The Resilience of Singapore’s Hawker Culture

While the world knows and loves Singapore’s hawker centres for giving us the globe’s cheapest Michelin-starred meal and for being a one-stop tourist attraction in which one can taste Singapore’s multicultural heritage, to Singaporeans, they are so much more. Hawker centres are a microcosm of the country; an embodiment of its identity, culture and heritage.

Singapore’s hawker culture dates to the mid-1800s. The city-state’s first hawkers were made up of early immigrants, “hawking” food from make-shift food carts and street-side stalls. In the 1960s, the Singapore government decided to house these food vendors under one roof and created what has evolved into the modern-day hawker centre.

Despite the strict restrictions under COVID-19—which first forced many hawker stalls and centres to temporarily close—the spirit and resilience of Singapore’s hawker culture still prevails. For locals, this culture is exemplified when your favourite drinks stall auntie greets you with an excited “xiao mei” and remembers your daily order of “kopi bing siew dai takeaway”. It’s the shared consensus among Singaporean Chinese and Indians alike, that the only proper way to tell the Malay stall uncle that you want your nasi padang for dine-in is to enthusiastically exclaim makan!

"9 in 10 respondents agreed/strongly agreed that hawker centres are an important part of Singapore’s identity." - Survey conducted by Singapore’s National Environment Agency in 2016

In the same way that Singapore’s first hawkers overcame adversity and obsoletion during the country’s rapid modernisation, our hawkers today have continued to display the same resilience and adaptability through the pandemic, staying afloat with the fervent support of the community, not-for-profit organisations, and government.

A sense of community is a defining attribute of hawker culture. Even with fewer patrons and tightening margins, the pandemic has not dampened this philosophy of looking out for one’s peers, patrons and the people nearby.

Young hawkers Jason Chua and Hung Zhen Long of Beng Who Cooks at Hong Lim Food Centre made headlines during the Circuit Breaker period for giving out free food to struggling Singaporeans, despite having to pinch pennies themselves. Full-time student, Ruzaini Syazwan, also tugged on the heartstrings of Singaporeans by personally buying and delivering over 250 hawker meals to the less fortunate during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

While it’s undisputed that hawker centres are national icons, there have been questions over the years as to their sustainability and business viability. Rising overhead costs, ageing hawkers and outdated modes of operations all threaten this sector.

If there’s one positive thing that has come out of this pandemic, it’s the acceleration of the sector’s digital transformation. To modernise and try to save the industry, the timelines of several government initiatives have been pushed forward, such as introducing cashless payments in hawker centres. As a result of COVID-19, more than 5,400 hawker stalls in Singapore now offer cashless payments with just the scan of a QR code, with over 1,900 new sign-ups taking place during the Circuit Breaker period alone.

Hawkers are also taking to social media and messaging apps to reach patrons directly, venturing into Instagram and WhatsApp to take orders. Some have even created TikTok accounts, for example, Michelin-starred Liao Fan Hawker Chan! The Facebook group, “Hawkers United - Dabao 2020”, set up by Melvin Chew of Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap, has gained over 270,000 members to date, made up of both hawkers and patrons, respectively advertising and supporting their neighbourhood hawker stalls.

Many hawkers have also embraced food delivery platforms to help them get food to their customers—a service that most hawkers simply did not offer prior to the pandemic. In turn, the delivery platforms have tried their best to support the hawkers, keeping delivery costs low for hawkers and patrons alike. One company, WhyQ, does not charge any commissions or onboarding fees, and provides same-day payments to their base of over 2,800 hawkers. For businesses in need of cash to stay alive, this kind of support is a major lifeline.

Using the code <TRIP15WHYQ>, you can support these hawkers and have your favourite hawker food delivered directly to you, while enjoying 15% off (capped at $3) your orders on WhyQ. For more details and the list of participating hawkers, check out our trip guide below.

Due to COVID-19, digitalisation has become not just a benefit but a necessity. Singapore’s hawkers have continued to step forward and demonstrate their commitment and willingness to try new things, leaving no doubt that they will come out of this pandemic alive and ready for the future.

Even as the time comes for first- and second-generation hawkers to retire, there has been a growing interest from youths to take over from their old and ailing parents, and to inject new life into traditional hawker culture. While initially out of obligation, 32-year-old Habib Mohamed leaned in and took over Habib’s Rojak from his first-generation hawker father, carrying on his legacy of handmade Indian-style rojak.

A new breed of “hawkerpreneurs” has also emerged, pushing the boundaries and reinventing what it means to be a hawker. Grandma’s Noodle in Sengkang has put a luxe spin on traditional seafood noodles, offering delightful dishes like Fish Roe Noodles and Crayfish Noodles, that pique the interest of a younger generation of hawker patrons.

Despite the duct tape and caution nets—and SafeEntry check-ins and face masks—Singapore’s hawker culture is still alive, and kicking. While this year has certainly been tough for everyone, especially F&B operators, Singapore’s hawkers are adapting and surviving. Knowing how food is central to the Singaporean identity, so long as these hard-working uncles and aunties, young men and women, continue to keep turning up at their stalls every day, their fans and patrons are going to continue to line up for their favourite dishes, out of love and support of this sector.

This article is brought to you by WhyQ.

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