Keep calm & be rational.
EVERY Singaporean knows space is a Premium in our country, even in Community spaces such as Hawker centers. By looking at the pics, one can see a few spaces where there is only a single tray occupying that space, & yet others scream of the tray return policy. Is there lack of intelligence by them? Used plates CAN be STACKED UP, even if there are leftovers. It would minimize the space used, & allow MORE other spaces for plates & bowls to be returned. It only takes a few seconds to do such, & if one's hands are dirtied, there ARE nearby washing points with even soap to clean one's hands.
With the amount of bowls & plates on the tray return cupboard from the pic, just imagine HOW many bowls would had been left on tables WITHOUT a tray return policy, hindering others in our Community from sitting down for a cheaper than restaurant meal?
Workers are only Human, & there is only so much one or a few can do. For certain, Hawkers can chip in to hire MORE cleaners whom some say tray return policy had stolen their jobs, which by the pic had proven NOT TRUE. If more are hired, the norm is that price of hawker food WILL increase, as such costs will be PASSED ON to customers.
Are folks in the Community prepared for such, or will they then complain that a plate of bee-hoon costs $7.50 now?