In a commentary, SMU School of Social Sciences Associate Professor of Theatre/Performance Studies (Practice) Margaret Chan shared her thoughts on the possible reasons Singaporeans are reluctant to pay higher prices for authentic hawker fare. She highlighted that “there is fierce loyalty and ownership” when it comes to our hawker food, but this has resulted in a perverse response: “Why should we pay for what is ours?” She also pointed out that the abundance of Singapore food could be another factor that drives prices down.