Hawkers occupy a unique place in our society. We are proud of our UNESCO-listed hawker culture, but we sometimes place too much pressure on it.
People go to hawker stalls and kopitiams expecting a quick, affordable meal, and it is the one place where a billionaire might sit practically shoulder to shoulder with diners earning far less. Perhaps it is this accessibility that makes low prices seem less like a commercial choice and more like a societal expectation in these spaces.
This piece was first published in The Straits Times on 30 Jan 2026.