How likely are Singaporeans to return our food trays in hawker centres? Find out in Part 1 of our food tray issue: ua-cam.com/video/yi1Py8Q1V8I/v-deo.html
Hire me as a goodwill ambassador to help with this problem (my earlier jokes aside, I have a few serious suggestions and experiments that might work?) This really is a global problem, health wise. We seen from the people stuck in the cruise ship at the beginning of the pandemic, one sick person spreading germs effects ALL OF US! keep on them guys, it'll take (hopefully)!
The most funny part: Diana: Did u hear the alarm? Auntie: Yes yes yes, I returned the tray. Diana: Oh u returned the tray but the bowls still left behind on the table. HAHAHAHAHA
it goes to show Singaporeans just do the minimum, if you say "TRAY return" they literally remove the bowls from the tray and return only the tray.. unless they say "RETURN CROCKERY" (then maybe they will return the bowls and plates, but not the chopsticks and forks..lol)
As a young singaporean, I am very disgusted by this situation. I am taught since young to clean up my own mess wherever I go. Why can't we all be more responsible in cleaning and returning the trays. Is this simple act of responsibility so difficult to do?
It’s embarrassingly shameful that this video even has to be made. High time we start thinking for others instead of just ourselves. It’s an act of courtesy and you help the overworked cleaners. Return the trays because you want to, not because you have to.
its the same with maids or domestic helpers also.. often in singapore, when you hire a "maid" you think of them as a "live in servant" you sleep in my house, eat my food... of cos you have to do "everything lah" so if the maid say washing your car or bathing your pet dog, or feeding your pet dog is not her job, you will think, WHAT?? but the fact is she is there to assist your household chores, your pet is ur OWN responsiblity as a pet owner, as with your car. but often maids cannot argue or reason with their boss, as they know if their boss get offended by their refusal to do some chores, their boss can go complain to the maid agency to change the maid and blame it on her work slow or rude..etc. not many employers have lay down clear rules on working hours for the maid, which allow the maid ample time to rest and even have off days. that is why the service industry is always getting bullied because as consumers, they have a "Customer is always right" mentality..
The fact that we have to discuss, invent and rely on technology to address simple manners and etiquette shows that we have failed as humans. Even cats and dogs know where to do their business smh.
I don't think people understand the reasoning behind cleaning after yourselves when you finish your food. If they need to hired more people to clean up after you that means the cost of food will go up. It is impossible for the cleaners to clean all the tables, chairs, tableware, and any mess that was left behind by the people when there is only 5 cleaners even just for 1 hour consisting 300 of trays and tableware. Just think about that. If each stall decides to hire their own cleaners to clean their stuff; the price will go up for sure. People need to be educated that is all and understand the cause and effect it has. It should start when they are young. But it doesn't mean you can't start now. My parents taught me when I was kid. I was shocked to hear that this is even a problem in Singapore since this place is considered clean next to Japan, especially a place that bans gum. Technology can only go so far to remind people and has limitations. Like the charging of the plates is a good start but educating people would be more effective.
@@TheMostObliviousGirl I hate people who use the excuse "I'm creating more jobs" to be lazy while inflating ego. They aren't creating more jobs, they're creating more work. Work that can't be handled by the existing worker. Bosses will then start demanding more and stress will build up. I worked in retail and know the stress very well. People are a**holes when it's not their problem.
@@bobleeroy2573 I hate that. This is actually a very small problem. If people are more considerate and are taught. It shouldn't even exist. I truly don't get these people's mentality.
im sorry, but i laughed way too hard when that one auntie said she returned her tray but left her bowl on the table.. HAHAHA. Well, she did exactly what the announcement asked her to do.. XD
That uncle who said “It could have meant a signal for the auntie to help clean” please don’t act blur as the announcement clearly state to please return your trays. Don’t find excuses for your disgusting behaviour.
Except his behaviour wasn't disgusting and was appropriate to this shameful anti consumer propaganda. Hawkers and their cleaning companies make 100s of thousands of dollars every year. So how come they can't hire people to pick up trays and actually make a cleaner Sg? No, it has to be art installations, and robots, and shame alerts. For what? For the sake of the people? No, this is profit margins.
@@usucktoo I’m appalled that you think that not cleaning up after oneself is not disgusting. Do you poop and let the cleaners flush for you? Do you not feel a tinge of shame having cleaners who are even older than your parents or grandparents clean up trays for you? We should redefine the roles of cleaners to just clean and sanitize the area instead of babysitting and return trays on behalf of people with entitled mindset. If we can make a little change to our behaviour and spare a thought for one another, our society will be a much better place to live in.
@@usucktoo Do you think it's okay to throw trash in the streets because there are cleaners that are paid to clean the streets. If you think that it's not appropriate then why do you think it's okay to trash the table and not cleaning it yourself? I'm quite appalled at how irresponsible you are. How hard is it to return trays, it doesn't even take 10 minutes!
@@usucktoo You are right about anti-consumer... with this implementation... I will feel definitely feel stressful to sit and eat at the table... I mean Singapore already very stressful.. please dun make this simplest thing of cleaning become a consumer problem also.
The best way is still the tray station where they return you the $0.50 or $1 deposit. What you have to do is to mandate it across the island. So no matter where you go, it is the same system or else some people will get confused and question the stall assistant. My suggestion is for the customer to decide how many tray they need for their food. That will determine how much more they will be charged that the cashier can input into the cash register. It is only after the issue of tray then food will be given out and be collected by the customer.
Omyg, I think you can use “shaming methode”. Just put some of them on national TV. They sure do not want to become of the family’s shame, especially for their children, lol.
@@casstsj 'Kindly clear the table before you leave.' English and chinese language first, toggle the rest. How is that slow? Soon enough, all will know.
Even if customers are willing to return the food trays, sometimes I find the Return Tray shelves full with no cleaners clearing them during peak hours. So it's stack of dirty trays with no more room to put more without clearing them first. Guess that hawker centre lacks of manpower. 😔
That's weird. A friend of mine went to Singapore and ate at these markets, when he got up and to return his try; his friend told him to stop and said it was the cleaners' job.
@@TheMostObliviousGirl The person who says its the cleaner's job is lazy to clear the table. Everyone is Singapore should be returning their own tray but because of cleaners in the hawer places, people are lazy to do so and make excuses that it is the cleaner's job.
At home, your mother remind u to clean up your room. Outside, a robotic voice remind u to clean up after u ate. The bottom line is that people can improve their eating manners and not spat their bones all over the table or throw their used tissue on the table or even back into the bowl... 🤮 So at the very least, anyone can still remove the tray or cutleries away themselves and don’t need to wait for the cleaning staff!
This is placing the burden on the people to justify not hiring as much cleaners and/or overworking them. This is rich companies not doing their job and asking you to do it for them. This is like asking people to start sweeping the floors of the megamalls everytime we step on their pristine floors. Foodcourts were made to have utensils and jobs for people cleaning up and collecting those utensils. If foodcourts are so hard up in cash that they can't clean up the usual mess that goes with a foodcourt, then maybe they should have been a parking lot.
foreigner need to watch this also. ive been to sgp many times and dont know about we need to return our tray . we think tht just hawker scam to make some money bcos we r outsider .now i understand why . glad i watch this video and glad u guys bring it up . just need more push to let foreigner watch this so dont feel like being scammed when eating at hawker.
Because their government is not corrupt, their business owners are not brutally stingy to their employees, they are industrious who prefer job than hand outs from government. Ask your politicians to visit singapore and learn from them, 🤣🤣. Why would singapore solve your poverty issues?
