A food delivery rider in Malaysia has gone viral after allegedly taking part of a customer’s meal order before later returning to apologise in person, claiming he acted out of hunger.
The incident reportedly took place in Kuala Lumpur and was captured on CCTV footage that began circulating widely online on May 11.
According to reports, the rider arrived at a residential unit carrying three bags of food. After placing the order outside the customer’s home and taking a photo as delivery proof, he was allegedly seen picking up one of the bags and leaving the scene.
The footage quickly spread across social media platforms including Threads and Reddit, sparking debate online about financial hardship, food delivery work conditions, and personal accountability.
Customer Discovered Missing Order After Reviewing CCTV
The customer, identified in reports as Jeffrey Izad, only realised part of the order was missing after returning home.
After checking CCTV recordings, he allegedly discovered the rider had taken one of the food bags shortly after completing the delivery.
Izad reportedly lodged a complaint with the food delivery platform and uploaded the footage online. He later said he managed to identify the rider through the name displayed on the football jersey worn during the delivery.
Although the original Threads post was later removed, copies of the video continued circulating across multiple social media accounts.
The case rapidly attracted public attention, with many netizens criticising the rider’s actions while others expressed sympathy after hearing his explanation.
Rider Returned To Apologise Face-To-Face
Later that same day, the rider reportedly returned to Izad’s home to apologise personally.
According to Izad, the rider admitted he had taken the food impulsively because he was extremely hungry at the time. He also reportedly offered to replace the missing food despite the customer already receiving a refund through the platform.
The rider further explained that the viral incident had caused severe online backlash, including negative comments directed at his wife through social media.
Following the conversation, Izad and his wife decided to forgive the rider and requested for the viral video to be taken down.
Incident Sparks Discussion On Gig Economy Pressures
The case has triggered wider conversations online regarding the realities faced by gig economy workers across Southeast Asia.
Food delivery riders in Malaysia and Singapore often work long hours under demanding schedules, particularly during periods of rising living costs and weaker economic conditions.
At the same time, many social media users pointed out that financial hardship does not justify theft, even in difficult circumstances.
Izad reportedly told the rider that if he genuinely needed assistance, he could have simply asked for help instead of taking the customer’s food.
He also apologised for some of the harsh comments he initially made online, acknowledging that emotions had been running high after discovering part of the meal had disappeared directly outside his home.