Facebook user Haida Waty shared her experience running a food stall and revealed the costs incurred from such a business.
She said that despite the rental cost being “only $10”, it doesn’t necessarily mean that food can be sold at a “very very cheap price” because the vendors need to take into account other expenses.
Revealing that she was a canteen vendor at a primary school back in 2009, she said that people often question why the food was “so expensive” if the rental only costs $10 monthly.
She retorted: “People will say, ur rental only $10.00, y u sell so so expensive? Hello, u think down here I only pay rental? You got see the other things dat we need to pay?”
She also gave examples of a typical stall’s average monthly expenses:
Haida also pointed out that school canteen vendors pay the same price for ingredients, just like the people who run stall sin hawker centres or food courts, and that it is impossible to buy vegetables in bulk.
She lamented: “There is NO concession card for SCHOOL canteen vendors dat I can use at NTUC/Sheng Siong or any wet market to get discounted price. How to sell cheap? U suggest I buy in bulk? For vege, can buy in bulk? Operation hours of school canteen is 8am to 3pm. If I buy a lot, where I keep? I buy frozen food in bulk, where I keep? (sic)”
Haida also said that she has to take Grab from the market to her stall as it would be difficult for her to carry all the things on a bus, adding that buying a car is almost unthinkable.
She said: “If you say I should buy car n drive my own is cheaper, I buy car use what? Leaves is it? Then I put water in my petrol tank and the car can move is it?”
She also revealed that it is the parents and staff, not the students, who complain about the prices, and she suggested that parents can prepare food for their children to bring to school if they think the food sold at the canteens are too expensive.
Haida summed up her post asking others to spare a thought for school canteen vendors, highlighting that they have bills to pay.
She said: “We don’t want to be rich as in rich that we can own a BMW or bungalow, but we do have bills to pay, mouths to feed, commitments to settle, and we do need a little self-pampering. What’s the point of waking up early, work hard and then we have too LITTLE for ourselves?”