The kiasu Singaporean in Hawker Centre..using tissue pack to reserve table and seat?

Question

The kiasu Singaporean in Hawker Centre..using tissue pack to reserve table and seat?

Answer 1

The unsightly characteristic of Singaporeans, Kiasuism... I think this characterisitic will never change for as long as you live... It does not happen at Hawker Centres, Kopitiams etc. Even when you're alighting the MRT, do people give way to you? They are all rushing in hoping to find a seat. So what if you missed your alighting station?

It's rather hard educating individuals about manners etc as it's all gathered from their personal upbringings and also the peers they mixed with.

The society nowadays doesnt really go much into people's character rather than the qualifications. Anything is about qualifications, certificates, results etc.. So what if you've got very good EQ or personality, manners, character etc? Does it give you your daily bread, your rice bowl? When you're applying for a job or even scholarship, does it test your character, personality? No.. It's all about qualifications and results. Well, I guess that's what many individuals have been thinking, becoming more self-centred,disregard to what others may think of you.

So how else to you expect Singapore to change that ugly characteristic compared to other countries?

Answer 2

I find it totally absurd!

There was once i simply just overlooked the fact that there is a pack of tissue (with about 2 sheets left in it) lying around on the table. A girl later came and looked crossed, pointing at the pack of tissue, saying she "booked" the seat. I was like "oh my, i didnt see that. Dont worry, you can have this seat."

There was another time when the uncle who clears table asked me if the tissue belonged to me, i said No and he cleared it away. A girl later came and enquired about the pack of tissue. I told her the uncle cleared and she looked like she is going to kill me. Then i told her she can have the seat if she's this desperate.

And, those that i've encountered are all young working adults! Educated individuals! oh.... how disgraceful.

Is this.... truly singapore?

Answer 3

Really?  I've never seen 1 except in the tv.

Answer 4

most who does that are aunties. it is truly disgraceful. once i just chucked the tissue aside and sat down. the auntie just ran towards the table and sat down with her food ignoring that i actually took the table. grrr.

now i seldom eat at foodcourt or kopitiams thanks to them

Answer 5

absolutely agree with you Betty..., I've seen Singaporean did that in hawker center .. just being kiasu especially during driving and looking for a parking space.

wonder what we can do to educate this people.

Answer 6

Yeah I think this is a Singaporean thing. I haven't seen this anywhere else. But you know I have seen people split the tissue pack into individual tissues to put on the seats also.

Answer 7

This not only happen in Hawker Centre, but at some canteen too. I do encounter once, thought someone forget to take their tissue pack so my friends and I just sit down. Then the lady with an angry face came and take her tissue pack away. Another one case is they use their umbrella.

Sometime when we try to share the table they will say it is taken, but when we finish our food the place still empty, or somebody that we cannot see sitting there.

Answer 8

I have never seen this personally but it is an absolutely absurd practice. I would recommend you just take away the tissue and sit down. Or better still, use the tissues to wipe the table, Ha! Ha!

That said, all humans are the same whatever their race. I once saw a horizontally challenged German gentleman rush to the buffet in a 5 star establishment in Bangkok, pile his plate with a mountain of food, and in just a little while he was back for round 2. The other people including myself  were still only starting to select the food to put on our plates for our first helping!!

Some people from New York  are even worse. Let me tell you this true story. I was on a Press Trip in a remote part of Italy up in the mountains near the Austrain border. There was a very horizontally challenged gentleman journalist in the group from New York. After the huge dinner with a different wine for every course, the Chef brought out his special chocolates to enjoy with Grappa and coffee. They were made with Venezuelan Criollo chocolate filled with the most exquisite Grappa of different flavours. Most of us were too full to savour more than one or two. The New Yorker gorged himself on about 8 chocolates!! We all went out to wait for our transport back to the hotel. Through the glass windows of the restaurant, we all saw the New Yorker shovelling lotsof the chocolates into his carrier bag to "tar pow". It was really disgraceful, "lau kui" and "eow kui". The owner of the restaurant who also owns a Grappa distillery, was standing beside me and saw everything. I was amused by the singular bemused smile on his face, Ha! Ha!