Friends
Open to lunch
About chicken rice showdown at Maxwell
Makan kaki
Find a makan kaki for your next hawker crawl
Hawker food is better shared, because two or three people can try far more dishes than one. Post a card on Now I'm Open for a hawker crawl or a simple lunch, and meet people nearby who love to eat.
Post your first cardHow it works
Free · 18+ · Area only, never your exact spot
Why it works
- Name the hawker centre or the dish you are after, and fellow fans say I'm in.
- Sharing plates means you get to try more for less.
- Area-based cards help you find people near your favourite food centre.
- Free, and every plan is your choice.
Cards you could post
Examples to start from. Change the details to suit you.
Friends
Open to dinner
About old Airport Road crawl, share everything
Friends
Open to explore the city
About Tiong Bahru Market breakfast and a walk
Date
Open to dinner
About satay and a stroll
Ideas
Open to coffee chat
About thinking of opening a food stall
Good places to meet
- Maxwell Food Centre: Chinatown, near Chinatown MRT Exit B. Known for Hainanese chicken rice; expect queues at lunch.
- Old Airport Road Food Centre: One of the largest and oldest hawker centres, by Dakota MRT Exit A.
- Tiong Bahru Market: Wet market downstairs and hawker stalls upstairs, by Tiong Bahru MRT. Good for breakfast.
- Chinatown Complex Food Centre: One of the biggest hawker centres, with a huge choice, near Chinatown MRT.
- Tekka Centre: Little India, by Little India MRT. Known for biryani and Indian dishes.
- Golden Mile Food Centre: Near Nicoll Highway MRT, with many halal and Malay stalls.
Tips
- Hawker culture in Singapore was added to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2020.
- Clear your own tray and crockery. NEA has enforced table clearing at hawker centres since September 2021.
- Go in a small group and order one dish each to share. Agree how you will split the bill before you start.
- Arrive before the lunch rush for popular stalls, and have a backup stall in mind.
- Hawker centres are busy and public, which makes them a good first meeting place.
Questions
What does makan kaki mean?
Makan is Malay for eat, and kaki is local slang for a companion. A makan kaki is a friend you go eating with.
Can I post for halal or vegetarian food?
Yes. Add it to the topic, such as halal hawker crawl at Golden Mile, so people with the same needs say I'm in.
Is it awkward to eat with someone new?
Food helps. You have something to talk about straight away, and a hawker meal can be as short or as long as you like.
Related guides
Sources
- 13 Hawker Centres You Need to Try in Singapore (Treksplorer)
- UNESCO: Hawker culture in Singapore
- MSE: Written reply to PQ on fines for not returning trays
- NEA: Hawker management overview
Checked October 2026. Opening hours and rules change, so check before you go.