On Facebook, a Malaysian foodpanda delivery rider recently revealed how much he made in just two short days .
The total sum?
$865.
On 14 December, the man, going by Billy Cane on Facebook, posted his earnings after many users on the app inquired about this pay.
“I’ll share it with you transparently today,” he began.
“My earnings across two days is $865.32 (RM 2800). Each day averages at $432.50 (1400).”
After posting the figure, he shared more about the stigma of being a food delivery driver.
“The job is often seen as a lowly one, which is why many are reluctant to try it,” he wrote.
“In fact, food delivery is a down-to-earth job. We don’t steal; we don’t cheat.
“If you’re unemployed and lack income, food delivery is a part-time job that can fill your stomach or supplement your pay.”
Billy then shared additional information regarding the job’s requirements, stating that you must have a car and be a PR or citizen here. If you don’t have a vehicle, that’s fine, but the pay for bikers or even walkers is incomparable.
After seeing this, I think I’ll switch to food delivery.
How Did He Earn So Much?
Over the two days (10 and 11 December), he completed a total of 70 orders, 34 on day one and 36 on day two.
Respectively, he earnt $279 and $301 for both days.
On top of that, he received two special payments, bonuses of sorts, from foodpanda. For completing 60 orders, he received $118 extra. The next was a “we miss you” payment from the food delivery app for $150.
No Mean Feat
If you thought it was all smooth sailing, you’d be wrong.
With pay like this, he obviously needed to have worked hard. And he did.
On 11 December alone, he worked for more than 12 hours. To put things into perspective, your average job is around seven to eight hours, with breaks in between. Also, it is mandated by law that employees are not to work more than six hours in one go.
Billy had to grind for almost double the Average Joe’s working time, with no breaks at all, only eating his meals at traffic light pauses.
In a follow-up post, he shared the pain of delivering food.
At times, when the elevator was out of order, he had to climb the stairs. Scaling up is already painful on its own, but don’t forget, you still must climb down.
Also, delivery orders were sometimes too heavy to carry. He once received an order of 10 to 20 1.5 litre mineral water bottles, which totals around 15 to 30 kilos.
Some of us couldn’t even lift it, let alone carry it across long distances.
Sometimes, he had no choice but to brave the rain. While many of us enjoy the comfort of a shelter while we work, food delivery orders don’t stop because of the weather, meaning riders have to work rain or shine.
Lastly, he had to endure scoldings from customers and restaurant staff. Physically, the job is painful enough. On top of that, there is the emotional pain that he has to conquer every day.
“There are many, many more, but I won’t write it down because if I do, you might not be persuaded to do food delivery,” he said.
Rider Perks
After reading the above, you might be worried about the riders. Don’t worry; they enjoy some perks too.
According to foodpanda’s website, drivers are entitled to a 20% off Esso Fuel discount card to cope with fuel prices.
They enjoy discounted medical fees and GP consultations from 500+ clinics for their health and well-being. Additionally, they can receive free quarterly health screenings.
Delivery riders can also receive vouchers for foodpanda, pandamart, and lifestyle needs at Nike, MBS, NTUC, and more.
As mentioned by Billy, there are also weekly bonus incentives like quests and surge fees. Upon hitting a target, you are slated for additional money.
Lastly, they are entitled to free merchandise.
Featured Image: Billy Cane/ Facebook
