This made my day: Owner of Malay stall at Circuit Road gave out free coffee for Chinese New Year

During the Lunar New Year period, it's common to see many businesses closed for the holidays. 

It becomes a great opportunity for shops that remain open to earn some extra business. However, one hawker stall did the opposite and took the chance to spread kindness instead. 

On day three of Chinese New Year (Feb 3), netizen Collin Ng took to Facebook to share how the owner of Malay stall Makanan Singapura at MacPherson Market & Food Centre was giving out free cups of coffee. 

Ng said the woman helming the stall had approached him and asked if he wanted a cup of coffee, which he initially declined. 

Later on, after realising that all four of the coffee stalls in the hawker centre were closed, he returned to Makanan Singapura to get a drink from them. 

He had already prepared a $2 note as payment when he noticed a sign that said "free coffee".

This came as a surprise to Ng, who had expected a surcharge during this period instead.

He added that he was "deeply impressed with such a generous gesture". 

In a second post on Feb 5, Ng said that he patronised Makanan Singapura again.

This time around, the woman who had previously attended to him was not around. However, he was told by others that it was actually an "annual 'ritual' of sorts" for Makanan Singapura to hand out free coffee during the CNY period. 

"They could have capitalised on the holiday period when most stalls were closed to make extra bucks but chose to provide free coffee to anyone who does not need to make a purchase at their stall," Ng shared. 

While he frankly admitted that "their food won't blow your mind", he said that the "nice gesture has definitely earned much admiration" and encouraged people to pay the stall a visit. 
 

ALSO READ: This made my day: Woman shares extra CNY goodies with migrant workers, encourages others to do so

melissateo@asiaone.com