$9.20 yong tau foo at closing Toa Payoh coffee shop stall says it all

Portions also used to be bigger, though that might be because the staff at that time recognised me as a regular.

I stopped patronising the stall in 2023 after a bill shock that left me wondering why I was paying more for less than what I used to get, and have not returned since – until now.

I recently decided to have one last hurrah at the stall, costs be damned, and helped myself to a variety of ingredients with kway teow.

The staff said they did not have enough bean sprouts and topped up the shortfall with more broccoli (ironically known to be a premium vegetable at many stalls including economy rice), which I thought was a nice gesture.

Having braced myself before ordering, I was not shocked when I was charged $9.20 for my meal – though my family and colleagues were when I told them.

That amount for lunch at a stuffy coffee shop in the heartlands is indeed not cheap, even when you take rent, labour and overhead costs into consideration.

Then again, no one said running a F&B business was easy. Industry experts have told Stomp that hawker culture is dying, while The Straits Times recently said The Best Disappearing Act Award of 2025 goes to the Singapore diner.

Will I miss Hup Chong Yong Tau Foo? Unlikely, seeing how I’d gone without it for over two years. In fact, with so many better dining options in the area, I’d almost all but forgotten about the stall’s existence until news of its impending closure.

Speaking of which, it’s interesting that Hup Chong’s owner blamed competition in the area and work-from-home culture for a dip in business but seemed to utterly lack self-reflection.

One thing about Singapore is that good food is always just round the corner if you know where to look. And for every F&B establishment shutting comes two new ones in its place.

Goodbye, Hup Chong Yong Tau Foo.

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