With the circuit breaker running in full force, at least until 1 June, many of us here in Singapore have been trying our best to adapt to the changes. The convenience that we used to have such as heading out for meals has become a somewhat distant memory. But with a variety of takeaway and food delivery services available, we can consider ourselves fortunate to get access to essentials, even amid the pandemic.
Due to the circuit breaker, many businesses have been impacted and/or operations halted. They include our favourite hawkers whose business have been hit hard. Thankfully, some if not many of them have jumped onto the food delivery services bandwagon in finding alternative ways to keep afloat, with help from initiatives such as #SGUnited.
To help #Supportlocal and #LoveYourLocalSG, we have compiled a list of alternative food delivery platforms you can turn to if you are looking for local hawker fare to satisfy your cravings, and want to support local hawkers and food sellers.
Alternative Food Delivery Platforms to Support Local Hawkers
Photo: Hawkers United 2020 / Facebook
With over 250,000 members till date, Hawkers United – Dabao 2020 Facebook group is a treasure trove for hawkers, some F&B outlets and customers to come together and share food offerings and listings. Some customers even go the mile to post recommendations or on behalf of these hawkers who do not know how to use Facebook. Simply contact the respective sellers straight by calling their number or visiting their stall for takeaway and/or delivery.
Hawkers United (2020) have also recently launched their Sweets United Facebook page where you can go to satisfy your sweets cravings!
Support local hawkers: settle the delivery or pickup with the shop. | Photo: SG Dabao
SG Dabao is a free hawker delivery listing to help #Saveourhawkers during the COVID-19 crisis.
While they have an SG Dabao Facebook page that shares updates on hawker offerings, you can search for more comprehensive listings on their website. Sort through location or categories using their search function for greater ease.
*Do try to order directly from these hawkers by phone or Whatsapp as purchasing through delivery apps (taking 30% commission) could wipe out their earnings after paying rent and ingredients. More contact information in each listing.
Photo: Support Local Sg website
#SupportLocalSG is a one-stop portal to consolidate information to help out local F&B owners and grocery shops without charging you any middleman fees.
Here’s where you can find a wide variety of meals and groceries to dabao islandwide, from local eats, Thai, Korean, Chinese food and many more. They also offer meal plan subscriptions so you can consider lunch and/or dinner covered, with alternative choices to filter between vegetarian, vegan and halal options.
Nothing more heartwarming to see communities come together in trying to make the lives of others better.
KOPI-19 is a community-made directory, inspired by Hawkers United (2020) to help make offerings by hawkers and local F&B businesses more visible and searchable.
Simply click on any of your favourite eats on-site for delivery and contact information details. We love how simple and easy it is to navigate the site and we’re sure you will also find it useful! This site is run by volunteers and is completely non-profit.
Here’s another great way to support local hawkers. | Photo adapted from foodleh?
Bridging the gap between hawker stalls and restaurant owners in Singapore with all Singaporeans, foodleh aims to cut the middleman and save our local F&B.
To kickstart your journey, simply choose between dabao or delivery, enter your postal code, search or filter to the cuisine of your desired choice and voila! You will see a curated list of food options and very comprehensive information upon clicking into any listing: from menu items, delivery fees, opening hours and more.
You can also encourage your favourite businesses during this tough period by giving them a virtual “clap” too on their listing!
Photo: Screenshot from WhyQ / App Store
WhyQ is an online service dedicated for Hawker food delivery, islandwide. By ordering from them, you will be supporting local hawkers while getting food delivered directly to your doorstep. They are charging only S$1.50 for delivery fees to help keep meals affordable with no minimum order in certain zones.
What’s even cooler is that they have partnered with your favourite Michelin recommended hawker stalls so you can still enjoy these delicacies from the comfort of your homes. Simply access WhyQ via their app on the App Store and/or Google Play.
Photo: Screengrab from App Store from Crumbly
Another initiative to #Saveourhawkers has led to the creation of the Crumbly app, featuring thousands of local hawker heroes and restaurants that are offering their best deals and delivery services.
Some hawkers also offer free delivery in certain locations, and accept payment methods like PayNow or PayLah.
While available on web, The Crumbly app is available on both the App Store and Google Play for greater convenience.
Photo: Screengrab from Ketomei website
It can be easy to get caught up with the busyness of life especially during COVID-19 and neglect healthful ways of eating.
To help inspire a healthy and nourishing lifestyle, Ketomei—Singapore’s first Keto meal prep delivery—is another great platform to get access to your favourite local hawker-style foods, among other Asian and Western favourites.
Choose between their weekly (12 meals), 3 weeks (36 meals) or 6 weeks (72 meals) plan and get scrumptious, nutritious and creative chef-prepared meals, gluten-free and with no added sugar, delivered to your doorstep. You can also use their code “KetoStrong” to get 10% OFF.
Other ways to reach Hawkers to order directly
Compilation of independent hawker stores
As far as many hawkers have joined in to offer their services on online platforms and apps, there are many other independent hawkers who are still flying solo.
But we are extremely heartened knowing that well-meaning people and organisations such as Allied Foodservice Equipment have extended their support by compiling a list of hawker stores who are not on delivery apps.
In their list here, you will find a variety of Heartland favourites, from Hawker food, bakeries, cafes and dessert options.
Google Pay’s new feature
And now, Google Pay’s new feature is also helping to support local food vendors by connecting them to customers directly for free.
Users will be able to browse the menus of over 250 eateries across the island, discover new eateries nearby and place their orders directly from the respective vendors. The possible gripe is that it could be more time consuming for customers to finalise delivery arrangements and payment procedures. But doing so allows one to steer away from the middleman, which is how we want to keep things affordable for both F&B owners and customers.
But one thing stays the same: many hawkers still depend very much on walk-in sales. So if possible, do help support them online through these dedicated apps that cuts away the commission.
As part of our efforts to help the community—businesses and the public alike—to tide through this extraordinary time we’re facing, we have partnered with Tripadvisor in their advocacy campaign #LoveYourLocalSG. It’s a call to action for all of us to proactively support local businesses. Learn more about this initiative and how you can support at www.loveyourlocal.sg.
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