@@kitchg5526 I didn't mean to say that SG needs to resolve poverty issues in our country. What I mean is their government and society is one of the best that even petty problems such as food trays became a big deal for them. In fact I hate how politics run in my country and I envy SG's government. We are full of corruption especially nepotism, cronyism, and brribery.
I alway love and admire how clean and beautiful Singapore is. So I am shock that the Singaporeans take pride on how clean their country is but yet can't seem to clean after themselves. The irony...shame on those who refuse to do so, because of their so call privilege over the table cleaners...Some of the excuses are so ridiculous. Like, I am in a hurry, or I have to go shopping first? It's such a bad habit ingrained in their heads for generations. The younger generation needs to help change this old thinking.
BY HELPING AUNTIE YOU ARE HELPING YOURSELF AS WELL AS SOCIETY AND SELF MOTIVATION. GOOD FOR SINGAPOREANS. CLEAN UP YOURSELF AS YOU GO, JUST LIKE FLUSHING THE TOILET AFTER USE. DONOT WANT THE CLEANER TO FLUSH FOR YOU , WE KNOW SINGAPOREANS HAVE SIMPLE COMMON SENSE, 🙄🇸🇬
No one treat auntie cleaner like a robot. If they return the trays than aunties still able to clean table only and other staffs can do and wash easy. All those barbarian highclass are still so lazy and no feeling like heartless. They don't care about staffs and other people who wanna to take turns. It is not staffs fault. It is other people's fault who just leave and go after meals like a lazy pigs. They should be shame themselves. We are human being. Even we eat at home and we take responsibility to clean ourselves. So same thing at public after our meals we just simple return the trays and staffs will do easy way. We respect and follow simple rules, but all idoit people say "wolawa so many rules" more like they are totally criminal and heartless. We need to learn and follow respect with good reason because staffs did not take break or rest and yet all of them are elderly and it is very heartbreaking. 😭
@@gaminicyril clean the tables only possibly lead to a reduction of the cleaning staff since a significant amount of the task they usually do (ofc since it takes time and labor to pick up plates and clean the trashes of some hundred customers, that might have been in their job requirements) is gone and now the owner have a reason to cut cost even more.
"oh you return the tray but left your bowl , plates, fork and spoon in the table .. la.." wow Epic.. I laugh out out man.. hahahahahahahahaha.. epic joke of the year..
Reserving seats is much more annoying than tray returning issues as it lowering down the usage rate of the seats. You will see a lot of people holding their trays looking for seats while the nearby table is empty, but with a funny tissue paper.
I didn't hear any of the stall owners consider paying their cleaners more for the work they do. Most of them probably think, _"Why should we? Our cleaners have been doing it for the pay they've already been receiving."_ Unless the owners can be convinced that they'll either: 1) Maintain or increase their current profits, or 2) be willing to tolerate somewhat of a loss in an effort to pay their cleaners higher wages, I don't see them making much of an effort to enforce the change. I think the same would hold true regarding the owners purchasing & maintaining an automated prompting system. They would most likely need to see evidence that they'll see an increase in their profits.
Remind people that cleaning their own trays will: - help the underpaid cleaning ladies. - help them get a clean table quicker (if everyone does the same). - help reduce filth in the dining area -
You cannot expect overnight changes when for decades since hawker centres have been opened, customers weren't expected to have to clean up the table after themselves. Just look at how much trouble people in the West have to obey mask wearing during a pandemic. *Change is gradual*. Negative actions like shaming and fines aren't really justified since it isn't regarded as a social ill when cleaners are employed to clean just like many other F&B service industries. In coffeeshops and privately run food courts, it isn't such a big problem because they have employed enough people. They are more motivated or efficient. Perhaps it is the volume of customers during meal times that needs managing. If you want to preserve hawker culture, try softer approach and other improve overall cleanliness, like real dishwashing machines instead of just manual, build proper sanitary food clearing stations, provide cleaner toilets and wash basins, cleaner floors. If the overall environment looks old and dirty, people are less inclined to do their part to keep clean when they see nothing else is clean around them.
I think it's important for us to return our own trays and spare a thought for our hawkers and cleaners who put their 100% effort in keeping our hawker centres clean. If they can put their 100% in cleaning, why can't we put 5% effort in returning our trays?
Honestly this is ridiculous, how hard is it to clean up after yourselves. These are the same adults who preach to their children to clean up at home and yet...
years ago when I lost my job and was in transaction of another, living on limited savings, the extra dollar was a big consideration on what i could buy at stall even know that i knew the dollar will be return afterwards, thus I can empathise on why some refuse to take a tray with tray deposit. I pledge to return tray with or without deposit, it is a good habit afterall.
Lol, they juz apply the logic like how u use supermarket trolleys. U insert ur $1 or 50cents coins and u get back after that. what is there to worry abt unless u don’t bother to return those items 🙊
@@geraldineslk when you only have 5 dollars in your wallet that day, you chose food that are $4 and below and not $4.5. because of the extra dollar. No one is worrying about getting back the $1 or the act of returning the tray. some of these are implemented in areas where there are alot of elderly, just consider is both nature the same? you can choose not to have trolley and use basket but can you choose not o use tray? the act of returning tray is not relevant to deposit return but as a correct action, even at hawker centre with out tray I choose to take my finished empty bowl/plate to the return station which i do believe the alarm sys has better potential than deposit as a commercial option.
@@SugaDontPlay FYI there is a diff between hawker ctr and restaurants, in the price segments. U can eat just bread (abt 2.50/loft)or dry instant noodles (abt 2/5pack) both can last 4 to 5meals. In fact u can eat just about anything if u generalized broke. Ramen needs to be cooked and not really that cheap with some costing about 2/pack. If where u work doesn’t have a pantry then a good alternative is to have a hot meal hawker ctr also offers cheap choice such as buns or doughs at 0.5-0.8 or plain noodles or rice or snack at a dollar, or a decent meal between 2-5 (or even at 1.20-1.50 you can enjoy a delicious banana leave scent infused coconut rice with a sambal paste, egg, anchovies, a whole piece of fish and topped with peanuts). Everyone might go through difficult times but that is separate from being made to feel miserable, the extra dollar put a limitation on choice as part of the package of a solution. It was a good try, do note that feedback are to allow for a better design consideration and not get stuck with just a feel good action.
The solution is simple, just mandate this across all hawker centres. Customers should not be allowed to refuse a tray so everyone will have the pay the deposit. Allowing customers to refuse trays will just incentivise id**ts to game the system. Can also use a double solution. Have the tray deposit system as well as a fine in place. Can even have tray-return-ambassadors to create more jobs after safe distancing ambassadors are no longer needed.
I start to think again about Singapore. Everyone often says Singapore is a highly developed country, very clean, very civilised. I usually thought so too. Now, I know how. Just because Singapore uses very heavy fine system. No one dares to litter in Singapore because they will be fined heavily. Rules are everywhere, every places But this doesn't change human nature.
Actually this is not the case. While Singaporeans have been educated on the risks of being fined for littering, the people generally know that there is little enforcement. Most have internalised not to litter as the right thing to do. In the case of tray returning, historically going to hawker Centres is viewed as a commercial activities and diners have always expected that the business owners provide the cleaning service
I think it would be better to name the deposit as 'tray collection service charge'. It's better to make people feel that collecting the tray is an extra service which they are not entitled for free. Or reward returns for a discount coupon for next meal
Yishun Park hawker centre has a lucky draw for people who return their trays. I have rented trays on 2 ocassions and have won $5 and $8 credit to spend back at the hawker centre. I think this is a very effective way to get singaporeans to return their trays in the short run.
