We love using food deliveries as it is easy and convenient especially when we’re having a busy day at work.
It saves time, we don’t even have to get ready, and there’s no queuing in line to order your food. All you need is an app on your phone and you can order literally anything from the comfort of your own home!
But, we do wonder what it’s like to be a delivery rider and whether it’s worth it? We spoke to 22-year-old Muhammad Aiman Hakimi bin Fadzil, who shared with us the challenges of a food delivery rider and what he has to go through every single day.
Tell us a little bit about your background, and what you did before you became a delivery rider.
Before I became a rider, I was a full-time student at KUIS Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor studying a course in Human Resources.
What is the best part about being a delivery rider?
I think the best part of working with foodpanda is of course the salary. It gives me a great source of income and the best part is I am in full control of how and when I earn. You can basically work anytime you want or take a day off - or in fact just a few hours even, whenever you need. I never thought I’d find a job with that level of flexibility.
What is your day-to-day like as a delivery rider? Tell us from the moment you wake up for work and until your last delivery of the day.
I always start my working day at about 8 pm to 9 am. Before starting deliveries, I typically head of a simple breakfast with some of my other delivery rider friends. On most days, orders come in as soon as I start my shift, and on some days, it takes a few minutes before I receive my first order.
I generally work till 8 or 9pm daily which allows me to deliver quite a large number of orders daily. Once I’m done, I’ll head to the bank to deposit any on delivery cash I received and head back home to rest and relax.
Why did you choose to be a delivery rider?
When I got done with my Human Resources course, many of my friends recommended to become a foodpanda delivery rider. They told me the money was good and importantly the hours were flexible. But, on top of that what I heard was that it was an overall fun experience, traveling to new places, meeting new people and most of all being part of a friendly and supportive rider community.
Is it hard working as a delivery rider and what are the challenges you face on a daily basis?
While the job is certainly fun, I do have to admit that there are some challenges. Ensuring deliveries get to customers on time is always a challenge. Whether it is late preparation by vendors, traffic along the way or bad weather - there can be many obstacles but I do try my best to deliver quickly yet safely.
Other challenges can include customers keying in wrong delivery addresses or taking some time to come collect their orders. But in these circumstances I like to be patient, I know that mistakes can happen and that people tend to be busy.
On the plus side, foodpanda has given us some great opportunities and rewards. We’ve got affordable mobile plans that give us a free smartphone and we get 5 times the Bonus Link points when we fill up our petrol. These are just some of the benefits, but it certainly does help and I know there’ll be even more coming soon.
Are delivery riders overworked or do you think the demand is opening up more opportunities to increase your financial security?
To be honest, because of the flexibility of the job, I don’t think anyone can say that a delivery rider or maybe even any gig worker can be overworked. We choose our hours and so it comes down to the individual. For me personally,I set a goal weekly on how much I target to earn that week, and I work towards that goal.
What do you look forward to after a long day at work?
After a long day working I always look forward to some rest and relaxation. After a day of delivering meals to others, it's always satisfying to just relax at home and have a meal myself.
All in all, our food delivery riders are our everyday heroes! They risk their own health and safety, exposed to the virus every single day, just so that we get our deliveries on time, especially during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period.
So, the next time you decide to order in, make sure you show your riders how much you appreciate them - remember to smile, say thank you, maybe give them a small tip, or a kind five-star rating!
To all the delivery riders out there, you guys are doing an amazing job and we hope that you are staying safe and healthy.
By: Aishah Akashah Ahadiat
