People's Park Food Centre dissuades diners from eating there if food not bought from hawkers as business down 10%

If you visited People's Park Food Centre in Chinatown recently, you might have noticed the yellow banners unfurled.

The banners read:

"We seek your understanding not to consume outside food as the tables and seats are meant for patrons of People's Park Food Centre."

According to Shin Min Daily News, the banners were hung inside the food centre, as well as at its entrances.

However, some visitors at the hawker centre did not appear deterred by the banners, as they were still seen consuming food bought from stalls on the ground floor of the nearby People's Park Complex.

Most of these stalls, which are located opposite the food centre, do not have seats, according to the Chinese daily.

Banners up since July 2023

The chairman of the People's Park Traders Association, surnamed Xie (transliteration), told Shin Min that the association put up the banners after the food centre's re-opening in July 2023.

According to Xie, the problem of visitors hogging seats at the food centre while consuming food not bought from hawkers there has plagued the food centre for more than 10 years.

As some patrons were unable to find a seat at the food centre, stallholders suffered a decline in business of around 10 per cent, reported Shin Min.

Furthermore, as "many visitors would leave takeaway packaging on the table or the floor carelessly", cleaning expenses shouldered by stallholders and workload for cleaners at the food centre go up, said Xie.

Cleaners need to empty trash cans 8 times daily

Xie's observation was confirmed by a cleaner at the food centre, surnamed Chen (transliteration), reported Shin Min.

According to Chen, the diners would leave their trash, such as food containers, at the food centre's tray return areas, trash cans, or on the tables.

It was observed that the food they consumed were not bought from the hawker centre stalls.

"When there are a lot of visitors consuming food bought from elsewhere, I would need to empty the large trash cans at least seven to eight times every day, which is at least one to two times more than usual," said Chen.

Chen also shared that most of these visitors would swing by the food centre on Sundays, and some would even argue with the cleaners.

This occurs when cleaners like Chen inform the diners to clean up after themselves.

The situation only "improved slightly" over the last two years after the law made it mandatory for diners to return their trays, added Chen.

Food centre 'not banning any customers'

Despite the added workload and expenses for its staff and stallholders, Xie said the food centre would not ban anyone from entering its premises, reported Shin Min.

"While our banners would not be very effective at deterring seat-hogging behaviours, we do not have better alternatives. We only hope the visitors can be more mindful," she added.

Xie also hoped that the authorities could help with the problem as it has negatively affected the business of stallholders, especially during peak hours.

Visitors also brought business to food centre: Stallholders

However, not all stallholders see this issue as a problem.

The owner of a Chinese stall, who has been running her business at the food centre for around 15 years, told Shin Min that her customers would occasionally complain about the lack of seats.

However, this did not affect her business "significantly", as she would help her customers find a seat, and some patrons might choose to take away their food instead.

Additionally, some of these visitors who brought food from elsewhere would also buy food at the food centre, thereby increasing the footfall to the stalls, shared the stallholder.

Her sentiment was echoed by another stallholder who added that the types of food sold at the food centre are different from those sold at People's Park Complex.

"Notably, there are not many drinks stalls outside the food centre. Hence, many people would come here to buy drinks or find more food to eat," said the stallholder.

Top image via Shin Min Daily News