Chitchat Foodies and netizens react to angry Michelin Star hawker stall customer Wickstrom

[EunoiaJAYCEE]

July 4, 2017, Sebastian Wickstrom fell in line 45 minutes before the Hong Kong Soya Chicken Rice and Noodle hawker stall in Chinatown Complex opened. What he expected was a 20-30 minute wait but it turned into something well over an hour when two people in the line ordered 60 meals each.

After a few days, he wrote about his experience in an opinion piece and sent it out to top food bloggers and publications in Singapore. In the post, he complained about how the Michelin Star hawker stall was employing allegedly “dirty business tactics” to create long lines and gain customers.

In an interview, Wickstrom then said that he may have been a bit harsh when reacted to the long wait. Still, he found the practice of allowing bulk orders to be very inconvenient and troublesome for single-order customers.

Netizens and foodies have weighed in on the issue that Wickstrom brought to light. Here are his reactions to some comments and transcripts of emails between the latter and the former. These emails were sent to Alvinology.com by Wickstrom.

More at Foodies and netizens react to angry Michelin Star hawker stall customer Wickstrom

 

[The_Hypocrite]

Have to admit this chap is right...if there is a queue,,each customer should have an order limit,,,,

 

[Seee3]

Fully support the need to limit the number of take away orders. Simply not fair to those who queued.

 

[Leckmichamarsch]

Have to admit this chap is right...if there is a queue,,each customer should have an order limit,,,,

how good can this chick shit be cf to the next best????
stoopid arses to q

 

[scroobal]

Most hawkers have enough brains and courtesy to attend to single order customers. I guess this is one of exception. The Changi Nasi Lemak staff has one person that handles bulk orders from army camps, prison etc while the walk-in customers are handled by 2 others and the queue moves quite well. Same in other places where such things occur. There is a Nasi Briyani stall in Woodlands that requires one day prior notice for bulk orders that exceeds 20 packets. I was told that he hawker did not want to disappoint his regular walk-in customers if things were sold out quickly. This was years ago, not sure if the stall is there.

 

[The_Hypocrite]

Basically a business needs to look after its customers..be it single or bulk order,,,but its obvious this chicken rice stall is not doing it,,i mean bulk orders needs to be handle differently and only in singkieland whereby customers are willing to queue for food,,in ang mor lands,,many wont bother,,,,and in ang mor restaurants that need to queue,,,they will issue numbers etc and you can come back later,,and even if got queue its never that long,,,1 hr is a joke for any eatery. But for this case,,its the bulk orders that are creating problems and these bulk orders are damn unfair. And only in singkieland whereby the queue is an obsession...For me,,if got queue I go somewhere else,,unless the food is damn good or damn unique.

Most hawkers have enough brains and courtesy to attend to single order customers. I guess this is one of exception. The Changi Nasi Lemak staff has one person that handles bulk orders from army camps, prison etc while the walk-in customers are handled by 2 others and the queue moves quite well. Same in other places where such things occur. There is a Nasi Briyani stall in Woodlands that requires one day prior notice for bulk orders that exceeds 20 packets. I was told that he hawker did not want to disappoint his regular walk-in customers if things were sold out quickly. This was years ago, not sure if the stall is there.

 

[johnny333]

I don't like long lines & usually avoid if there is a long queue. Unfortunately I can't tell if the people in front of me are going to put a large order.

So I just avoid eating during the peak lunch time.

 

[scroobal]

I do agree especially looking after both types of customers.

Basically a business needs to look after its customers..be it single or bulk order,,,but its obvious this chicken rice stall is not doing it,,i mean bulk orders needs to be handle differently and only in singkieland whereby customers are willing to queue for food,,in ang mor lands,,many wont bother,,,,and in ang mor restaurants that need to queue,,,they will issue numbers etc and you can come back later,,and even if got queue its never that long,,,1 hr is a joke for any eatery. But for this case,,its the bulk orders that are creating problems and these bulk orders are damn unfair. And only in singkieland whereby the queue is an obsession...For me,,if got queue I go somewhere else,,unless the food is damn good or damn unique.

 

[scroobal]

I too avoid peak period. Unnecessary. People are conditioned to eat at certain times and find it hard to make the change. Companies no longer live in the past where the lunch time is fixed. You are now allowed to decide what works for you within the time frame.

I don't like long lines & usually avoid if there is a long queue. Unfortunately I can't tell if the people in front of me are going to put a large order.

So I just avoid eating during the peak lunch time.

 

[po2wq]

July 4, 2017, Sebastian Wickstrom fell in line 45 minutes before the Hong Kong Soya Chicken Rice and Noodle hawker stall in Chinatown Complex opened. What he expected was a 20-30 minute wait but it turned into something well over an hour when two people in the line ordered 60 meals each.

