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Mr Wong Weiling, 84, a cleaner for nine years at Tanglin Halt Market said in Mandarin: “A lot of people don’t return their trays. If everyone takes it back, it is more convenient for us. I would prefer the patrons to return their trays to the common point. If they, do, then we will only need two cleaners at each of the tray return points rather than six on the ground. Usually on weekends, there are more patrons around so we need to have seven cleaners. On weekdays, there are fewer people so just four cleaners are needed usually. I am not scared of being jobless if the patrons do return their trays, I will still have to clean the tables anyway.”

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Mr Ong, 56, cleaner supervisor for a year at the same hawker centre said in Mandarin: “People don’t return their trays here. Those collection points don’t have much use, because people really rarely return their trays. I think they feel that if the food is so cheap here, like $4 or $3.50 a plate, why do I still have to return my plate? But even if people do return their plates, there are still things for us cleaners to do… sweep the floor, mop the table, or even clear the garbage. But I still feel like these collection points aren’t worth it – even if the occasional person does return it, it’s mostly those office people. I would say about 80 per cent of the people who actually return their trays are office workers.”

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Madam Ho Ket Lin, 73, a new cleaner who has only been at Tanglin Halt Market for three days said in Mandarin: “Only a few people return their trays. Some students will. They eat then they leave because they have no habit of returning the trays. We (the cleaners) were hired here to clear the dishes anyway. It is good if they clear their own trays, my work will be easier. Even if they return the trays, and I have no job here, I can always go elsewhere to work”

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Ms Kama Riah, 29, from Sarawak who has been a cleaner for three months at Holland Village Food and Market Centre, said in Malay: “A lot of people when they finish they just walk off. That’s why when they’re done we will go up to them and clear their plate. Most people don’t return their cups and plates. I think everyone is the same when it comes to clearing their plates, it’s just that some people are more hardworking than others.”

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And those who returned their trays said…

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It was just about keeping the place clean, according to most of those who took the time to return their trays. After all, tables with leftovers would attract pests like pigeons and flies, and would hinder other patrons from using the tables, especially among the lunch hour crowd. They also wanted to make the job of cleaners, who are usually elderly aunties and uncles, easier. By returning their dirty crockery to a common collection point, this would centralise the area cleaners take charge off, so they won’t have to move to individual tables.

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Prof B Venkatesh, 60, a scientist, said: “If we don’t clear the tables it becomes messy. It is also additional work for the cleaners. I clear the tables to make room for the next person and to keep the place clean. The people who don’t return their trays, they don’t think about it, but over the years I have learned to do it as a habit. If we don’t clear it fast, the birds and the flies will come. For us, we don’t clear our trays at a nice restaurant, but when we are in public places we should do it.

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Mr Paneer Rajendran, 30, who works in the delivery service said: “I will return my tray because it’s just being considerate. But I do feel like generally, nobody will return their trays. It’s quite bad, because of Singapore customs. I know it’s their job to clean the tables and clear our plates, but if we can be of help, we should. I don’t think such collection points work, I mean look around you.”

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Undergraduate Siah Chia Keng, 26, said: “The cleaners are very old. It is better for them to collect at one place. I always return my tray, no matter where I am. Sometimes I will help to return other peoples’ trays or else there will be no where to sit. Especially during peak hours, there will be a lot of people. It is not a lot of effort to return the trays also.”

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Ms Qi Lin, 25:  “I thought it was a considerate thing to do. I normally return my plates, especially at this place where I see a lot of elderly cleaners. Not many [Singaporeans return their crockery]. They just take it for granted because there are so many cleaners around.”

 

So what would make Singaporeans return their dirty cups and plates? Perhaps monetary incentives will do the trick. At Timbre+, a foodcourt beside the JTC Launchpad in One-north, patrons are given back $1 for every meal they purchase if they return their trays. But do we need to be incentivised to do something good and which takes so little time?

Or maybe it is a discipline to be instilled from young – which can be difficult if households have maids to do the clean up. Then again, there are  other places like university food courts or school canteens, where retiring your tray is the norm. Army camps too – on threat of being punished. So why is it when people move into the working world, they think they should let an elderly aunty or uncle clean up after them?

 

Featured image and all photos by TMG. 

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