Having explored the inner workings of the buyer, now it is time to explore the workings of the stall holder/holders of that location, in order to be well-informed on both sides of the issues.
Many would had heard of the 'OLD CHANGKEE' tangle with the Income Revenue Authority Singapore. For decades, IRAS was investigating on the wealth of the owner, as he could afford private properties, cars, etc and YET, paid little in taxes. So they started to get its officers to monitor the daily sales over a period of time. Most sympathized with the owner who was only selling curry puffs at at mere dollar or slightly more. Then when the investigation information was enumerated, it found that it was not a mere few dollars the owner made, but thousands of dollars daily, & thus his wealth, along with profits from his numerous shops spread nationwide, & thus was made to pay his fair share of taxes to Singapore, to assist in its social expenditure - schools, hospitals, roads, security, etc.
Take for example how much a stall holder would make in gross profits simply selling 'char kway teow'.
I plate between $3 - $5 =avg $4.
10mins to fry the noodles, which can serves 10 person = $40 every 10 mins.
I hour=$240
6 hour work/day =$1,440/day
26 days work/month = $37,400/month
Ingredients/Costs:-
A)noodles, eggs, sauce, utilities = est 50cts/100g serving each plate, based upon economy of scale.
Per day servings =60plates/hr, 300 plates per day = $150/day or $3,900 of costs/mth.
B) Less rental of current est $10,000/mth & costs = balance of net profit = $23,500/mth. Should he engages a worker, it will only be $2,000 of labor costs to run that small stall
Most stall holders are reticent about revealing their profits for fear of IRAS, as well as envy from the population. As much as there are complaints about the hefty rentals, most property owners are not dumb & would had made their research to come up with those rent charges. Singaporeans do not want to take advantage of others, but neither do they want to taken advantage of. Thus, only thru open transparent honest discussions can such operations succeed - fairness to property owners, fairness to stall holders, with a working relationship based upon as partners, & NOT slaves to each other.
Equally, stall & property owners must pay their fair share in taxes for nation's social expenditures. With E-payment, perhaps it will be a better way to monitor the daily sales of stalls owners, & a fairer tax can be made. We all are in the same boat, to survive. It takes money to run a successful, progress & evolving country, with a fair re-distribution of wealth & for social expenditures, without which, there will be no country.