More people are dissatisfied with the cleanliness of food outlets, but it appears some patrons are not contributing enough to keep the places clean. SMU's fourth Public Cleanliness Satisfaction Survey showed that fewer than half of the respondents had returned their trays more than half the time in coffee shops. The decrease in satisfaction with the cleanliness of food outlets could be attributed to the heightened awareness of the importance of cleaning during the Covid-19 pandemic. "With the spread of infectious diseases, public hygiene becomes even more important than just public cleanliness," said SMU Dean of Students and Professor of Sociology (Practice) Paulin Straughan. She led the survey with Dr Mathew Mathews, principal research fellow at the NUS Institute of Policy Studies.