Hawkers at Chong Boon Market & Food Centre, located at Block 453A Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10, have raised concerns after cleaning fees were increased by between S$50 and S$100, yet used trays and crockery continue to pile up during peak dining hours.
Members of the public have complained that during busy weekend meal periods, tray return points at the food centre become overwhelmed, with used dishes stacked high. Some trays were also seen left on tables and even on the floor, raising hygiene concerns.
Videos of the situation have since circulated online.
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A Shin Min Daily News reporter visited the food centre at about 2pm on Sunday (Jan 18) and observed one elderly man and one elderly woman rushing to collect dishes and wipe trays. The food centre has three tray return points, with the one closest to the road appearing the most cluttered. When the reporter returned at 9am the following day (Jan 19), each return point was manned by only one cleaner, with no extra manpower deployed.
Several hawkers said they were unhappy that service standards had not improved despite the higher fees.
Ms Zheng, 56, who runs Ching Chuan Coffee, said she is on a cleaning package that includes both washing and collection. The service previously cost her about S$1,200 a month, but the fee went up by S$100 from January this year. “There aren’t enough cleaners, so sometimes we have to collect the trays ourselves,” she said.
Another hawker, who declined to be named, said the increase in washing fees did not translate into better service.
“The dishes aren’t properly cleaned. Sometimes when we get them back at the stall, we have to wash them again.”
Mr Yang, 66, owner of Yu Fa Claypot Delights, said he had already raised feedback last year and even suggested changing the cleaning contractor, but nothing came of it. “Other hawker centres use hot water to wash dishes, but this place doesn’t, so it’s not ideal,” he said.
One more hawker, who also asked not to be named, said cleaning fees were increased earlier this month. The “collection only, no washing” option went up by S$50, while the “collection and washing” package increased by S$100. “Some hawkers may decide not to send their dishes for washing because of this, so cleaners have to make more trips to return utensils to individual stalls,” the hawker explained.
“That slows things down. In the past, cleaners could still move around to wipe tables, but now they can’t. Then customers complain there are no clean tables or seats to sit down and eat.”
