Hawker centers: the national dining room, and how to "chope" a seat

Singapore's hawker centers serve the country's best food at a few dollars a plate: chicken rice, laksa, char kway teow, roti prata. Order at the stall, pay, and wait or take a buzzer. Locals reserve a table by leaving a packet of tissues on it ("choping"); respect it and do the same. Return your tray to the racks; it's required. Maxwell, Old Airport Road, and Tiong Bahru are good starts; the Michelin-listed stalls have lines worth joining once.