Stall owners played important part too. Sad to see Yishun Park HC, stall owner will not normally issue out tray for customers unless specially request. This behaviour changes the whole dynamic of the initial intentions to have automatic tray return system in placed in hawker. Me personally super look forward for the new law for compulsory tray return at hawker centre to be implemented! So sad but this is the only way that make Singaporean return our own tray. 😞
If you think this video will inspire Singaporeans to be more gracious, think again. The kind of Singaporean who does not return trays is the kind that do not watch these videos.
i think based on this last experiment, all hawker centres should be fitted with a PA system of some sort that plays once in 5 mins, just like the ones you hear when you're sitting in the train. A short chime/music will play followed by an announcement/reminder for patrons to clear their food trays. It'll be cheaper to get it implemented and it wont take-up space. Just gotta install speakers and hook it up to a simple, low powered cpu.
The biggest problem is that trays are often very dirty or dirty & smelly from the stalls. this has in a way discourage people from picking up the tray to return after eating. In most hawkers centre, all the trays are clean with the dirty cloth used so many times before the cloth are wash again.
We have an aldi, which i would never shop after one time, because i am disabled, and returning a cart for 25 cents is a joke. I just pushed it as far away as it can go, and this was many year's ago before my disability got so bad. They also used horse meat for hamburger, and i would never go there if healthy, because it's a foreign company from germany.
Honestly speaking, the 50cents deposit for a tray system is not a bad idea. People are upset because it is not widely implemented and hence is something outside of their norm. Implement this system in every hawker and people will get used to the new norm. Take Taiwan's war on single use plastic for example, is everyone happy about the changes? No. But has it helped the situation? Yes!
the easy way to solve this. 1) all stalls use the same plates and trays 2) fee for the plates and trays make it national 3) all plates and trays are cleaned in a cleaning room then sent to the stalls as needed 4) education in the schools for the youngest to end the issue for the future 5) make it to go boxes so people in a rush can get going and maybe not even need a tray and table. 6) social pressure people to act better.
Awesome campaign. It would help (1) to have visible signage where to return the tray (with the crockery and utensils) (2) to charge a nominal amount similar to what they do at Timber (this one you are forced .. you got no choice). How does the cleaner know which table has to be cleaned or disinfected ?
Wonder what is the Cost benefit would show? It looks like a hefty investment for all those sensors to be installed for the tables, also future maintenance cost. I like the $0.50 surcharge for the tray method better as the automated cleaning also result in more sanitized utensils.
@cna actually after watching your programme, I started to be even more mindful to return my tray 😬. maybe with more awareness of this video (public education ) it might affect change
19:20 honestly with the entire camera crew at the hawker centre, I'm sure many would have figured out to return their trays lest getting shamed on public TV. Should test out the efficacy rate when cameras aren't on scene
MEANWHILE, if i could remember correctly, square one shopping centres food court (mississauga, canada) encourages you to keep your tray and plates on your table sa a form of CONVENIENCE for the shoppers. then the custodians would be the one to pick up after you. makes a customer feel like "royalty". geez. just return your plates! not only does it show courtesy to our hard working cleaners, but it also shows CLASS and manners! same thing for shopping carts. do you return it after youve loaded your things onto your vehicle?
What I don't understand is the lack of kindness we are taught as children in Asia. Service jobs like cleaning is hard work and doing something for them will just show respect for another human being. Walking few steps will mean more energy used by your body. Kindness and healthier life. As someone living in USA, I am used to bring tray back. Each time I've gone to Asia ( India, Singapore, elsewhere ), I find myself bringing the tray back and find it strange that others don't do it. When they have come to USA and do not bring the tray back, I tell them they should. That's how it is.
If more people return tray.. then there is lesser need to hire more cleaners... then all these cleaners goes where?? We dun have unemployment benefits in Singapore hor... nor do we have universal income also.... and from the looks of it.. most of these cleaners are not exactly foreigners... a lot of elderly locals... the question is why???
@@Anon-cv7ru here in USA, we still have people cleaning tables, floor. The social security the elderly here get us quite often not enough. I was taught to respect the elderly in India and I thought that was also part of Asian culture. Time to time, I see elderly working here because they have to and that's painful.
Cna.. one way is to charge extra at the hawker stand. 5 dollar per tray and when returned they get their money back,, its a win win for the worker and qn incentive for customers to return their trays or pay the consequences.
I only know why I don use tray is due to dirty,.oily tray. Those used tray just wayang used dirty oily cloth to check wipe. Dirty + dirty + oily + oily, I as a guy don use it. Let alone ladies. You want ppl to use tray, go see Ikea tray, the moment you pick u a Ikea tray, you know it's warm, and clean. For what I know, Ikea tray return rate quite high. Edit note: I rather don take touch dirty tray, I rather return my bowl plate.
Should announce if customers clear their tray, the cleaners will have more time to clean and sterilise the tables properly which is important in COVID times
I think the best way is to reward Singaporeans $0.20 - $0.50 if we are willing to return the tray. Do not get a deposit as it will make Singaporeans feel like we are paying for it.
Same thoughts - Don't call it a deposit, just reward the return off. In the UK they used to have something similar with glass pop bottles, you just bought it and once you took it back you got 20p! :D They are stupidly overcomplicating it to make a show.
Put a system where people will be given $1 for each tray returned and people will return it without the use of electronic dèvices. Or, per tray returned, the customer will get a discount on restos or grab food.
Shocking--the standard of English in most of the comments below! And I had thought: 1. Education in Singapore is in English. 2. Singapore is a developed country.
I dont know how schools in America operate now because I'm 31 soon to be 32 but when I was in elementary and middle school we were trained to line up after lunch and bring out trays back to the lunch lady. In high school the same thing was supposed to happen but I've seen that dwindling down even back then. It comes down to parents, schools, the gentleman earlier was absolutely right it has to start when kids are young. To me it's only proper manners to do such a simple thing, I remember my grandfather always use to say was I raised in a barn every time i would forget to pickup my tray when we went out. It was such I simple statement and yet it had a result, that result was me picking up after myself. I'd go with the shaming method, no one wants to be seen in a bad light so if one doesnt pick up after themselves have something that takes an automated photo that gets posted at every center before that person walks out the door. This goes along the lines of shoplifters being posted in malls around the uk and England.
I think they're on the right track with the automated system but the fact that we now have gotten to this is just ridiculous, it should be just another normal thing one does.
In Singapore context, in the early days, to eat out means to go to hawker Centres. It is a commercial transaction, people expect the business owners to provide the clearing and cleaning services. It is something ingrained in the common people
Good system (automated tray return). Ignore the complainers - they're just lazy brats. If you have the tray return system, you shouldn't pester and annoy the people to return trays, though - that's just totalitarian, micro-managing fascism.
She didn't try everything. What if seats and tables are redesigned so there is a converyer belt that automatically move all used bowls and utensils to the tray clearing station? Then diners just need to place it on the converyer belt before leaving.
The return tray point has to be more convenient. In food court in my workplace most ppl return their trays as there r many tray return points and the crowd is generally younger. In most food court at shopping centre the tray return point is just too far at 1 corner, ppl just cant bother to return.
... human, being sucker for incentive will automatically return the tray if some reward is offered...even if they don’t someone else will .Meanwhile the cleaning mama will be nervously twiddling her fingers, waiting for the axe to fall
Put barcodes on the underside of every plates, cups n glasses .Anyone who return one tray get 50cts ,and return one plate ,cup or glass get 20cts.This strategy will motivate many peoples n bystanders to return the trays ,plates, cups,glasses. Sure there will be no trays,plates,cups and glasses on the tables.Cleaners will only be paid to clean and sanitise tables.This strategy will Save manpower ,don't need to use many foreign workers to do it .hawkers will foot the bill in the form of cleaning fees.