After a few days, he wrote about his experience in an opinion piece and sent it out to top food bloggers and publications in Singapore. In the post, he complained about how the Michelin Star hawker stall was employing allegedly “dirty business tactics” to create long lines and gain customers ...

tis burger damn low-down ... cant wait 4 his fud but later attack hawker of using 'dirty business tactics' 2 gain customers ...

 

[red amoeba]

Don't understand Singaporeans. Wanna q dun complain. U can always fuck off n eat somewhere.

Fresh from getting Michelin for sure there will b q.

 

[JohnTan]

I've reprimanded my two staff for ordering 60 packets of chicken rice. Next time, I will send four staff and each will order 30 packets instead. Happy?

 

[po2wq]

I've reprimanded my two staff for ordering 60 packets of chicken rice. Next time, I will send four staff and each will order 30 packets instead. Happy?

u shud send 120 staffs ...

each buy half a packet ...

 

[nayr69sg]

What's next? You get people who queue during lunch time and then buy say 20-30 packets.

Then they go down the line and ask people want to buy? $1 more but no need wait.

Then Michelin Star stall owner will du lan or not?

 

[JohnTan]

What's next? You get people who queue during lunch time and then buy say 20-30 packets.

Then they go down the line and ask people want to buy? $1 more but no need wait.

Then Michelin Star stall owner will du lan or not?

I got money to buy 20-30 packets at a go for people to eat. You can or not? Why would the stall owner complain? He is happier because he got more sales from large takeaway orders from a single customer.

 

[nayr69sg]

should be creative. Do you guys have uberEATS in Singapore?

have a service can order the Michelin star food. Got agents lining up in all these queues ready to buy the food keep warm. Then deliver.

No need to queue.

Not sure if sinkies will like it though given their obsession with queues. I think sinkies LIKE to queue.

 

[eatshitndie]

order was 69 packets to be exact. 60 is just to round it down. this morning at jaga office found 696 pages queueing in spool of copier-printer. bugger forgot to replenish paper tray over the weekend. all i need is a copy of a parking infraction and lan lan insert paper stack into tray, and wa la lo and behold, 696 pages of shit start to print. it's a colored tutorial for "machine learning". wtf? which moron would want to print a hardcopy on machine learning bs and intend to read it from end to end? most likely the hungry ah neh contractor who is fob from gujarat. see his stacks of papers all over his cube and he barely touches them. hoarder in chief. knn. here i am waiting for the last 69 pages of 696 pages to finish printing. and all i need is 0.69 black and white of 1 lousy copy.

 

[eatshitndie]

should be creative. Do you guys have uberEATS in Singapore?

have a service can order the Michelin star food. Got agents lining up in all these queues ready to buy the food keep warm. Then deliver.

No need to queue.

Not sure if sinkies will like it though given their obsession with queues. I think sinkies LIKE to queue.

that's becumming a problem when an eatery or cafe is popular with millenials who like to order their beverage or meals using their mobiles. service counter meets online retail, and it will bring about chaos and disappointed customers than convenience. case of starfucks and mobile ordering. fucking disaster. i don't go to starfuckedup anymore as baristas scramble to fulfill orders from customers who order online vs. those who wait in line to place orders. with those waiting in line in the store to place orders, there's the benefit of moderation and control as the counter deals with each customer in slow motion, checks order flow, writes notes on cups, lines up cups in arrival order, and allows baristas to brew each cup with a slight delay and idle or wait time. this inspite of peak minutes. and everyone is willing to wait and is happy. fair system. introduce mobile ordering and the fair system goes out the door. what used to be 6.9 minutes per customer order is now 6.9 seconds per customer order to fulfill the online surge. suddenly 69 customers order online per minute and expect to pickup their coffee in less than 6.9 minutes all at once. the small retail outlet is not able to handle that. it has to be a different store or counter specially designed to handle online surge orders on a massive scale - 6.9% of counter space for pickups only with 69% of store equipped with 6.9 times more brewing machines and 6.9 times more baristas.

http://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-mobile-ordering-problems-2017-1

 

[kkbutterfly]

should have express queue.
those who willing to pay extra $1 will queue lane 2
those wiling to pay extra $3 will queue lane 1.

same for bicycle. bicycle should ride in longkang

 

[nayr69sg]

should have express queue.
those who willing to pay extra $1 will queue lane 2
those wiling to pay extra $3 will queue lane 1.

same for bicycle. bicycle should ride in longkang

For regular customers can even have express pass for 1 year. Maybe pay like $200. Queue express line like at Universal Studios.

I mean seriously this is how the big boys manage queues and nobody complains right? You got money then jump to express line. These hawkers should be more up to date. I was going to say innovative but there is no innovation involved just follow and keep up with the times.

Make people wait 1 hour for food they have to pay for is ridiculous in this day and age. I mean wait for free food maybe lah.