A viral video has raised a very important question: just how badly can someone want Singapore curry puffs?
A man dressed as a Meituan delivery rider was filmed at Hong Lim Curry Puff’s outlet at PLQ Mall on 31 August, where he claimed he had travelled from China to Singapore to collect six curry puffs for a customer.
According to the man, his airfare cost about 2,400 yuan, or roughly S$450, while the curry puff order itself came to just S$13.50.
However, there is currently no independent confirmation that he actually flew here specifically for the order, and the strange circumstances have prompted plenty of scepticism online.
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Six Curry Puffs for a Customer in China
The man said the customer was a Chinese businessman who had ordered curry potato and sardine curry puffs.
He declined to reveal how much he was being paid or tipped for the trip.
Mothership reported that the incident happened at around 4.30pm at the food court on the fourth floor of PLQ Mall.
A Xiaohongshu user who filmed the encounter said she initially noticed the rider because he appeared to be having difficulty communicating with the stall employee. She then realised he was wearing the yellow uniform associated with Meituan, the Chinese platform best known for services including food delivery.
That naturally led to another question: since when did Meituan deliver curry puffs across international borders?
Netizens Suspect It Could Be a Publicity Stunt
The video quickly attracted sceptical comments.
According to 8world, some netizens questioned why the man was still wearing a delivery helmet after supposedly travelling by plane, while others wondered why the stall owner happened to appear at the scene.
Some even suggested the rider could simply be someone already living in Singapore who had dressed up in a Meituan uniform.
Stomp separately reported that Meituan has corporate entities registered in Singapore, but does not currently operate food delivery or e-commerce services here. It also noted that Meituan uniforms can be purchased online.
So, at least for now, there is no confirmation that this was an official Meituan cross-border delivery.
Stall Says Owner Was Nearby By Coincidence
Hong Lim Curry Puff’s Victoria Loh told 8world that the situation unfolded because the employee manning the stall had joined only about a week earlier and did not speak Mandarin.
The rider, meanwhile, could not communicate in English.
The employee became concerned that the unusual situation might involve a scam and contacted the team for help. Loh said she happened to be attending a lecture nearby and went over to help translate. Once the misunderstanding was cleared up, the order was processed normally.
She also said she later answered questions from a woman at the stall without realising that the conversation was being recorded or that the footage would subsequently be uploaded online.
8world reported that it twice sought further clarification from Loh over claims that the episode had been staged, but had not received a response by publication time. It had also contacted Meituan to ask whether the company offered cross-border delivery services.
For now, then, the safest conclusion is considerably less dramatic than “Meituan now delivers curry puffs by plane”: a man in a Meituan uniform says he flew to Singapore for the order, but whether the extraordinary delivery was exactly what it appeared to be remains unverified.
