Restaurant gets five-star rating – but not for its food
When one hears of five-star ratings, the image that comes to mind is probably of gourmet dishes in fine dining.
But at Tan Xiang Chai Chee, the spotlight is not on the kitchen of the coffee shop but its toilets.
The Restroom Association Singapore (RAS) in September awarded them five stars, making the establishment the first coffee shop to receive the honour.
Local artist Yang Zhilong, who owns the coffee shop, jested: “Although the food hasn't been awarded a Michelin star, at least the toilets have a star and five-star reviews.”
The air-conditioned toilets cost around $150,000 to renovate.
Besides boasting hand sprays and high-end hand dryers, the toilets get cleaned every hour.
Yang acknowledged that the toilets have become one of the selling points of the coffee shop.
“A clean toilet makes diners more aware of the good quality of hygiene at the coffee shop, leaving a good impression,” he told Shin Min Daily News.
The toilet rating is by the“Happy Toilet Programme launched by RAS, which aims to evaluate five aspects of public toilets: design, cleanliness, effectiveness, maintenance and user satisfaction.
The lowest grading for toilets is three stars and the highest, six.
World Toilet Organisation and RAS founder Jack Sim said: “The rating is given once a year. If the toilet is not well maintained, it may lose a star in the following year.
“Tan Xiang Chai Chee has done a good job and deserves its five stars."
This year, toilets in 21 hawker centres such as Tampines Hub Hawker Centre, Senjia Hawker Centre and Marsiling Hawker Centre were awarded five stars.
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