The owner of Hup Chong Yong Tau Foo, located in Toa Payoh, has said that their family have been “deeply hurt” by an online commentary criticising its pricing, just one month before it closes down for good.
In a Facebook post on Thursday (Dec 26), they wrote that the piece, published on Christmas Eve by citizen journalism site Stomp, “turned what should have been a Merry Christmas to the worst Christmas ever in our life”.
In the commentary, the writer — an assistant editor at Stomp — criticised the stall’s perceived high pricing, and also had harsh words for the reasons behind their impending closure.
“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 line stated.
The writer said she was charged $9.20 for her bowl, but did not indicate the number of ingredients she had picked.
“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,” she wrote.
‘Shocked and saddened’
In the response on Dec 26 posted by Hup Chong on its Facebook page, the owner expressed regret in telling the family’s aged matriarch about the negative commentary, as it left her “shocked and saddened”.
“My mother is now 80 years old. She worked until her 70s before she could retire. She often told me that although she was tired and never became rich, she was proud that she could raise her children by continuing our family’s hawker legacy.”
The owner also stated that the decision to close was made due to “rising operating costs and other realities”.
Clapping back against the writer, the owner wrote: “We respect differing opinions and customer experiences. However, when an article written in the capacity of a journalist uses shaming and moral judgement to comment on a hawker who is already about to close, the sense of helplessness can be deeply disheartening and leaves one disappointed in humanity.”
The post added: “Does tarnishing the reputation of one of the longest history serving (sic) Yong Tau Foo in Singapore makes you feel great?”
The post also stated that a minimum order of five pieces of yong tau foo with a noodle would cost $5.
A post on Dec 24 by Hup Chong which shared Stomp’s article stated that the writer had taken 11 items, along with a portion of kway teow.
“This is the reality many hawkers face today. We are not asking for sympathy. We are only hoping that the public can understand how difficult it is to survive during this environment,” the owner concluded in its Boxing Day post, thanking customers for their support over the years.
Stall owner breaks down
In an interview with Chinese publication Shin Min Daily News on Saturday (Dec 27), the commentary appeared to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
The stall’s owner, Lu Meiwen, broke down in tears while speaking about the episode, the report said.
Lu, 41, stated that the criticism just a month before the stall’s closure had left her feeling particularly aggrieved.
“We have been in business here at Toa Payoh for over 40 years. It’s because of various cost issues that we are closing. We were already very sad, and still there are complaints, and (the writer) even expressed happiness we are closing.”
Appearing to address criticism by the writer that their ‘premium’ items are mainly processed, Lu said that many of its yong tau foo items are handmade, and they would come up with creative items such as adding cheese to luncheon meat from time to time.
In the 10 years they have operated at Block 203 Toa Payoh North, Lu said she has put her utmost effort into ensuring the quality of the food and in their customer service.
“We remained open during the Christmas period and seeing the negative feedback was very disheartening. It felt like all our 10 years of hard work was worth nothing. It has been our most difficult Christmas,” she shared.
The stall announced in November that it will be shutting down in January 2026, without giving a date.
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candicecai@asiaone.com
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