Talabat responds after delivery rider's video goes viral in UAE

Food delivery platform Talabat has clarified after a video of a delivery rider went viral in the UAE. In the video, the delivery person as seen parking his bike on the side of a road and taking a bite from a food packet that appears to be a customer's order. A Talabat spokesperson told Khaleej Times that the event happened in Bahrain, not UAE.

"We recently became aware of a video showing a rider poorly handling an order, which is against our health and safety policies. Even though this has been confirmed as a cancelled order, the rider has been immediately suspended pending further investigation," a Talabat spokesperson told Khaleej Times.

Even if the incident did not happen in the UAE, it has triggered a debate on the social media.


A Twitter user said that it was a cancelled order and the food would have been just thrown away. "99% of those commenting didn’t bother to read the details. It was a cancelled order, so the food would have been just thrown away. I have zero issues with a hard working guy utilising what would have been just thrown in the rubbish. These poor riders go through hell working in this heat. How about some compassion?" she said.


Another user said: "Have some mercy people. These drivers work in very difficult conditions, even if he ate a piece . He is a human, who works at 50 degrees C heat, maybe he felt he will faint if he doesn’t eat or something happened (like order was cancelled) and he decided to pay for it and eat."

Some Twitter users however said that the delivery person should be punished. "May be it's his last working day that's why he doing like but should be punished for eating others food," said an user.