SINGAPORE: Badminton Champion's Craving Ignites Online Fun

In a heartwarming yet controversial twist, Loh Kean Yew, the former badminton world champion, found himself reminiscing about Singapore's iconic chicken rice while competing in Odense, Denmark. This widely cherished dish holds a special place in the hearts of many Singaporeans, and Loh's craving for it sparked an unexpected series of events.

The Instagram Post that Started It All

On October 17, Loh shared photos of himself exploring the charming streets of Odense on Instagram, captioning the post with his musings about chicken rice. The post caught the attention of Grab Singapore, which playfully replied, "We deliver chicken rice to you when you’re back," accompanied by a thumbs-up emoji.

Loh's Humorous Challenge

Loh, who is an unlimited subscriber with the delivery service, humorously challenged Grab, asking if they could bring him the dish all the way to Denmark. Grab responded with a cheeky “Ok,” prompting Loh to return the side-eye emoji, and their light-hearted digital banter reached a temporary ceasefire.

Surprise Delivery in Denmark

However, the story didn’t end there. Grab Singapore decided to take this fun exchange to the next level. Just two days later, they posted a delightful video on TikTok and Instagram featuring a young woman in a Grab uniform, boarding a plane with an order of chicken rice and making her way to Loh's hotel in Copenhagen. Upon her arrival, a visibly surprised Loh exclaimed, “You really come? I thought you all joking eh. Oh my God, thank you.”

Mixed Reactions on Social Media

This playful delivery not only elicited shock and delight from Loh but also captured the attention of many viewers, generating buzz across social media. Loh expressed disbelief over the gesture, commenting on the video with, "I still can’t believe it."

Concerns Over Food Safety and Customer Service

Despite the excitement, the delivery sparked a mix of reactions from social media users. A few joked about the outrageous cost of such a delivery, estimating it at around S$2,000. In response, Grab humorously clarified that it was indeed free for their "favorite badminton player."

However, not all comments were lighthearted. Some users expressed concern over the freshness of the chicken rice after its long journey from Singapore to Denmark, questioning whether it complied with food safety standards set by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA). Others took the opportunity to share their frustrations with Grab's service back home, highlighting recent experiences with delayed or missing food deliveries.

One user voiced frustration over being asked to provide photo evidence of a missing order, questioning how customers could document an empty doorstep. Another chimed in to criticize Grab, urging the company to prioritize resolving issues within their app instead of focusing on social media engagements.

Grab responded to several of these complaints, requesting further details, yet some users reported that their issues remained unresolved days later.

Conclusion: A Promotion with Mixed Results

This delightful yet contentious chicken rice delivery has sparked dialogue not only about customer service experiences but also about the lengths to which companies will go to engage with their ambassadors. Will Grab's promotional stunts win over the customers at home? Only time will tell!