Keeta’s Dangerous Order-grabbing mechanism should be scrapped

Originally published - SCMP- 3 June 2025

I refer to the article, “Keeta riders stage third strike in Hong Kong over pay, work conditions” (May 22), which highlighted the danger of the food delivery platform’s order-grabbing mechanism that has drivers vying for jobs while on the road.

In the fast-paced food delivery industry, such a feature poses a significant safety hazard. Instead of automatically assigning orders, this mechanism has riders taking on orders on a first come, first served basis, so they must watch out for pop-up alerts on the app and react quickly. This leads to reckless competition, distracted riding and a higher risk of accidents. The system is flawed and urgently needs reform – or even a ban.

In an open letter last week, Keeta said nearly 90 per cent of orders were assigned to drivers, while only a small percentage of orders go out through the order-grabbing mechanism, which is intended to supplement drivers’ income.

I believe the most effective solution is to scrap this feature. Keeta should assign all orders automatically and adopt artificial intelligence-powered distribution to ensure fairness.

If Keeta refuses to abandon the order-grabbing mechanism, it must disable order acceptance when a rider is moving faster than 10km/h or in motion for more than three seconds. It should also penalise drivers for reckless riding and suspend those caught accepting orders while driving.

In response to the string of labour disputes and riders’ protests, the government has said it is working on a set of measures to improve protection for food delivery workers. It has even set up a liaison group comprising representatives from the government, operators and labour organisations to explore solutions.

I hope this puts pressure on Keeta to prioritise riders’ safety. Its order-grabbing system prioritises speed over safety, risking lives. Until it is banned, accidents will persist.

Ahmed Ashfaq, Tsim Sha Tsui