SINGAPORE, Sept 8 — A GrabFood delivery rider, who was caught on security footage drinking a beverage from a food order that he was delivering, has been banned by food delivery platform Grab.
Hazique Hibri shared his encounter with the delivery rider on TikTok, with some online users recounting similar experiences.
In his post, Hazique showed footage of the delivery rider guzzling his drink in front of his house, which the TikTok user caught on his closed circuit-television (CCTV) camera.
His suspicions that his iced Milo order from McDonalds had been tampered with were confirmed, he said, when he saw that the spout of his drink was wet with the beverage and possibly “saliva or sweat”.
He showed a photo of a drink that was visibly only three-quarters full and had a wet cover.
Hazique said he had attempted to confront the delivery rider but was met with confusion, as the rider only responded with “huh”.
He said: “I feel for these food delivery riders and I understand that the work is tiring. I understand that you can get thirsty.”
“But just don’t pass me something that you’ve put your lips on,” he added with a grimace.
Hazique highlighted that the delivery rider had a five-star rating on the Grab app and that he does not think that it is the rider’s first offence.
The video of his recount of the incident, posted on Wednesday (September 6), has gained close to 300,000 views and over 600 comments as of today.
@haziquehibri can’t believe this is what ends up being my first ever TikTok #fooddelivery #grabfood #service #unclestengmymilo #unclecheckforpoison #goodbyeMILOver original sound - haziquehibri
One viewer shared that she had a similar encounter: “It’s not only the drink, sometimes I see my fries left one quarter only.”
Another user said that he had previously filed a complaint with Grab after his order was also allegedly consumed by a delivery rider.
One user said that she would “always check food first for foul play by the delivery drivers before eating” and that most food establishments now “use stickers” or “double knot” the food packaging.
A second online user agreed that restaurants have made extra precautions to ensure such instances do not occur: “That’s why some restaurants double bag their drinks. Some even cable tie the plastic bags.”
In response to TODAY’s queries, a Grab spokesperson said that the incident was against Grab’s code of conduct and that the delivery rider has been banned from the platform after the incident was reported.
The platform said it has issued a full refund to Hazique.
“We want to reassure the public that this is a one-off incident and does not reflect the high standards that our delivery-partners uphold.”
In July, a GrabFood rider was banned from the platform after throwing a customer’s delivery order outside his home.
In 2020, another GrabFood rider had his account suspended by Grab after a public altercation with staff at Playmade’s Waterway Point outlet, reported AsiaOne.
TODAY has reached out to Hazique for comments. — TODAY