---
title: "Stomper worries for man picking up leftovers at Tampines hawker centre to bring home"
url: "/stomping-ground/stomper-worries-man-picking-leftovers-tampines-hawker-centre-bring-home"
published: "2026-10-19T07:55:41.000Z"
updated: "2026-10-19T08:02:12.000Z"
section: "Stomping Ground"
authors: ["Cherlynn Ng"]
tags: ["food","hawker centre","Stomping Ground","elderly","Tampines","Our Tampines Hub"]
---

# Stomper worries for man picking up leftovers at Tampines hawker centre to bring home

Welcome to Stomping Ground — a space where Stompers share reflections, personal essays and social commentaries that spark conversation and insight.

A man has reportedly been seen scrounging for leftover food at the hawker centre at Our Tampines Hub on multiple occasions, leaving one Stomper worried for numerous reasons.

A Stomper was compelled to share his thoughts after reading an article about reducing food waste in The Straits Times last month.

The Sept 9 article reminded the Stomper about an elderly man that he sees at Our Tampines Hub “almost every morning”.

According to him, the smartly dressed man “scrounges for leftover food” at the hawker centre despite not looking destitute or like a beggar.

## Addressing hygiene concerns and the prevalence of food waste

He told Stomp: “I asked the man why he’s resorting to this, and he replied that it’s good to save bits of leftover food from diners for his dinner — waste not, want not.”

The Stomper acknowledged that this was a “good way” to reduce food wastage, but is also “unhygienic”.

![Man collects leftovers at Tampines hawker centre](https://cassette.sphdigital.com.sg/image/stomp/898527bba1c6f88d176390647be917cb7ff261c6c672d9d9ba298946c6aa6abf)
*The man apparently told the Stomper that he was picking up other people’s leftovers to avoid wasting food.*

## Why Stomper worries about man collecting leftovers at the hawker centre

“There is a deep sense of empathy for such individuals,” said the Stomper, who shared photos of the man seemingly packing food in containers and plastic bags.

“It suggests they might be facing severe financial hardship, food insecurity or a lack of social support to the point where they feel compelled to rely on discarded meals.

“But because this man is dressed smartly and doesn’t appear destitute, I am more concerned about hygiene and food safety.”

The Stomper also feels that such acts might be more prevalent among older generations.

He explained: “For some elderly, this behaviour stems less from current extreme poverty and more from a lifelong, deeply ingrained aversion to food waste developed during harder economic eras.”

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