There were no big crowds at hawker centres and coffee shops yesterday when dining in resumed with a group size limit of two.
But diners The Straits Times spoke to said they were glad that the restrictions imposed since May 16 to stem a rise in the number of Covid-19 community cases have been lifted.
Some stalls at Amoy Street Food Centre saw queues of 10 to 15 people each at noon, as tables filled up quickly and diners kept to the rule of two.
Cleaners were also out in full force, clearing tables soon after people finished their meals to make space available for the next pair.
Over at Ion Orchard, popular eateries such as TWG Tea and The Marmalade Pantry were about half-full despite the reduced capacity.
The mall was shut for four days for cleaning and disinfecting from June 12 to 16 after a number of Covid-19 cases were linked to it.
Visitors to the mall yesterday said they were glad that the restaurants in town were open again.
Facilities team manager Nazurudeen Salim, who was planning to have dessert with his wife at The Marmalade Pantry, said they missed eating out.
The 31-year-old added that the restrictions had made it difficult for them to catch up with friends and clients over a cup of coffee.
Executive officer Caleb Huang, 34, said it felt good to be back in the shopping belt. He was having lunch with a friend at the Food Republic in Wisma Atria.
"During phase two (heightened alert), I had fewer food choices as I didn't see the point in going (all the way) to town and was limited to takeaways in my neighbourhood," he said.
Mr Mohamed Jameel, 46, manager of a stall selling Indian Muslim food at Clementi Kopitiam in Clementi Avenue 3, said he had 50 per cent to 60 per cent fewer customers during phase two (heightened alert).
"With the new measures, I hope to see more customers at my stall, and I'm relieved that at least pairs of two are allowed to dine in," he said.
At breakfast time yesterday, it was a quieter affair.
At 8am, the S-11 Choa Chu Kang 787 Food Court in Choa Chu Kang Drive and NTUC Foodfare coffee shop in Choa Chu Kang Crescent were largely empty.
Many customers were still ordering takeaways.
Retired engineer Hussein Wahid, 67, who was having coffee and toast alone at the NTUC Foodfare coffee shop, said it was good to return to his familiar routine of having breakfast outside on weekday mornings after exercising.
While some people were enthusiastic about the prospect of dining in at eateries again, others remained cautious, noting the cluster at Bukit Merah View Market and Food Centre which had grown to 78 cases as at yesterday.
However, Mr Benedict Khoo, 21, who was having breakfast with his sister Kimberly, 20, at the NTUC Foodfare coffee shop, said they are not really worried about the current Covid-19 situation.
Mr Khoo added: "The rest of our family members are more scared about eating out, especially our grandmother. They tell us not to go too far and to eat nearby at places that are within walking distance of our home.
"We are always careful, ensuring that we wear our masks and observe social distancing measures."
Diners at Clementi 448 Market and Food Centre and the Clementi Kopitiam told The Straits Times that they were relieved to return to the convenience of dining in. They added that current measures were reasonable in helping to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Manager May Fong, 52, said she and her husband largely relied on home-cooked meals before the restrictions were lifted.
"We found ourselves visiting the supermarket more often and cooking more. This is not a concern for me, though I did miss the lively atmosphere of (eating at) a hawker centre," said Ms Fong, who added that she usually dines at the food centre in Clementi with her husband two or three times a week.
"I feel that having the two-person rule is a wise one. We need to strike a balance - to diminish and curb the spread of Covid-19 and also to allow business at hawker centres to improve."