Ha Ha! Cannot wait to go back to beautiful Singapore for my much-needed hawker's food fix. Well it"s been a while since I have been back to Singapore and I will look forward to the siren reminding me to return my food tray😋
I think if the PM would make a primetime appearance on TV warning of dire consequences, for example, that the country's SURVIVAL might be at stake if food center tables are consistently full of dirty dishes, the people might finally get the message.
Try positive rewards. Free small dessert for returned trays. Happy helpers informing, and thanking the customers for their future presumed action of tray return. Charge an additional $0.50 USD for the "free desert", so the merchant is not financially responsible for the "free" dessert, but covertly factor this into the cost of doing business.
It good to return tray But those working old men and women (I believe their generation CPF still not start,). By doing this, where they find simple job?. The media should interview the hawker center owner, when no need to collect tray, what is their reaction, reduce Headcount? Show the facts and keep track that they reduce the food price by Gov. Maybe this can be implement 3 generation...
United States: Severe inequality, street violence, homelessness and heroin addiction, we have problem. Singapore: We have problem too, people do not return their trays at the food stalls.
Fully automation is the plot! Who are doing the tray clearing? How many Singaporean are employed under this job? Structure is there to help the poor and you sitting on high income with distaughted view want a change. When we all return our tray who is going to stop the rest being fully robotic? Have your check what job is available for lower rung of society now. I will return and even wash my plate if you can pay the poor employed in this area a better job. This people sit high up don't know whats happening on the ground.
The more I watch these videos, the more I respect the previous priminister Lee Kuan Yew. For some Wedterners, he may be a dictator. But without him and his regime, Singapore can not develop as nowadays. Changing the habits if the population of a country with different races like Singapore, it is not a joke.
Need to show step by step in the picture to the location. Where should we place our crockery. Some can't understand what is this about. One or more people do it, the rest will follow like copycat what the person does. I think, is a good practice in everywhere we goes.
Recently I was at a coffee shop and all the vacant table tops had small quantities of drink or gravy or soup and bits of food left on top. I chose the table which looked the "cleanest" even though it had a few coffee or tea stains and a small puddle of water on the table. I called on the cleaner, who was standing idly barely 8 feet away, to wipe the table. She was extremely reluctant to even do this tiny bit of cleaning. I had to call her THREE times to clean the table before she reluctantly walked over to wipe the table. Unfortunately, this sort of experience is very common at many coffee shops and hawker centers. Trays and bowls, etc are removed, but bits of food, soup, drinks, etc are not cleaned by the cleaners, who casually walk past these dirty tables, and not see anything that need to be done. Often, there is not even a single cleaner in close proximity that I can call upon to clean the table. Do we still need cleaners who have next to nothing to do? And neglect to do even the tiny bit that is asked of them? In Japan, at food courts, they have stations where diners can take small pieces of damp disposable clothes to wipe the tables when they finish. Is it possible to save the money spent on hiring cleaners and use the money to provide this amenity instead, so that diners can wipe their own spilled food, drink, etc? Of course, to make this idea work in SG, we should take ONLY 1 or 2 pieces of the disposable clothes, depending on how many are in our group. If every diner takes a whole stack of clothe then, .... our society need to do a lot of maturing.
I love Diana Ser, she is very fluent n eloquent in hosting whatever events assigned to her. After all these years she still look pretty n slim tats good. The siren on the table trigger for diners to clear their tray, bowls n cutlery is a good idea. All diners shd do their part in clearing their mess n less burden to cleaners n also good for next diner with clean table too.....good talking point....well done....😚
The government has already started educating the young decades ago! I have been returning my trays since I was in primary school. I'm 23 today. I can assure you that many Singaporeans my age or younger will do the same. It's now time to EDUCATE THE ELDERLY!!! The gov has been pushing this for more than 5 years and there's still no progress. Until today, I can confidently say that 80% of Singaporeans above the age of 60 do not return their trays. My parents, who are 55 this year, were just the same. Until I consistently pressure them, each time we eat at a hawker.
Cant you guys encourage tray returns in a better way? Sirens dont help but coupons do. Like if you encourage ppl by giving them coupons if they return it to use it for the next visit. But to be honest: this problem is not only in Singapore. In Thailand i have seen this too especially at the big shopping mall in Bangkok namely MBK. This tray return only is returned IF there are close enough tray return stations nearby. Signed with "please return your tray" in different languages is also applicable.
How likely are Singaporeans to return our food trays in hawker centres? Find out in Part 1 of our food tray issue: ua-cam.com/video/yi1Py8Q1V8I/v-deo.html
Hire me as a goodwill ambassador to help with this problem
(my earlier jokes aside, I have a few serious suggestions and experiments that might work?)
This really is a global problem, health wise.
We seen from the people stuck in the cruise ship at the beginning of the pandemic, one sick person spreading germs effects ALL OF US! keep on them guys, it'll take (hopefully)!
LOL that auntie return the tray but leave the bowl behind😅 well she just literally followed the device😅
lol
That cracked me up too!! LOL
And Diana's expression was like :"Auntie, WTF?!" 😲
Some people learn slowly.
Lmao
Diana going 😲 "OHHHHHH 妳return liao可是你的盘子放在那边啦”
😂😂😂
So cute ❤
I guesss we thought wrong that Singapore is a nation of well educated and disciplined people.
I thought so too until I saw this. Disappointed to be honest. It is just inconsiderate.
They acted good, because strict law and huge fine to keep and develop their discipline. They even can't not being a democracy city state.
The most funny part:
Diana: Did u hear the alarm?
Auntie: Yes yes yes, I returned the tray.
Diana: Oh u returned the tray but the bowls still left behind on the table.
HAHAHAHAHA
it goes to show Singaporeans just do the minimum, if you say "TRAY return" they literally remove the bowls from the tray and return only the tray.. unless they say "RETURN CROCKERY" (then maybe they will return the bowls and plates, but not the chopsticks and forks..lol)
HAHAHHAHA
don't worry, women in Singapore don't even take their own responsibility of defending the country, much less clearing up their own mess.
As a young singaporean, I am very disgusted by this situation. I am taught since young to clean up my own mess wherever I go. Why can't we all be more responsible in cleaning and returning the trays. Is this simple act of responsibility so difficult to do?
don't worry, women in Singapore don't even take their own responsibility of defending the country, much less clearing up their own mess.
It’s embarrassingly shameful that this video even has to be made. High time we start thinking for others instead of just ourselves. It’s an act of courtesy and you help the overworked cleaners. Return the trays because you want to, not because you have to.
its the same with maids or domestic helpers also.. often in singapore, when you hire a "maid" you think of them as a "live in servant" you sleep in my house, eat my food... of cos you have to do "everything lah"
so if the maid say washing your car or bathing your pet dog, or feeding your pet dog is not her job, you will think, WHAT??
but the fact is she is there to assist your household chores, your pet is ur OWN responsiblity as a pet owner, as with your car.
but often maids cannot argue or reason with their boss, as they know if their boss get offended by their refusal to do some chores, their boss can go complain to the maid agency to change the maid and blame it on her work slow or rude..etc.
not many employers have lay down clear rules on working hours for the maid, which allow the maid ample time to rest and even have off days. that is why the service industry is always getting bullied because as consumers, they have a "Customer is always right" mentality..
The fact that we have to discuss, invent and rely on technology to address simple manners and etiquette shows that we have failed as humans. Even cats and dogs know where to do their business smh.
