Have you heard of or tried out the BudgetMealGoWhere  portal? It is a joint project by HDB and GovTech that allows you to locate affordable meal and drink options in your chosen area. You can also access this via the LifeSG app, which consolidates digital government services and information.

This portal is able to help the public locate HDB coffee shops offering budget meals more easily and conveniently, with the information readily available online. It’s also really easy to use:

In an interview with Capital 958, Properties & Land Group’s DPPL He Kangwei said that the intention was to make it more convenient for residents to find budget meals at coffee shops near their home.

It is heartening to know that most hawkers have been supportive of this intiative. Some also believe that there is potential for momentum to pick up. In balancing their commercial interests and controlling overheads, Mr Ler, manager of Eunos Bak Chor Mee, said that they could look into alternative suppliers for better prices or even ways that they can improve productivity and reduce costs.

Just look out for the budget meal decal displayed at participating hawker stalls. Currently, the budget meals listed on the portal range from $3 to $3.50, while budget drinks are priced between $1 to $1.20. Kangwei explained that there is no fixed price set for the meals and the coffee shop operators are given the flexibility to propose and set the prices after consultation with the hawkers themselves

In this climate of inflation, having affordable options for people who need or will benefit from them can be reassuring. However, the team will remain mindful of the need to strike a balance and continue to partner closely with F&B operators to refine and expand the implementation of budget meals, while looking after business sustainability. Kudos to our colleagues for working on this meaningful initiative!