After nine years in Toa Payoh, the family-run Hup Chong Yong Tau Foo stall will close at the end of January 2026, citing slower business in recent years.
Tang Yong Da (transliterated), 45, who’s the owner of the stall at Block 203 Toa Payoh North, told Shin Min Daily News that the stall had been there for about nine years, and that he was reluctant to call it a day.
However, he made the difficult decision after seeing fewer customers since the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said that with more people working from home, foot traffic from nearby offices dropped by about 20 per cent. The reopening of other coffee shops in the area after renovations further drew customers away.
“It’s not easy running a food business,” said Mr Tang. “I’ve been thinking about whether to close for some time, and only made the decision recently. With the Johor Bahru – Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) opening in the future, more people will go to Malaysia to spend, and that will make local business even tougher.”
Fourth-generation hawker plans to call it a day
Mr Tang shared that his great-grandfather began selling yong tau foo from a pushcart in 1952, and he is now the fourth generation to carry on the family trade.
According to reports, the recipe was handed down to the third generation, Mdm Lee and her younger sister. They moved a few times, including to Block 116 Lorong 2 Toa Payoh, before settling at 203 Toa Payoh North.