I don't think people understand the reasoning behind cleaning after yourselves when you finish your food. If they need to hired more people to clean up after you that means the cost of food will go up. It is impossible for the cleaners to clean all the tables, chairs, tableware, and any mess that was left behind by the people when there is only 5 cleaners even just for 1 hour consisting 300 of trays and tableware. Just think about that. If each stall decides to hire their own cleaners to clean their stuff; the price will go up for sure. People need to be educated that is all and understand the cause and effect it has. It should start when they are young. But it doesn't mean you can't start now. My parents taught me when I was kid. I was shocked to hear that this is even a problem in Singapore since this place is considered clean next to Japan, especially a place that bans gum. Technology can only go so far to remind people and has limitations. Like the charging of the plates is a good start but educating people would be more effective.
@@TheMostObliviousGirl I hate people who use the excuse "I'm creating more jobs" to be lazy while inflating ego. They aren't creating more jobs, they're creating more work. Work that can't be handled by the existing worker. Bosses will then start demanding more and stress will build up. I worked in retail and know the stress very well. People are a**holes when it's not their problem.
@@bobleeroy2573 I hate that. This is actually a very small problem. If people are more considerate and are taught. It shouldn't even exist. I truly don't get these people's mentality.
im sorry, but i laughed way too hard when that one auntie said she returned her tray but left her bowl on the table.. HAHAHA. Well, she did exactly what the announcement asked her to do.. XD
😂😂💀
She's a robot.
18:54 - "I returned the tray" but she left the bowl on the table. I knew that would happen 🤣.
We Canadians return our food trays without asking. We started out at very young elementary school.
We do that too. But this habit is not enforced outside of school setting and people conveniently “forget” this behavior in a hawker centre.
That uncle who said “It could have meant a signal for the auntie to help clean” please don’t act blur as the announcement clearly state to please return your trays. Don’t find excuses for your disgusting behaviour.
Except his behaviour wasn't disgusting and was appropriate to this shameful anti consumer propaganda. Hawkers and their cleaning companies make 100s of thousands of dollars every year. So how come they can't hire people to pick up trays and actually make a cleaner Sg? No, it has to be art installations, and robots, and shame alerts. For what? For the sake of the people? No, this is profit margins.
@@usucktoo I’m appalled that you think that not cleaning up after oneself is not disgusting. Do you poop and let the cleaners flush for you? Do you not feel a tinge of shame having cleaners who are even older than your parents or grandparents clean up trays for you? We should redefine the roles of cleaners to just clean and sanitize the area instead of babysitting and return trays on behalf of people with entitled mindset. If we can make a little change to our behaviour and spare a thought for one another, our society will be a much better place to live in.
@@usucktoo Do you think it's okay to throw trash in the streets because there are cleaners that are paid to clean the streets. If you think that it's not appropriate then why do you think it's okay to trash the table and not cleaning it yourself? I'm quite appalled at how irresponsible you are. How hard is it to return trays, it doesn't even take 10 minutes!
@@usucktoo You are right about anti-consumer... with this implementation... I will feel definitely feel stressful to sit and eat at the table... I mean Singapore already very stressful.. please dun make this simplest thing of cleaning become a consumer problem also.
@@Anon-cv7ru mai kp and just return the trays. Was it that stressful for you to do that when you were in primary school?
The best way is still the tray station where they return you the $0.50 or $1 deposit.
What you have to do is to mandate it across the island. So no matter where you go, it is the same system or else some people will get confused and question the stall assistant.
My suggestion is for the customer to decide how many tray they need for their food. That will determine how much more they will be charged that the cashier can input into the cash register. It is only after the issue of tray then food will be given out and be collected by the customer.
Omyg, I think you can use “shaming methode”. Just put some of them on national TV. They sure do not want to become of the family’s shame, especially for their children, lol.
The alarm announcement language must be in English, Mandarin, Hokkien, Malay and Tamil.
The problem is by the time the announcement of all languages is over, the ppl would have alr left the table
@@casstsj 'Kindly clear the table before you leave.' English and chinese language first, toggle the rest. How is that slow? Soon enough, all will know.
If people are responsible, they don't need all different languages.
@@stephenc2481 Hence the video is titled "How to Get More Singaporeans To Return Our Food Trays"
Even if customers are willing to return the food trays, sometimes I find the Return Tray shelves full with no cleaners clearing them during peak hours. So it's stack of dirty trays with no more room to put more without clearing them first. Guess that hawker centre lacks of manpower. 😔
Singapore primary and secondary schools have been making the students return their own food however not all of them do the same in public.
That's weird. A friend of mine went to Singapore and ate at these markets, when he got up and to return his try; his friend told him to stop and said it was the cleaners' job.
@@TheMostObliviousGirl The person who says its the cleaner's job is lazy to clear the table. Everyone is Singapore should be returning their own tray but because of cleaners in the hawer places, people are lazy to do so and make excuses that it is the cleaner's job.
At home, your mother remind u to clean up your room. Outside, a robotic voice remind u to clean up after u ate.
The bottom line is that people can improve their eating manners and not spat their bones all over the table or throw their used tissue on the table or even back into the bowl... 🤮
So at the very least, anyone can still remove the tray or cutleries away themselves and don’t need to wait for the cleaning staff!
Wow! I'm really shocked because I heard Singapore was extremely clean and strict about it as well!
They find it demeaning to be seen carrying dirty dishes in public.
This is placing the burden on the people to justify not hiring as much cleaners and/or overworking them. This is rich companies not doing their job and asking you to do it for them. This is like asking people to start sweeping the floors of the megamalls everytime we step on their pristine floors. Foodcourts were made to have utensils and jobs for people cleaning up and collecting those utensils. If foodcourts are so hard up in cash that they can't clean up the usual mess that goes with a foodcourt, then maybe they should have been a parking lot.
foreigner need to watch this also. ive been to sgp many times and dont know about we need to return our tray . we think tht just hawker scam to make some money bcos we r outsider .now i understand why . glad i watch this video and glad u guys bring it up . just need more push to let foreigner watch this so dont feel like being scammed when eating at hawker.
Only in Singapore where returning your food tray is a national crisis. LOL
Well,they have the right, since they fixed other issues. Besides, it's needed during this time of pandemic
Alao in china
Add a cleaning fee to their dining. For the hawkers and Customer to benefit the cleaners.
World : poverty, war, corruption, lack of infrastructure, natural disasters, etc.
Singapore: Food Trays
ha , u the only dude making sense , todays topic singaporean dont return trays , on cna summore ..........
Because their government is not corrupt, their business owners are not brutally stingy to their employees, they are industrious who prefer job than hand outs from government.
Ask your politicians to visit singapore and learn from them, 🤣🤣.
Why would singapore solve your poverty issues?
@@kitchg5526 I didn't mean to say that SG needs to resolve poverty issues in our country. What I mean is their government and society is one of the best that even petty problems such as food trays became a big deal for them. In fact I hate how politics run in my country and I envy SG's government. We are full of corruption especially nepotism, cronyism, and brribery.
@@michaelangeloenriquez2212 i think they emphasize this issue because of covid.
I alway love and admire how clean and beautiful Singapore is. So I am shock that the Singaporeans take pride on how clean their country is but yet can't seem to clean after themselves. The irony...shame on those who refuse to do so, because of their so call privilege over the table cleaners...Some of the excuses are so ridiculous. Like, I am in a hurry, or I have to go shopping first? It's such a bad habit ingrained in their heads for generations. The younger generation needs to help change this old thinking.
