Xian Jin Mixed Vegetable Rice sells bak kut teh, fish soup and other soups at S$2. (Photo: CNA/Chew Hui Min)
Xian Jin Mixed Vegetable Rice sells bak kut teh, fish soup and other soups at S$2. (Photo: CNA/Chew Hui Min)
SINGAPORE: Residents can now access a new portal to locate HDB coffee shops offering budget meals in their vicinity.
The BudgetMealGoWhere website, launched by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) in collaboration with the Government Technology Agency (GovTech), allows the public to search for and view available budget meal and drink options at nearby HDB coffee shops.
Members of the public can visit the portal, enter their postal code in the search box and click the "GO" button.
The site will then list the coffee shops and the available budget meal options, starting with those located within 2km of the postal code, said HDB and GovTech in a press release on Friday (May 19).
At present, about 40 coffee shops are currently listed on the website, with more progressively being added.
Budget meals must be full meal options such as lunch or dinner meals that are priced affordably, as compared to the average price of meals sold at nearby eating establishments.
Side dishes, snacks, kids' meals or half-portion meals are not considered as budget meals.
Participating stalls will display a budget meal decal sticker on their food display signage to further help customers identify the budget meal options on offer.
Budget meals at coffee shops offering them now are typically priced at around S$3 to S$3.50, and basic drinks cost around S$1 to S$1.15, across various estates.
Since 2018, new coffee shops in Singapore leased from HDB under Price-Quality Method or PQM tenders are required to provide budget meal options.
Under the PQM system, tenders are reviewed based on a range of criteria other than rent, such as the affordability of food and drink options.
Tenderers must provide budget meals at six stalls and a budget drink as part of their tender bids.
In March, Senior Minister of State for National Development Sim Ann announced that from May 2023, all rental HDB coffee shops due for renewal will need to provide four budget meals and two budget drinks, as a condition for renewal of their tenancy, said HDB and GovTech.
Operators are encouraged to offer budget meals at prices which are "sustainable and competitive" with the prices of nearby F&B options.
The new tenancy requirements mean that budget meals will progressively be offered at all 374 HDB rental coffee shops by 2026.
To ease the transition for coffee shop operators and stallholders, HDB will be offering a 5 per cent discount off the renewal rents for a period of one year from the time of the tenancy being renewed.
This will be subject to verification that the new budget meals and drinks have been implemented.
The Government will continue to partner and work closely with F&B businesses and operators to refine and expand the implementation of budget meals while balancing their commercial interests, said HDB and GovTech.