Only a $1.50 surcharge – equivalent to the cost of your morning Kopi Peng.
Our food delivery scene is already bursting with Deliveroo, Ubereats and not forgetting the original players, Pizza Hut and McDonald’s – with an average delivery surcharge ranging from $3-$5.
The exorbitant delivery charge often means that it’ll only be worth it only after gathering orders from a bunch of friends.
The lunch scene in the CBD is always unforgiving; with places like Lau Pa Sat or Amoy Food Centre constantly filled to the brim with either people or tissue packs, you are sometimes forced to lunch at a restaurant instead. That easily sets you back $20 on average.
The Cheapest Delivery Fee
Good news for those working in the Central Business District! You can now feast on your favourite Chicken Rice from Maxwell Food Centre, without having to step out in the sweltering weather or spending half your lunch time queuing for cheap and affordable food. Imagine that at only a $1.50 surcharge – equivalent to the cost of your morning Kopi Peng.
WhyQ?
WhyQ is a local start-up founded by 2 guys and their love for local hawker fare. Both founders hail from India and left their cushy banking jobs to start their hawker-food delivery business. The start-up offers to deliver food from hawker centres and food courts in Lau Pa Sat up to Smith Street, which are the CBD’s lunch crowd usual suspects.
It’s a fair deal considering how you get to maximise your lunch hour and save yourself from battling with long queues and not to mention the walk to-and-fro.
The pair met in Singapore nine years ago as freshmen and dreamt up WhyQ as they understand the struggle workers go through for an affordable meal in the CBD. Their start-up is only one year in but has already amassed a customer base of 2,500, with about 300 orders coming through its website daily.
Customer Feedbacks
Most are appreciative that the service gives them access to popular hawker fare they would not have time to visit, like the Michelin-starred Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice at Chinatown Complex. The surcharge is also considered to be a huge steal.
However, in terms of punctuality, WhyQ has room for improvement. It may be a tough area to improve on since most of WhyQ’s orders are delivered through foot. Although it’s a favour to the environment, a delivery team on foot is bound to have a wider range of delivery times.
If you’re one to crave for hawker delight but are simply too lazy to get it, WhyQ will be your best bet. Your usual colleague who usually takes your lunch order will thank you. The service cuts queues for you and serve up heartier than usual portions (as part of the commission model with hawkers) at only a $1.50 surcharge. What’s not to love?