Well 50% of the people in Singapore are not Singaporean. I dont expect these people to have pride in a place that doesnt belong to them.
LOL ... the "culture" says cleaning is auntie's job ...you can't get them to stand in an organized queue either!
BY HELPING AUNTIE YOU ARE HELPING YOURSELF
AS WELL AS SOCIETY AND SELF MOTIVATION. GOOD FOR SINGAPOREANS.
CLEAN UP YOURSELF AS YOU GO, JUST LIKE FLUSHING THE TOILET AFTER USE.
DONOT WANT THE CLEANER TO FLUSH FOR YOU ,
WE KNOW SINGAPOREANS HAVE SIMPLE COMMON SENSE, 🙄🇸🇬
Finally aunt got no job
@@kengng8797 THERES ALWAYS HAVE JOBS, SANITIZING,
WIPING THE TABLES SWEEPING AND MOPPING THE FLOOR.
No one treat auntie cleaner like a robot. If they return the trays than aunties still able to clean table only and other staffs can do and wash easy. All those barbarian highclass are still so lazy and no feeling like heartless. They don't care about staffs and other people who wanna to take turns. It is not staffs fault. It is other people's fault who just leave and go after meals like a lazy pigs. They should be shame themselves. We are human being. Even we eat at home and we take responsibility to clean ourselves. So same thing at public after our meals we just simple return the trays and staffs will do easy way. We respect and follow simple rules, but all idoit people say "wolawa so many rules" more like they are totally criminal and heartless. We need to learn and follow respect with good reason because staffs did not take break or rest and yet all of them are elderly and it is very heartbreaking. 😭
@@gaminicyril clean the tables only possibly lead to a reduction of the cleaning staff since a significant amount of the task they usually do (ofc since it takes time and labor to pick up plates and clean the trashes of some hundred customers, that might have been in their job requirements) is gone and now the owner have a reason to cut cost even more.
"oh you return the tray but left your bowl , plates, fork and spoon in the table .. la.."
wow Epic.. I laugh out out man.. hahahahahahahahaha.. epic joke of the year..
She literally just returned the TRAY
Auntie act blur lah! 😆😂
Steady lah, auntie.
Life must be Good in Singapore, if in the middle of pandemic, 50c deposit for trays is a "Talking Point."
18:55 Laughed way too hard 😂
People say Singapore is very clean but after watching this documentary they are extremely filty and careless. Crossing off my bucket list!
Prompting is one of the ways to persuade & urge most of everyone to return the food trays at most hawker centres.
Reserving seats is much more annoying than tray returning issues as it lowering down the usage rate of the seats. You will see a lot of people holding their trays looking for seats while the nearby table is empty, but with a funny tissue paper.
It is the responsibility of the food stall owners to hire more helpers to clean since the customers paid for the food.
I didn't hear any of the stall owners consider paying their cleaners more for the work they do. Most of them probably think, _"Why should we? Our cleaners have been doing it for the pay they've already been receiving."_ Unless the owners can be convinced that they'll either: 1) Maintain or increase their current profits, or 2) be willing to tolerate somewhat of a loss in an effort to pay their cleaners higher wages, I don't see them making much of an effort to enforce the change. I think the same would hold true regarding the owners purchasing & maintaining an automated prompting system. They would most likely need to see evidence that they'll see an increase in their profits.
Remind people that cleaning their own trays will:
- help the underpaid cleaning ladies.
- help them get a clean table quicker (if everyone does the same).
- help reduce filth in the dining area
-
and possibly made the cleaners lose their job. at least some will.
You cannot expect overnight changes when for decades since hawker centres have been opened, customers weren't expected to have to clean up the table after themselves. Just look at how much trouble people in the West have to obey mask wearing during a pandemic. *Change is gradual*. Negative actions like shaming and fines aren't really justified since it isn't regarded as a social ill when cleaners are employed to clean just like many other F&B service industries. In coffeeshops and privately run food courts, it isn't such a big problem because they have employed enough people. They are more motivated or efficient. Perhaps it is the volume of customers during meal times that needs managing. If you want to preserve hawker culture, try softer approach and other improve overall cleanliness, like real dishwashing machines instead of just manual, build proper sanitary food clearing stations, provide cleaner toilets and wash basins, cleaner floors. If the overall environment looks old and dirty, people are less inclined to do their part to keep clean when they see nothing else is clean around them.
Atleast theres a progress
I think it's important for us to return our own trays and spare a thought for our hawkers and cleaners who put their 100% effort in keeping our hawker centres clean. If they can put their 100% in cleaning, why can't we put 5% effort in returning our trays?
Honestly this is ridiculous, how hard is it to clean up after yourselves. These are the same adults who preach to their children to clean up at home and yet...
years ago when I lost my job and was in transaction of another, living on limited savings, the extra dollar was a big consideration on what i could buy at stall even know that i knew the dollar will be return afterwards, thus I can empathise on why some refuse to take a tray with tray deposit. I pledge to return tray with or without deposit, it is a good habit afterall.
Lol, they juz apply the logic like how u use supermarket trolleys. U insert ur $1 or 50cents coins and u get back after that. what is there to worry abt unless u don’t bother to return those items 🙊
@@geraldineslk when you only have 5 dollars in your wallet that day, you chose food that are $4 and below and not $4.5. because of the extra dollar. No one is worrying about getting back the $1 or the act of returning the tray. some of these are implemented in areas where there are alot of elderly, just consider is both nature the same? you can choose not to have trolley and use basket but can you choose not o use tray?
the act of returning tray is not relevant to deposit return but as a correct action, even at hawker centre with out tray I choose to take my finished empty bowl/plate to the return station which i do believe the alarm sys has better potential than deposit as a commercial option.
You don't eat out at a restaurant when you're broke, you buy groceries, like ramen and bread and peanut butter.
@@SugaDontPlay FYI there is a diff between hawker ctr and restaurants, in the price segments. U can eat just bread (abt 2.50/loft)or dry instant noodles (abt 2/5pack) both can last 4 to 5meals. In fact u can eat just about anything if u generalized broke. Ramen needs to be cooked and not really that cheap with some costing about 2/pack. If where u work doesn’t have a pantry then a good alternative is to have a hot meal hawker ctr also offers cheap choice such as buns or doughs at 0.5-0.8 or plain noodles or rice or snack at a dollar, or a decent meal between 2-5 (or even at 1.20-1.50 you can enjoy a delicious banana leave scent infused coconut rice with a sambal paste, egg, anchovies, a whole piece of fish and topped with peanuts). Everyone might go through difficult times but that is separate from being made to feel miserable, the extra dollar put a limitation on choice as part of the package of a solution. It was a good try, do note that feedback are to allow for a better design consideration and not get stuck with just a feel good action.
The solution is simple, just mandate this across all hawker centres. Customers should not be allowed to refuse a tray so everyone will have the pay the deposit. Allowing customers to refuse trays will just incentivise id**ts to game the system.
Can also use a double solution. Have the tray deposit system as well as a fine in place. Can even have tray-return-ambassadors to create more jobs after safe distancing ambassadors are no longer needed.
I start to think again about Singapore. Everyone often says Singapore is a highly developed country, very clean, very civilised. I usually thought so too.
Now, I know how. Just because Singapore uses very heavy fine system. No one dares to litter in Singapore because they will be fined heavily. Rules are everywhere, every places
But this doesn't change human nature.
Actually this is not the case. While Singaporeans have been educated on the risks of being fined for littering, the people generally know that there is little enforcement. Most have internalised not to litter as the right thing to do. In the case of tray returning, historically going to hawker Centres is viewed as a commercial activities and diners have always expected that the business owners provide the cleaning service
@@SuccessforLifester I think you are right. It's not wise if we judge different cultures too quickly.
