From chicken rice to nasi lemak, hawker centres are recognised by Singaporeans as a place to get their quick fix of local food. This recognition of hawker culture extends beyond local sentiments, placing it on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In this article, let us find out the sentiments of HappyDotters on hawker culture.
40.5% of HappyDotters visit a hawker centre 1 to 3 days a week, and this is ranked the highest option, suggesting that while Singaporeans love to eat, most don’t always frequent hawker centres for their meals.
So why do Singaporeans visit hawker centres less frequently?
The key reason why individuals visit hawker centres less is because they mostly eat home-cooked food (52.0%). The next 2 reasons include the desire to avoid hawker crowds and the greater affordability of eating at home. With decreased patronisation, what can this mean for the longevity of the local hawker culture?
It is heartening to see positive sentiments on the longevity of our local hawker culture among the general public, with 58.3% of respondents thinking that it can still exist for a long time.
While there may be positive sentiments, there are still challenges that hawkers face such as the rising cost of raw ingredients and more. Hence, it remains important that we show our support for these hawkers so that the hawker culture continues to thrive and remain very much a part of the unique Singapore culture.