THE drive by The Straits Times to get people to clear their dirty foodcourt trays appears to be gaining steam.
Cleaners at five Kopitiam outlets involved in the project said more diners are now returning their trays. Some have even become neater eaters.
Madam Yong Nyook Yin, a cleaner at Changi Airport's Terminal 3 foodcourt said dozens more people are clearing their own mess every day.
The 68-year-old singled out the stewardesses from Singapore Airlines who have been actively returning their trays.
'They look so elegant in their sarong kebaya and yet are not afraid of dirtying the uniforms. It is really admirable,' she said.
Over the last week, ST's Goodness Gracious Me! project has seen five Kopitiam outlets plastered with posters and stickers urging patrons to clear their trays. Madam Luong Poh Lin, a 57-year-old cleaner at the Plaza Singapura outlet, said she has noticed an improvement since the push began last Saturday.
One in three people are returning their trays now, she said, from virtually none previously; and many leave less mess on the table.
For example, some diners use tissue paper to wrap fish bones and prawn shells, while others place them on the side of the plate, rather than the table itself.
Student Gobind Sandhu, 18, believes that habits such as eating neatly and clearing trays have a 'ripple effect'.
'Generally, if I do it, the person next to me sees it, and he follows suit,' he said.
Even lunch-time foodcourt patrons with little time to spare are making more of an effort.
Administrative executive Alex Hang, 35, who works at the airport, decided to clear his tray after seeing a poster on his table. 'I was staring at the poster while having my meal so it served as a reminder to clear the place for the next person,' he said.
While the campaign seems to have started promisingly, consultant psychiatrist Adrian Wang says the longer it lasts, the higher its chance of success.
Memories tend to be short when it comes to things they do not enjoy, he points out. 'To make a behaviour repetitive or instinctive, we have to repeat it a sufficient number of times.'
Goodness Gracious Me! will eventually be extended islandwide under the umbrella of the Singapore Kindness Movement.
For now, it is being held at Kopitiam outlets at Plaza Singapura, Hougang Mall, Bukit Panjang Plaza, Tan Tock Seng Hospital and Changi Airport Terminal 3.
