Jurong hawker takes plastic bag back from diner: 'Very expensive, don't waste it'

The New Paper
July 24, 2023

Much ado about a plastic bag.

A diner was left puzzled at a hawker centre last Friday (July 21), when a hawker approached her table while she was eating and “took back” a plastic bag meant for her takeaway drinks. 

The woman, surnamed Lim, told 8world she was having breakfast with her family at Jurong West Street 505 Market and Food Centre at the time.

They had bought two cups of hot soya bean milk from a hawker stall. As Lim was worried the drinks would be too hot to consume at the food centre, she requested for a takeaway. The hawker subsequently bagged the two cups for her. 

Lim and her family then sat down to eat when the hawker suddenly walked up, removed the drinks from the carrier, and walked away with the bag and without a word. 

Lim initially thought there might have been an issue with the packaging, but when the hawker did not return with another carrier, she approached her for an explanation.

“The bag is very expensive, don't waste my bag since you're drinking here," was the hawker’s reply.

She did, however, return the carrier to Lim after the latter explained that she planned to “takeaway” the drinks. 

Lim told 8world that the previous times she patronised the stall, plastic carriers were provided without fuss.

She suggested that the hawker charge for their plastic bags if the cost was high, and let customers know and decide if they want a carrier in the first place.

The hawker told 8world that she thought it was unreasonable to provide takeaway bags for dine-in customers – but said she conceded to Lim after she explained her situation.

The hawker also shared that the stall uses around 500 plastic bags on weekdays and even more on weekends. The bags come in packs of 20, each costing 45 cents.

When asked if they would consider charging extra for takeaway bags, the hawker said there were many factors to consider, and was worried it would affect their business.