Restaurant Owners Face Unfair Bills from Food Delivery Platforms
While food delivery apps promise quick bites, a handful of chefs are finding their earnings shrinking due to “unreasonable requests” from diners.
MacKenzie Rex Restaurant – A Case in Point
On Prinsep Street, 66‑year‑old owner Mrs. Lee has been on the market for two years. She’s seen impossible orders pop up all the time.
- Customers add a “chicken thigh” request to a standard $5.90 chicken rice plate, forcing the price up to $6.80.
- Someone orders two packets of food but then demands six packets of chilli.
- These “extra‑orders” crop up at least twice a month, wiping out roughly $100 from the kitchen’s pocket.
One especially infamous order? A single customer who wanted 20 packets of chicken rice, all featuring chicken breast. Mrs. Lee called the diner in a calm manner explaining the limitation, and the customer turned out to be surprisingly understanding.
When the Platform Doesn’t Allow Direct Contact
Without a way to message customers, Mrs. Lee resorts to handwritten notes explaining any refusal. It’s a bit like paper correspondence in the digital age:
“Sorry, we can’t switch those thighs for you, but here’s why. Thanks for understanding!”
The Old Straits Cafe – Taking a Flexible Approach
In Selegie Arts Centre, the owner of the Old Straits Cafe is more hands‑on. She either satisfies the extra requests or, if it’s impossible, either rejects or contacts the customer; no one wants a half‑filled order.
Real‑World Tech Misfires
Cashless payments may sound convenient, but scammers have introduced a new hassle.
- Fraudulent patrons flash old screenshots to trick hawkers into thinking a payment was made.
- These false “proofs” force cooks to consider a fee even when the cash never actually arrived.
These incidents illustrate that while appetites grow, so do the frustrations of the people who serve them.
So next time you order through an app, remember: you might just be pulling the strings of an unpredictable pizza magician, and the kitchen has to juggle a lot more than just slices.
