Warung Tegals or wartegs are food stalls which sell food and beverages along Jakarta’s streets, catering to the city’s middle and low-income population. Consumers, both locals and blue and white-collar office workers choose wartegs for their convenience, location and affordability. Government extension agents from the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) have incorporated warteg owners in their business development programs, with the ministry’s centre actively coaching and mentoring owners and managers to improve their food quality, hygiene and service. Moreover, the country’s MSME are also actively involved with warteg associations to mentor their micro-financing and revolving fund schemes. Prerequisites for advancing small and medium enterprises include psychological empowerment and the emergence of leaders from within the working-class community. Active citizenship, when coupled with integrity and psychological empowerment, leads to the endurance of social capital for protecting collective interests such as the local economy, the nation’s food security and the neighbourhood safety and social welfare. This can propel Jakarta’s working class as active citizens and agents of social inclusion and economic transformations.