Ok so this is a quick post but it was just something funny about Singapore that I had to share before I leave.
In Singapore, napkins are virtually non-existent. Really. Unless you are in a very nice sit-down restaurant or a chain like McDonald’s, it is very rare to get a napkin with your food especially at the numerous hawker centers and canteens.
I’m still confused as to the reason for this. One theory I heard was for litter reduction and other people say that the eateries don’t want to spend on a lot of wasted paper.
What baffles me more is that many Singaporean people eat a lot with their hands (even rice) and I would think they would need napkins even more. But the solution seems to be either washing hands in the sink after the meal or bringing along a pack of tissues to use as your personal napkin supply.
I’ve been here long enough now to have gotten accustomed to this fact of life. It actually isn’t so bad and it does cut paper costs. But if you’re a Western tourist coming to visit here, my advice to you is to buy a little pack of tissues to carry around…otherwise you’ll be in for a surprise.
