According to the findings of the Public Cleanliness Satisfaction Survey 2023 conducted by SMU, more than 80 per cent of Singapore residents in 2023 indicated they were willing to go the extra mile to clean up spills or wipe down their tables after eating at food outlets like hawker centres or coffee shops because they feel that it is the socially responsible thing to do. Satisfaction with cleanliness of food outlets also jumped two percentage points to 85 per cent in 2023, compared with 2022. At a media briefing on 26 April to announce the survey results, the co-leads of the study said food outlets could consider piloting the provision of clean tablecloths or tissue paper on dining tables for patrons to wipe down tables after their meals. “Hopefully, over time, this habit will translate to other public places as well,” said the researchers, led by SMU Dean of Students and Professor of Sociology (Practice) Paulin Straughan and Dr Mathew Mathews, principal research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies.