To return or not return trays


I will definitely return my tray, when ever possible, unless I can't find anywhere to return to.
I think this will help the cleaner, as they still likely need to wash the dishes.
 

Only correct when we should also Steal & Kill so that Police can keep their job... do share your relative address here.... :bsmilie:

I strongly disagree. Thou should not kill, so the victim can earn more $ to be stolen in the future. Don't kill the goose that bears golden egg.. I mean SGD. :bsmilie:
 

Return it.

If there aren't provisions for tray returns, at least clear the crap on the table into the plates/bowls so that it dosent look like an animal (sorry for insulting animals) fed at the table.

Could never understand how anyone can eat their meal in such a messy way.
 

Return it.

If there aren't provisions for tray returns, at least clear the crap on the table into the plates/bowls so that it dosent look like an animal (sorry for insulting animals) fed at the table.

Could never understand how anyone can eat their meal in such a messy way.

Eating noodle soup with chopsticks is the messy way.

We should learn to eat neatly with knives and forks like our colonial masters. :bsmilie:
 

Eating noodle soup with chopsticks is the messy way.

We should learn to eat neatly with knives and forks like our colonial masters. :bsmilie:

Why kill trees n bamboos for chopsticks? Back to nature... use hands.

:bsmilie:
 

Last edited:
Most first world nations use disposable and biodegradable bowls and plates.

It's time we catch up with them.:)

you mean they will biodegrade in minutes??? Amazing!
 

Don't give tray then nothing to return. Just stand and eat on the spot. Just like pig and hen in the farms.
 

Don't give tray then nothing to return. Just stand and eat on the spot. Just like pig and hen in the farms.
Quite the opposite is necessary: people need to keep their trays. This will make it easy to return the bowls, plates and cutlery. But since most people throw around their trays immediately after sitting down it's quite tricky to do this. So laziness wins and they just leave the mess they created. Keeps me thinking about humans as the supposedly better animals ...
 

Basically it's all about profits- these smart capitalists wants to increase profits but making use of cleaners and public's goodwill as an excuse. If the food prices are reasonable at $2.50 for hawker food, then I gladly clear trays for them. But they are charging ridiculously high prices for hawker food $4-$9 and thus they better be providing better cleaning services. They tender to pay millions for their coffeehouse takeover fees so don't expect to pass the costs down to us citizens. U expect us to clear trays, u sell cheap. u sell expensive u hire more cleaners- simple. If complain rental expensive, then u choose your government wisely - choose wrong government and everything increase price - ERP, Food, rental, car, minister salaries, etc. Remember the plastic bag saga? Capitalists want to increase profit so they use environment as excuse to stop providing free plastic bags but in the end they still provide but they charge 10c per bags how clever they are. All of a sudden , using 'save the earth ' as excuse, costs plummet and profits go up, and citizens pay more. Now the same is happening with tray clearing...

Are you saying by choosing a new set of leaders and a right government, all prices will come down?
 

Quite the opposite is necessary: people need to keep their trays. This will make it easy to return the bowls, plates and cutlery. But since most people throw around their trays immediately after sitting down it's quite tricky to do this. So laziness wins and they just leave the mess they created. Keeps me thinking about humans as the supposedly better animals ...

Are you preparing to do more? say at the same time collect the plates from fellow man who share the same table?
 

Don't give tray then nothing to return. Just stand and eat on the spot. Just like pig and hen in the farms.

Use newspaper or bring your own plate!
 

There are three scenarios in the tray return debate:

(a) return the tray only.
(b) clean up the mess and return the tray.
(c) clean up the mess and leave it on the tray.

In (a) it makes no sense, since the cleaner needs to clear the mess and it is only a small effort to pick up a few trays per table.

In (b) that is the best practice, the tables are cleared for the next user. This option is not attractive as it requires everyone to bring a table cloth to the hawker centre.

In (c) the same argument applies, but it helps speed up the cleaners work and user gets their tables cleaned earlier.

My conclusion:

(a) makes no sense (b) and (c) not likely that I will walk around with a table cloth.

So I chose the status quo, no returning of tray for me.

The solution may not be about trays, but the way food is prepared.
 

The solution may not be about trays, but the way food is prepared.

The soluiton is everybody eats from a common pot.

You'll Pay $10 and get a pair of disposable chopsticks and stand around a big pot to eat whatever is inside it.

Singapore will be pioneering a new foodcourt experience. :)
 

With the right leaders everything is free? :bsmilie:

Na ... Won't happen. Populist policies generally aren't sustainable in the long run, unless the govt had no qualms about printing money whenever needed and having the next generations should see the debt
 

The soluiton is everybody eats from a common pot.

You'll Pay $10 and get a pair of disposable chopsticks and stand around a big pot to eat whatever is inside it.

Singapore will be pioneering a new foodcourt experience. :)


if you sneeze, you can eat the whole pot by yourself :bsmilie:
 

Why kill trees n bamboos for chopsticks? Back to nature... use hands. :bsmilie:

Remember to wash and not use your left.
 

Relative insists on not returning trays at food courts and hawker centers. Her reasoning: the cleaners will be out of jobs. So the compassionate thing is not to return.

So what say you?

"dabao 打包" your food and go to a nice quiet place to enjoy your food instead of eating at the over crowded food court/ hawker center :D

Then you don't need to worry about tray :bsmilie: