Singapore’s hawker centres have long been seen as the city’s great equalizer, where a $5 meal still delivers comfort and cultural identity in one of the world’s most expensive cities. But new data suggests that this everyday institution is under mounting pressure.

A recent Blackbox Research SensingSG survey finds that 72% of Singaporeans believe hawker culture is now under threat. Meanwhile, 4 in 10 Singaporeans say they cannot maintain their current lifestyle without access to affordable hawker food.

What happens when something universally valued becomes economically fragile? And if the iconic $5 meal is no longer sustainable, what replaces it and who gets left out?

On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Glenn Wray, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer at Blackbox Research, to find out more.