Coffee culture Singapore-style

(or, how to survive a kopitiam!)

Chope! If there’s a tissue packet on the table, it means someone else has gotten there first. Yes, that means the seat is taken – and by the unspoken code of honour that governs a “kopitiam”, it is a booking as esteemed as a reservation made by any maÎtre d’. If you hear shouts of “Dinosaur!” or “Godzilla!” ringing around the vicinity, do not be alarmed. The emergency is less severe than you think, and no, that is not a sock he is pouring coffee through. Sober up, mate. This is just a typical Singaporean coffeeshop.

For the uninitiated, enjoying a beverage, beer or meal in a local coffeeshop might take a modicum of guts and skill; but it really is something that anyone can master. In fact, it can be a strangely wonderful experience if you know all the tricks to getting the most out of it. These tips are applicable to most eating places in Singapore, including hawker centres and foodcourts. Read this carefully and become a master of coffeeshop culture; you could even trick your mates and watch them squirm!

Tempted by the wildly colourful and flavourful hawker fare available here? This counts you as one of the many, including locals, looking for a scrumptious meal to power them through the day, or night. Due to the busy nature of most eating places; Singaporeans would instinctively look for a seat the moment they arrive. Observe and do likewise if you do not want to be caught looking for a seat through the crowds while balancing a steaming hot bowl of Laksa precariously.

Everything is fair game when it comes to reserving seats at food centres. Tissue packs, café loyalty cards and your mother’s umbrella – anything can be used to stake your claim on your potential seat. However, only use personal belongings of little or no value. As safe as Singapore may be, you wouldn’t put a thousand bucks on the table and leave it unguarded anywhere in the world, would you? Keep the phones and wallets with you!

HINT: You do not actually have to shout “Chope!”#55 as you place the tissue packet to invoke your reservation rights. It is simply a slang for reserving a space, and naturally, the use of this word isn’t restricted to the coffeeshop. Now you know what it means when your friend asks you to “chope” seats at a theatre, a slice of the pie, or a date on your calendar!

Learn more about Singapore....

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