Does a hawker stall’s location really matter? Stall owner’s sales more than doubled after moving
Mei Jing Sabah Sandakan Fried Pork Noodle was a standout experience for me. When the stall was still located at Whampoa Makan Place, I headed down at 7am just because someone on a Facebook group had commented that the special fried pork sells out by 7.30am. Guess what? I arrived to find out that it was all false.
On the contrary, Max — the owner of Mei Jing Sabah Sandakan Fried Pork Noodle and a PR from Sabah, Malaysia — told me that business was slow. At the time, I genuinely felt for him. His noodles were above average, and he truly deserved more sales. According to him, the problem was the location — Whampoa is a matured estate where most residents are seniors.
“They only patronise their favourite stalls that’ve been around for many years!” Max (pictured above standing at his old stall) shared at the time. It didn’t help that his old stall was hidden away in a back corner.
Some of you might be rolling your eyes at how ridiculous my question sounds just from reading the title. But the reason I asked is because I’ve been told many things.
Some say, “If your food is good, people don’t mind traveling.” Others argue, “Location isn’t important; what matters is marketing and advertising to make people aware of you.” Yet, some insist, “Location is key.” These are the varying responses I received when I posed this question to different people.
That being said, I’ve also encountered a few hawkers who still face the same bleak situation after moving.
On 15 Jan 2025, after an extensive search for the ideal location, Mei Jing Sabah Sandakan Fried Pork Noodle finally made the move to Hong Lim Market & Food Centre .
“The moment we relocated, business has improved tremendously. I just hope it’s not just because we’re new.” Max says with a chuckle.
Although he operates until 2.30pm, his noodles often sell out by 2pm. Max used to sell 50 to 80 bowls per day at Whampoa, but since the move to Chinatown, he manages to sell 160 to 220 bowls daily.
Due to the stall’s growing popularity, his wife now heads down between 11.30am to 2.30pm to assist in operations — a stark contrast to his solo days at Whampoa.
He adds, “Perhaps my brighter and more vibrant signboard (pictured above right) also contributes to better sales, haha.”
I really hope that Max’s business will continue to thrive. If you’re within walking distance to Hong Lim Market, why not swing by Mei Jing Sabah Sandakan Fried Pork Noodle and try their bowl of noods?
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