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GrabFood Delivery Rider Tries to Online Shame Rich People But Got Slammed Instead

2022-11-18 , 1:48 pm

Working in Singapore can be very tough. However, the term “tough” can vary depending on how physically or mentally draining it is.

One job that is considered very tough among citizens in Singapore is food delivery. This is due to the very physical nature of their job and considerably below-average pay.

If one wanted to earn an average pay, they would have to grind delivery orders throughout the week for as long as 12 hours a day no matter rain or shine.

To motivate these delivery riders, people would often tip a certain amount, especially when the weather conditions are tough.

People who do not tip would usually give words of encouragement or provide little snacks for the riders.

However, one delivery rider by the name of Gary Liew recently took to Facebook to express his unhappiness with not receiving tips from “rich” people.

Did not Receive Tips from “Rich” People

According to Liew in his Facebook post, he worked from 4pm to 12am delivering to multiple customers during the downpour, in which he adds that he was completely soaked during that duration.

To rub salt to the wound, Liew says that Grab, the platform he is under, did not give him any incentives for working in the rain.

He goes on to mention that during this time, he only received a $2 tip from a young girl living in a HDB located at Circuit Road, which he is grateful for.

However, he would go on to mention that those customers who are living in condos and bungalows around the areas of Joo Chiat and Geylang did not even give him any tips but only uttered words of encouragement such as “Ride safe under the rain” and “Must be tough for you under the rain”.

At the end of the post, he wrote the word “Disgusting” implying that the customers that live in condos and bungalows should have given him tips for his efforts.

Netizens Bashes Post

Upon seeing the trending post, Netizens took quick action by commenting on Liew’s opinion.

One Netizen mentioned that when a person wishes another person well, it does not need to be based on money but rather it can come from the heart.

Another Netizen mentioned that Liew should quit his job if he is so unhappy with it. This is in reference to how Grab did not give him any incentives, yet he complains and carries on working for them.

Some comments that were directed to Liew jokingly mentioned that he should not be posting this kind of opinion online and should only talk about it with his workmates. This is because it might affect some people in terms of them not wanting to order delivery as they will be afraid that the riders are unhappy with them.

However, with all the negative comments, there are some who gave words of positivity to Liew.

In one comment, the user mentioned that a person has to be grateful for the little things in life, such as being wished a safe ride, so that they can be happy with what they have.

Minimal Tipping Culture in Singapore

Unlike many western countries such as America and Canada, who tip service staff up to 20% of the total bill, Singapore does not have this tipping culture, hence it is usually not seen as an act of disrespect when someone doesn’t tip you.

Almost all restaurants in Singapore have a 10% service charge which is added to the total bill so a tip is usually not expected.

However, if one were to insist on tipping, it is best to hand the tip directly to the service crew that you wish to tip as some restaurants take the tips that are left on the table instead of giving it to their staff.

Delivery Riders Have to Stay Alert at All Times

In the post, Liew mentioned the harsh working conditions of his job, having to work despite the rainy weather.

In a sense, if one were to put himself in Liew’s shoes, we can empathise with his situation.

Delivery riders are severely underappreciated and overworked. Many cases of fainting and accidents have occurred this year alone involving delivery riders.

In an interview online, 12 out of 15 delivery riders told the interviewer that they have experienced either exhaustion or accidents when they are working.

Earlier this year, a 54-year-old unfortunately passed away after getting into an accident involving another vehicle.

In a separate incident, an accident that took place in Gambas Ave nearly took the life of a 20-year-old, who was at that time performing one of his food deliveries.

This accident caused the 20-year-old to be warded in the Intensive Care Unit, causing great distress to his family. Furthermore, the family also had to worry about the expensive hospital bills that have been incurred.

This few examples indicate the dangerous nature of the job and how it can not only affect the rider’s life, but also his or her family’s.

However, with all that being said, Liew’s opinion on the situation could have been better phrased and discussed.