Relax, Hawker Lovers! No Fines for Reserving Seats!

SINGAPORE – Great news for hawker centre enthusiasts: The National Environment Agency (NEA) has officially confirmed that you can continue to ‘chope’ or reserve your seats without fear of fines! This assurance comes after a wave of misinformation spread across social media, claiming that penalties would be imposed on seat savers.

In a clear-cut statement on Facebook, the NEA debunked these rumors, stating, "These claims are false. No ‘chope-free’ zones either." This clarification came in response to a misleading Facebook post that had claimed new rules would affect patrons using items like tissue packets, umbrellas, or office lanyards for seat reservation.

The viral post suggested that the NEA would establish designated 'chope-free' zones at certain hawker centres, where diners caught reserving seats could have their items confiscated and would need to pay a $2 fee to reclaim them from a ‘Lost & Found’ spot. Astonishingly, it even mentioned a policy where repeat offenders would have to eat while standing as part of an “etiquette correction” initiative!

In their social media update, the NEA reminded the public to practice consideration while dining at hawker centres to help maintain a pleasant experience for everyone. So go ahead and ‘chope’ your favourite seat without concern!