Today we return tray. In future we will not only clean the table but wash the utensils as well.😁
1:22 I like how the video started with her sitting on the only table not cleaned while the tables behind her are all cleaned
put up a sign 🪧 return food trays 10% off the same as the can or bottle 5 cents return
I think it would be better to name the deposit as 'tray collection service charge'. It's better to make people feel that collecting the tray is an extra service which they are not entitled for free. Or reward returns for a discount coupon for next meal
Yishun Park hawker centre has a lucky draw for people who return their trays. I have rented trays on 2 ocassions and have won $5 and $8 credit to spend back at the hawker centre. I think this is a very effective way to get singaporeans to return their trays in the short run.
Stall owners played important part too. Sad to see Yishun Park HC, stall owner will not normally issue out tray for customers unless specially request. This behaviour changes the whole dynamic of the initial intentions to have automatic tray return system in placed in hawker.
Me personally super look forward for the new law for compulsory tray return at hawker centre to be implemented! So sad but this is the only way that make Singaporean return our own tray. 😞
If you think this video will inspire Singaporeans to be more gracious, think again. The kind of Singaporean who does not return trays is the kind that do not watch these videos.
But some people can remind them. It’s never bad to build awareness
i think based on this last experiment, all hawker centres should be fitted with a PA system of some sort that plays once in 5 mins, just like the ones you hear when you're sitting in the train. A short chime/music will play followed by an announcement/reminder for patrons to clear their food trays. It'll be cheaper to get it implemented and it wont take-up space. Just gotta install speakers and hook it up to a simple, low powered cpu.
The biggest problem is that trays are often very dirty or dirty & smelly from the stalls. this has in a way discourage people from picking up the tray to return after eating. In most hawkers centre, all the trays are clean with the dirty cloth used so many times before the cloth are wash again.
Returning your tray and cleaning up your own mess is called good upbringing. Perhaps Singaporeans find it beneath them.
It is a brainwashing campaign by Government to save cost on cleaning services
We have an aldi, which i would never shop after one time, because i am disabled, and returning a cart for 25 cents is a joke. I just pushed it as far away as it can go, and this was many year's ago before my disability got so bad. They also used horse meat for hamburger, and i would never go there if healthy, because it's a foreign company from germany.
when the hawker sellers already said they are losing business, this fellow said it is improving their business....
Honestly speaking, the 50cents deposit for a tray system is not a bad idea. People are upset because it is not widely implemented and hence is something outside of their norm. Implement this system in every hawker and people will get used to the new norm. Take Taiwan's war on single use plastic for example, is everyone happy about the changes? No. But has it helped the situation? Yes!
the easy way to solve this. 1) all stalls use the same plates and trays 2) fee for the plates and trays make it national 3) all plates and trays are cleaned in a cleaning room then sent to the stalls as needed 4) education in the schools for the youngest to end the issue for the future 5) make it to go boxes so people in a rush can get going and maybe not even need a tray and table. 6) social pressure people to act better.
Awesome campaign. It would help (1) to have visible signage where to return the tray (with the crockery and utensils) (2) to charge a nominal amount similar to what they do at Timber (this one you are forced .. you got no choice). How does the cleaner know which table has to be cleaned or disinfected ?
As a foreigner I looked around for the place to return the finished food containers and did that. We tried to keep to the local regulations or norms.
Wonder what is the Cost benefit would show? It looks like a hefty investment for all those sensors to be installed for the tables, also future maintenance cost. I like the $0.50 surcharge for the tray method better as the automated cleaning also result in more sanitized utensils.
Yep. Don't fix what is working.
@cna actually after watching your programme, I started to be even more mindful to return my tray 😬. maybe with more awareness of this video (public education ) it might affect change
19:20 honestly with the entire camera crew at the hawker centre, I'm sure many would have figured out to return their trays lest getting shamed on public TV. Should test out the efficacy rate when cameras aren't on scene
MEANWHILE, if i could remember correctly, square one shopping centres food court (mississauga, canada) encourages you to keep your tray and plates on your table sa a form of CONVENIENCE for the shoppers. then the custodians would be the one to pick up after you. makes a customer feel like "royalty". geez. just return your plates! not only does it show courtesy to our hard working cleaners, but it also shows CLASS and manners!
same thing for shopping carts. do you return it after youve loaded your things onto your vehicle?
What I don't understand is the lack of kindness we are taught as children in Asia. Service jobs like cleaning is hard work and doing something for them will just show respect for another human being. Walking few steps will mean more energy used by your body. Kindness and healthier life.
As someone living in USA, I am used to bring tray back. Each time I've gone to Asia ( India, Singapore, elsewhere ), I find myself bringing the tray back and find it strange that others don't do it. When they have come to USA and do not bring the tray back, I tell them they should. That's how it is.
Right in Rome, do as the Romans do!
If more people return tray.. then there is lesser need to hire more cleaners... then all these cleaners goes where?? We dun have unemployment benefits in Singapore hor... nor do we have universal income also.... and from the looks of it.. most of these cleaners are not exactly foreigners... a lot of elderly locals... the question is why???
@@Anon-cv7ru here in USA, we still have people cleaning tables, floor. The social security the elderly here get us quite often not enough. I was taught to respect the elderly in India and I thought that was also part of Asian culture. Time to time, I see elderly working here because they have to and that's painful.
You can start doing it while in a restaurant too.
@@wiseguyho3862 Restaurants are setup for table service. No possibility to return trays and you would be getting in their way.
Next....
Cna.. one way is to charge extra at the hawker stand. 5 dollar per tray and when returned they get their money back,, its a win win for the worker and qn incentive for customers to return their trays or pay the consequences.
I only know why I don use tray is due to dirty,.oily tray. Those used tray just wayang used dirty oily cloth to check wipe. Dirty + dirty + oily + oily, I as a guy don use it. Let alone ladies. You want ppl to use tray, go see Ikea tray, the moment you pick u a Ikea tray, you know it's warm, and clean. For what I know, Ikea tray return rate quite high. Edit note: I rather don take touch dirty tray, I rather return my bowl plate.
Its an optional though
Should announce if customers clear their tray, the cleaners will have more time to clean and sterilise the tables properly which is important in COVID times
I think the best way is to reward Singaporeans $0.20 - $0.50 if we are willing to return the tray. Do not get a deposit as it will make Singaporeans feel like we are paying for it.
Same thoughts - Don't call it a deposit, just reward the return off. In the UK they used to have something similar with glass pop bottles, you just bought it and once you took it back you got 20p! :D
They are stupidly overcomplicating it to make a show.
Put a system where people will be given $1 for each tray returned and people will return it without the use of electronic dèvices. Or, per tray returned, the customer will get a discount on restos or grab food.
One of them says difficult as must start from young.
Hello, any age also can start to make a habit to return the tray
Shocking--the standard of English in most of the comments below! And I had thought:
1. Education in Singapore is in English.
2. Singapore is a developed country.
If possible I try not to use the trays because I wonder if they ever wash them. They are always oily and dirty
I dont know how schools in America operate now because I'm 31 soon to be 32 but when I was in elementary and middle school we were trained to line up after lunch and bring out trays back to the lunch lady.
In high school the same thing was supposed to happen but I've seen that dwindling down even back then.
It comes down to parents, schools, the gentleman earlier was absolutely right it has to start when kids are young.
To me it's only proper manners to do such a simple thing, I remember my grandfather always use to say was I raised in a barn every time i would forget to pickup my tray when we went out.
