If a person reserves a hawker centre table with a pack of tissues for 10 minutes, then spends 10 minutes to eat his meal, the act of reserving the table has effectively cut the utilisation of the table by 50 per cent (Let's learn to cope with perceived evils of choping at crowded eating places, Aug 22).

Patrons should just buy their food and then find a seat. If there are not enough seats, it is not something for them to worry about.

Insufficient seating is of concern to food sellers and eating place operators. If people are unable to find seats, they will choose not to eat there in the future.

Reservation gives the illusion that it is a solution to overcome the shortage of seats.

Of course there are enough seats for all, more than enough to accommodate a 50 per cent wastage through reservation.

Let's get rid of this ugly habit once and for all.

If you next find a table "choped" by a packet of tissues, just sit down with your food. You deserve the space more than some packet of tissues.

Heng Zhao Weng