Singapore Tables Clean Themselves in 30 Seconds

Finding cleaners for Singapore's busy food courts has become nearly impossible, but one operator thinks self-cleaning tables might be the answer.

Food Haven has installed a prototype table at Nanyang Technological University that replaces its own tablecloth in 30 seconds. Diners simply press two buttons after eating, and the table pulls the soiled sheet into a compartment while dispensing a fresh layer from a roll at the other end.

The innovation comes as coffee shop operators face mounting staffing challenges. Tommy Ng from Mr Teh Tarik Eating House says it can take weeks just to get responses for cleaner job postings, and turnover happens every few months.

Each of Food Haven's tables can handle 30 cleanings before staff need to replace the roll, lasting three to four days. Director Shane Tay hopes the technology could eventually cut his cleaning staff needs in half at the 300-seat food court, which currently requires three to four cleaners during peak hours.

The tables cost between $500 and $800 to produce now, though mass manufacturing could lower prices. If the trial succeeds, Food Haven plans upgrades like battery operation and more sustainable materials.

The Bright Side

While the technology isn't perfect yet (larger food scraps sometimes get stuck, and the bulky design reduces seating), it represents a creative solution to a real problem affecting Singapore's food industry. The mandatory tray return rule helped ease workloads, but staff are still needed to wipe tables and maintain dining areas.

Other operators have experimented with automation over the past decade, from tray-return robots in 2016 to robotic arms still in development. Many prefer hiring cleaners directly rather than through agencies to control costs, but Singapore's foreign manpower quotas restrict the worker pool.

The self-cleaning table trial shows how innovation can address labor shortages while maintaining the hygiene standards diners expect. Even if this specific design needs refinement, it's opening doors to rethinking how food courts can operate with fewer workers doing less physically demanding work.

Food courts across Singapore are watching the NTU trial closely, hoping technology can finally help solve their toughest hiring challenge.