Knowing how to order chicken rice takes the stress out of your first hawker meal. Queue at the stall, choose steamed or roasted chicken, say how much you want and pay. Then carry your tray to a table. Once you reach the front, it takes a minute or two.
Here is each step in order, with the words locals use. If you are new to the dish, read what Hainanese chicken rice is first.
Step 1: Find a table and join the queue
At a busy hawker centre, find a seat first, especially at lunchtime. Locals 'chope' a table, which means reserving it, often by leaving a packet of tissues on it. In a group, one person can hold the table while the others queue. Sharing a table with strangers is normal, so just ask if a seat is free.
Then join the queue at the stall. Each stall has its own queue, and you order and pay at the front. Read the menu board while you wait, so you are ready. Chicken rice is quick to plate, so you usually wait at the counter for your food. For more on table manners, see our hawker centre etiquette rules.
Step 2: Choose your chicken and portion
The menu board is short at most chicken rice stalls. You choose a style, a size and any extras.
Steamed or roasted
Most stalls offer two styles. Steamed chicken is pale, soft and juicy. Roasted chicken has browner skin and a stronger taste. Not sure? Our guide to roasted vs steamed chicken rice compares them.
Portion size
- One plate: chicken and rice for one person. Some stalls offer a small and a large size.
- Chicken by portion: for groups, order a quarter, half or whole chicken, plus a plate of rice each.
- Part of the chicken: ask for breast meat or a drumstick. A drumstick sometimes costs a little more.
Add-ons
Many stalls sell braised eggs, bean sprouts and Chinese greens with oyster sauce. A plate of greens is an easy way to add vegetables. You can also ask for 'less rice' or 'more rice'.
Step 3: Say your order clearly
Keep it short. Name the style, the size and any extras. Then say whether you will eat there or take it away. For example:
'One steamed chicken rice, drumstick, have here.'
'Half roasted chicken, three rice, one vegetable, da bao.'
'Have here' means you will eat at the hawker centre. 'Da bao' means takeaway. Most stall staff speak some English, and pointing at the menu works too.
Step 4: Pay and collect your food
You usually pay when you order. Many stalls accept cashless payment by scanning a QR code, but some take cash only. Carry small notes and coins to be safe.
The cook chops the chicken, plates it and puts it on a tray with your soup. Check that the order is right before you walk away.
Collecting the sauces
Some stalls put chilli, ginger and dark soy sauce on your tray. Others have self-service chilli in a pot or bottle at the counter. Take a small dish and only what you will use. Our post on chicken rice sauces explains how to use each one.
Step 5: Eat and clear your tray
Head back to your table. Locals eat with a spoon and fork, using the fork to push food onto the spoon. Drinks come from a separate drinks stall, so order one there if you like.
When you finish, take your tray, plates and rubbish to the tray return point. This is expected at every hawker centre.
Where to practise ordering
- Maxwell Food Centre near Chinatown, home to Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice and other chicken rice stalls.
- Lau Pa Sat in the CBD, a large hawker centre under a historic iron roof.
- Whampoa Makan Place, a neighbourhood hawker centre in the Balestier area.
A plate at a hawker stall often costs around S$4 to S$8. Prices change, so check the menu board. The same steps work at most stalls, as our guide on how to order at hawker stalls shows. Browse the other Chicken Rice guides for more.
FAQs about how to order chicken rice
Do chicken rice stalls take cards?
Some do, and many accept QR code payments. Cash is still the safest choice at hawker stalls, so carry small notes.
What does 'da bao' mean?
It means takeaway. Your food will be packed in a box or wrapped, with the sauces in small bags or tubs.
Do I need to tip?
No. Tipping is not expected at hawker stalls in Singapore.
What if the stall has sold out?
Popular stalls can run out of chicken, especially later in the day. Try another chicken rice stall nearby. Our chicken rice queue tips help you time your visit.