It was such I simple statement and yet it had a result, that result was me picking up after myself.
I'd go with the shaming method, no one wants to be seen in a bad light so if one doesnt pick up after themselves have something that takes an automated photo that gets posted at every center before that person walks out the door.
This goes along the lines of shoplifters being posted in malls around the uk and England.
I think they're on the right track with the automated system but the fact that we now have gotten to this is just ridiculous, it should be just another normal thing one does.
In Singapore context, in the early days, to eat out means to go to hawker Centres. It is a commercial transaction, people expect the business owners to provide the clearing and cleaning services. It is something ingrained in the common people
Use hawker points. Anyone left their tray get a minus point. The lower your hawker points, there'll be additional charges to your hawker meal.
If your points get too high, you go to jail!
Good system (automated tray return). Ignore the complainers - they're just lazy brats. If you have the tray return system, you shouldn't pester and annoy the people to return trays, though - that's just totalitarian, micro-managing fascism.
Wonder how many people are employed as those coffee shop cleaners?
Make it a law like no spitting no chewing gum or be fined. After all it’s the fine city of Singapore
She didn't try everything. What if seats and tables are redesigned so there is a converyer belt that automatically move all used bowls and utensils to the tray clearing station? Then diners just need to place it on the converyer belt before leaving.
The return tray point has to be more convenient. In food court in my workplace most ppl return their trays as there r many tray return points and the crowd is generally younger. In most food court at shopping centre the tray return point is just too far at 1 corner, ppl just cant bother to return.
Scolding singaporeans for not returning trays will not get their cooperation.
Haha nice big PA system
“Uncle in the orange shirt, please return your tray!”
... human, being sucker for incentive will automatically return the tray if some reward is offered...even if they don’t someone else will .Meanwhile the cleaning mama will be nervously twiddling her fingers, waiting for the axe to fall
People likely return trays in McDonald’s, why not there; one not mess up the house even one have a domestic helper
Put barcodes on the underside of every plates, cups n glasses .Anyone who return one tray get 50cts ,and return one plate ,cup or glass get 20cts.This strategy will motivate many peoples n bystanders to return the trays ,plates, cups,glasses. Sure there will be no trays,plates,cups and glasses on the tables.Cleaners will only be paid to clean and sanitise tables.This strategy will Save manpower ,don't need to use many foreign workers to do it .hawkers will foot the bill in the form of cleaning fees.
Some fine tuning needed: "Please return your tray, utensils and food leftovers". 😂
Maybe you can actually add other languages because some elderly may not understand any English
Ha Ha! Cannot wait to go back to beautiful Singapore for my much-needed hawker's food fix. Well it"s been a while since I have been back to Singapore and I will look forward to the siren reminding me to return my food tray😋
Food culture = clean place to enjoy it.
Nice device, maybe you could also put a written notice and with pictures too.. hope the plan could work!
I think if the PM would make a primetime appearance on TV warning of dire consequences, for example, that the country's SURVIVAL might be at stake if food center tables are consistently full of dirty dishes, the people might finally get the message.
If the tray return system will get some incentive like accumulating rebate or voucher for the users, surely more people will return
Put TEXT on the light!
after returning tray, pls also wash ur plates and utensils 🤣🤣🤣 oh oh oh don't forget to wipe the table and chair also🤣🤣🤣
Try positive rewards. Free small dessert for returned trays. Happy helpers informing, and thanking the customers for their future presumed action of tray return. Charge an additional $0.50 USD for the "free desert", so the merchant is not financially responsible for the "free" dessert, but covertly factor this into the cost of doing business.
It good to return tray But those working old men and women (I believe their generation CPF still not start,). By doing this, where they find simple job?. The media should interview the hawker center owner, when no need to collect tray, what is their reaction, reduce Headcount? Show the facts and keep track that they reduce the food price by Gov. Maybe this can be implement 3 generation...
Do you seriously think that a cleaner only clean up tables?
United States: Severe inequality, street violence, homelessness and heroin addiction, we have problem.
Singapore: We have problem too, people do not return their trays at the food stalls.
Fully automation is the plot! Who are doing the tray clearing? How many Singaporean are employed under this job? Structure is there to help the poor and you sitting on high income with distaughted view want a change. When we all return our tray who is going to stop the rest being fully robotic? Have your check what job is available for lower rung of society now. I will return and even wash my plate if you can pay the poor employed in this area a better job. This people sit high up don't know whats happening on the ground.
The more I watch these videos, the more I respect the previous priminister Lee Kuan Yew. For some Wedterners, he may be a dictator. But without him and his regime, Singapore can not develop as nowadays. Changing the habits if the population of a country with different races like Singapore, it is not a joke.
Need to show step by step in the picture to the location. Where should we place our crockery. Some can't understand what is this about.
One or more people do it, the rest will follow like copycat what the person does. I think, is a good practice in everywhere we goes.
Recently I was at a coffee shop and all the vacant table tops had small quantities of drink or gravy or soup and bits of food left on top. I chose the table which looked the "cleanest" even though it had a few coffee or tea stains and a small puddle of water on the table.
I called on the cleaner, who was standing idly barely 8 feet away, to wipe the table. She was extremely reluctant to even do this tiny bit of cleaning. I had to call her THREE times to clean the table before she reluctantly walked over to wipe the table.
Unfortunately, this sort of experience is very common at many coffee shops and hawker centers. Trays and bowls, etc are removed, but bits of food, soup, drinks, etc are not cleaned by the cleaners, who casually walk past these dirty tables, and not see anything that need to be done. Often, there is not even a single cleaner in close proximity that I can call upon to clean the table. Do we still need cleaners who have next to nothing to do? And neglect to do even the tiny bit that is asked of them?
In Japan, at food courts, they have stations where diners can take small pieces of damp disposable clothes to wipe the tables when they finish.
Is it possible to save the money spent on hiring cleaners and use the money to provide this amenity instead, so that diners can wipe their own spilled food, drink, etc? Of course, to make this idea work in SG, we should take ONLY 1 or 2 pieces of the disposable clothes, depending on how many are in our group. If every diner takes a whole stack of clothe then, .... our society need to do a lot of maturing.
Very good experiment and God bless!
I love Diana Ser, she is very fluent n eloquent in hosting whatever events assigned to her. After all these years she still look pretty n slim tats good. The siren on the table trigger for diners to clear their tray, bowls n cutlery is a good idea. All diners shd do their part in clearing their mess n less burden to cleaners n also good for next diner with clean table too.....good talking point....well done....😚
The government has already started educating the young decades ago! I have been returning my trays since I was in primary school. I'm 23 today. I can assure you that many Singaporeans my age or younger will do the same. It's now time to EDUCATE THE ELDERLY!!! The gov has been pushing this for more than 5 years and there's still no progress. Until today, I can confidently say that 80% of Singaporeans above the age of 60 do not return their trays. My parents, who are 55 this year, were just the same. Until I consistently pressure them, each time we eat at a hawker.
Educate you so that you can do it at home. Not ask your parents to go work for company ceo. The food is not free?!
The next high tech advancement in that last gadget is to include.. "and the bowl" then that lady will also return the bowl
Cant you guys encourage tray returns in a better way? Sirens dont help but coupons do. Like if you encourage ppl by giving them coupons if they return it to use it for the next visit. But to be honest: this problem is not only in Singapore. In Thailand i have seen this too especially at the big shopping mall in Bangkok namely MBK. This tray return only is returned IF there are close enough tray return stations nearby. Signed with "please return your tray" in different languages is also applicable.
Handcuff the trays to customers and only unlock when they go to the designated return station. Maybe then they won't forget.