food

Chope means saving a seat or place; at Singapore food centres, a tissue packet on a table often means someone is coming back with their food.

Dabao means ordering food or a drink to be packed for takeaway instead of eating or drinking it at the stall.

A hawker centre is a shared Singapore dining space where many independent stalls sell a wide range of prepared food and drinks.

A kopitiam is a local coffee shop where drink and food stalls share a casual dining space serving a neighbourhood or nearby workers.

This guide explains how Singapore kopi terms combine coffee, milk, sugar, strength and temperature into a compact drink order.

Cai png, also called economy rice, is rice served with a customer’s choice of prepared dishes displayed at a food stall.