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Food delivery apps

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Food delivery apps
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Food delivery apps. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Ancient China had its own food delivery system long before today’s incarnation. Emperors ordered meals through eunuchs to connect with the people. Photo: SCMP composite/RedNote/Zhihu
Trending in China

Ancient China had food delivery services; emperors even ordered meals via eunuchs

Lingering ‘idle men’ who hung about outside restaurants preceded today’s delivery drivers; others had their food sent using sedan chairs.

E-commerce

JD.com posts quarterly loss amid costly instant delivery battle

Singapore

As Deliveroo leaves Singapore, spotlight turns on city state’s tight market

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China consumption

‘Disgusting’: pre-made Lunar New Year meals lose lustre for Chinese families

Food fight between star influencer and restaurant chain becomes a hot potato at reunion dinner tables as hosts pick quality over convenience.

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The Xibei scandal sparked debate about pre-made meals with many Chinese families planning to ditch the popular option in favour of hosting home cooked reunion dinners this Lunar New Year. Photo: Shutterstock
Meituan

Meituan warns of US$3.5 billion loss amid intense food delivery price war

Food delivery giant expects losses to continue into at least the first quarter of 2026 ‘due to ongoing competition’.

E-commerce

China calls on delivery, ride-hailing firms to respect gig-worker rights

Meituan, Alibaba, Didi Chuxing among 16 firms summoned for guidance session on rights of country’s more than 200 million gig workers.

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Trending in China

‘Loneliest’: meet China remote town’s only delivery rider who completes 200 orders daily

24-year-old who says he was ‘born’ to be alone becomes well-known figure in mountainous area; enjoys visiting scenic spots during time off.

A young Chinese man who is the only delivery rider in the remote Tibetan town of Motuo completes up to 200 orders a day. Photo: SCMP composite/Xinhua/RedNote
Sweden

Multinationals race into China’s US$143.9 billion instant retail market

Ikea, Continental and Aldi Nord enlist local partners to launch faster, more comprehensive delivery services than they offer abroad.

India

Gig workers’ strike in India spurs debate on human cost of delivery race

More than 200,000 gig workers recently staged protests across major Indian cities, prompting concerns about the necessity of quick commerce.

China’s private sector

China to probe food delivery platforms under anti-monopoly law

State Council announcement cites ‘excessive subsidies’ and ‘price wars’ in document unveiling market assessment for online delivery services.

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China has announced an antitrust investigation into its food delivery platforms. Photo: Shutterstock
China economy

Price wars in China

Intense price competition in China, known as “neijuan” or involution, is causing deflationary risks, corporate losses, reduced investments and wage pressure.

Price wars in China
E-commerce

Alibaba ramps up China instant commerce push with Cainiao and Tmall tie-up

Partnership designed to expand warehouse network and boost Taobao Shangou’s rapid service as rivals Meituan and JD.com scale up facilities.

Alibaba

Meituan swings into loss in ‘milk tea’ subsidy war with instant commerce rivals

Hefty subsidies on milk tea and lunchboxes drive Meituan from profit to loss, underscoring the ferocity of the war to reshape food delivery.

Hong Kong economy

Editorial | Keeta’s fair play pledge will in the end benefit Hong Kong consumers

Credit also goes to the Competition Commission for leaning on the company to help create a more level playing field for all participants.

In response to the Competition Commission’s concerns, Keeta, the Hong Kong arm of Chinese food delivery service giant Meituan, has promised to amend its terms and conditions for partnering restaurants as the first step in making changes. Photo: handout
Hong Kong economy

Cheaper meals on the menu after delivery firm Keeta vows fair play in Hong Kong

Restaurant operators say lower commissions and fewer restrictions by food delivery platform will help them lower prices and boost business.

Keeta’s logo at a restaurant in Kennedy Town. Photo: Edmond So
Alibaba

Alibaba rebrands food delivery app Ele.me in instant retail push

A beta version of the updated app, available to select users, adopts Taobao’s signature orange colour instead of Ele.me’s blue theme.

E-commerce

Alibaba boosts instant commerce drive with US$281 million convenience store plan

A network of Taobao-branded partner convenience stores is expected to roll out in more than 200 cities across the mainland.

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Viral stories

Japan man exploits delivery platform refund policy, eats 1,000 meals for free

Unemployed man operates 124 accounts on delivery platform, routinely signs up and cancels memberships within days to elude detection.

A jobless man in Japan was arrested for taking advantage of a delivery platform to eat over 1,000 meals for free in two years. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/163.com
E-commerce

HungryPanda steers clear of price wars, prioritises quality and service

Compared with bigger rivals like Uber Eats or DoorDash, HungryPanda has to work with merchant partners to enhance packaging for Chinese food.

Alibaba

Alibaba’s Amap AI feature an instant hit with 400 million users since launch

As of June, Amap had 895.5 million monthly active users, making it the fourth biggest mobile app in China by that measure.

Super Typhoon Ragasa

‘Wartime readiness’: Shenzhen scrambles as Typhoon Ragasa nears China’s tech hub

Storm’s approach sees demand for supplies surge, inundating important delivery services, after southern Chinese city put on highest alert.

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Almost-empty shelves are seen as residents stock up on supplies at a grocery store in Shenzhen, China, on Monday ahead of super typhoon Ragasa. Photo: Getty Images
Alibaba

Alibaba-Meituan battle heats up as rivals clash in in-store dining: report

Alibaba’s latest initiative is expected to start in selected districts in Shenzhen, Shanghai and Jiaxing in eastern Zhejiang province.

Alibaba’s in-store dining launch comes 10 days ahead of China’s “golden week” holiday. Photo: Shutterstock
E-commerce

Immediate gratification: instant commerce transforms China’s retail market

Instant commerce has developed over a short period of time, as providers expanded their on-demand delivery coverage beyond food.

Alibaba

Amap, Alibaba’s answer to Google Maps, sees millions test new ranking service

Amap Street Stars uses AI algorithms to rank mainland destinations including restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions.

Alibaba

Alibaba mobilises merchants on premium Tmall site to join instant commerce drive

The campaign sees more than 260 brands on Tmall join Alibaba’s instant commerce push against Meituan.

The Tmall campaign expands the scope of goods and merchants covered by Alibaba’s instant commerce operation. Photo: Shutterstock
E-commerce

Meituan rallies staff around expansion plans, job prospects amid delivery war

Meituan plans to roll out “subsidies to pension insurance” for all its delivery workers across the country in 2025, CEO Wang Xing says.

Meituan pledges a stable income and career prospects for all of its delivery workers. Photo: Shutterstock
Artificial intelligence

Chinese delivery giant Meituan releases AI model to take on Alibaba, DeepSeek

LongCat-Flash-Chat is on par with the performance of models from DeepSeek, Alibaba and Moonshot AI, according to its technical report.

Alibaba

Alibaba rises most in 3 years on outlook for on-demand delivery and cloud business

Company’s shares jump 19 per cent as investors move on from interim results to focus on quick commerce numbers and AI development.

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