This is how 25-year-old Esther Wong begins her now-viral Instagram post. Even before the story takes a turn for the worst, it already tugs on readers’ heartstrings.

Then Esther recounts the moment a customer, unhappy with the delay in food delivery, verbally abused her father and threw a container of hot soup at him, leaving him with minor burns.

Her post has been widely circulated on social media, attracting over 43,000 likes and almost 1,000 comments since Aug 7.

Long hours and other challenges

Mr Wong, 54, eats twice a day – once at 5.30am and again at 8pm. In between, he spends up to 12 hours making deliveries, in the glaring sun or pouring rain.

He has been making deliveries since the onset of the pandemic in late 2019 to supplement his income as a tour guide. He lost his job soon after and is now a full-time delivery rider.

Esther tells FMT that apart from irate customers, he faces other difficulties such as apartment blocks with no lifts.

“A lot of the time, customers who live on the highest floor insist on their food being brought to their front door. My dad has knee problems; he’s an old man. That kind of exertion is very difficult for him.”

But what bothers Mr Wong the most is the sight of delivery persons older than him who have to trek up those stairs.

“It takes them much longer, and time is money to riders. The faster you get deliveries done, the more time you have to earn,” Esther explains.

Asked about the reaction to her post, she says the response has been overwhelming.

“I had no idea it was going to blow up! My inbox is flooded with people sending kind messages to my dad, offering to send us food or even money.”

Esther and her family have not accepted any of the offers. Instead, they implore people to tip their rider – “even if it’s just RM2” – or give them something to eat or drink while they are making deliveries.

“It would honestly make their day,” she says. “We don’t need anything as we’ve been so fortunate to be employed over the pandemic.”

Esther says her father was initially intimidated by the overwhelming response, but was later grateful for the public’s support of riders as a community.

“I wanted to raise awareness to prevent it happening to someone else’s family. We aren’t looking for compensation or revenge,” she says.

“We are all human. I don’t know what kind of day or life that customer has had, but an apology would be nice.”

As for Mr Wong, he wants the welfare of delivery riders to be taken more seriously.

“Dad’s experiences have been more bad than good,” Esther says. “This is not okay – something should be done about it, and delivery companies should be taking more responsibility.”

Fellow rider Muhammad Nazim, 28, echoes these sentiments.

Nazim, who has been a delivery rider since early this year, says he would like to see logistics companies coordinating with shopping malls to allocate specific areas for riders to park in.

“It’s very inconvenient for riders who have to juggle food and drink as well as walk long distances to their bikes,” he says, adding that restaurant waiting times are an issue as well.

“The longest I’ve had to wait for an order was two hours. The rider is the one who bears the blame for late food, but more responsibility should be placed on restaurants.”

Not all doom and gloom

Despite the negative experiences, it hasn’t been all bad.

“I’ve met many wonderful people along the way,” Nazim adds. “Many customers have passed me food and drink, especially during Ramadan, and some restaurants offer places for riders to have a break and eat.”

Esther agrees. “One time my dad was tipped RM20, and he was so moved that he cried. A little kindness really goes a long way.”