Ele.me to give customers option to wait longer for food deliveries after backlash over risky conditions for riders

Many food delivery riders in China risk their lives to meet deadlines even under extreme weather conditions, according to a report that has gone viral. Ele.me says a new function will allow customers to indicate their willingness to wait up to 10 minutes more for deliveries, to reduce the rush for couriers. — SCMP

Chinese food delivery giant Ele.me said on Tuesday that it will launch a function that allows customers to indicate whether they are willing to wait up to 10 minutes longer for their deliveries in response to public backlash over the treatment of couriers.

On Monday, Chinese magazine Renwu published an investigation that found that many riders violate traffic laws and risk their lives to meet ever-shortening delivery windows.