Did Chinese delivery giant Meituan fly a rider to Singapore for curry puffs?

SINGAPORE – Chinese food delivery giant Meituan has clarified that it does not offer international delivery services after a viral video showing a man in the platform’s uniform who claims he was paid to fly to Singapore to pick up a box of curry puffs.

In a video uploaded on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, the man – wearing what appears to be Meituan’s signature yellow jacket and helmet – was filmed buying a box of curry puffs Paya Lebar Quarter Mall.

Speaking to the person behind the camera, the man claimed that a customer spent about 2,400 yuan (S$450) to fly him into Singapore.

He was supposedly tasked with buying a box of six curry puffs from Hong Lim Curry Puff. The curry puffs – including curry potato and sardine flavours – came up to $13.50.

When asked, he did not say how much he was paid for the assignment or who the customer was.

According to the Xiaohongshu user, the incident took place on the afternoon of Aug 31, Chinese-language newspaper Shin Min Daily News reported.

Following Shin Min’s report, its sister publication, Lianhe Zaobao, reported on Sept 5 that Meituan has denied launching cross-border food delivery or errand services.

In queries sent through a chatbot on the Meituan app, a customer service personnel denied that customers can order food from China and have a delivery rider fly to Singapore to buy it, Lianhe Zaobao reported.

The customer service personnel stressed that Meituan does not support such ordering methods or provide any cross-border services, Lianhe Zaobao said.

The Straits Times contacted Meituan and Hong Lim Curry Puff on Sept 3 but has not received a response.