Food delivery service What To Eat owner missing, F&B outlets fume

The owner of a local food delivery service has become uncontactable after apparently owing several dozen food outlet owners thousands of dollars.

What To Eat, which started its business in 2013, vacated its office premises in Geylang about two weeks ago.

Its website and social media pages have also been shut down.

When The New Paper knocked at the last known home address of its director, Mr Benson Lo Kwang Meng, 40, in Whampoa, on Tuesday, no one opened the door.

Three food business owners told TNP they are each owed thousands of dollars for food they delivered through What To Eat.

Mr Anthony Fok, 34, who owns Little Gobbles Cafe, said: "They have not paid us since we signed up with them in March, and now we can't contact them.

"We honoured all the orders of about $50 to $100 per order until this month. We are owed thousands of dollars," added Mr Fok, who has made a police report.

Mr Ng Wai Lek, 47, who owns vegan restaurant nomVnom, said he is owed about $4,000.

He said What To Eat started delaying payments two years ago.

"I had to chase them before they paid, and in September they stopped paying altogether," Mr Ng said.

"I stopped using them after that and tried to take them to the Small Claims Tribunal, but Benson didn't show up."

What To Eat was one of the first food delivery services to gain traction in Singapore, alongside Deliveroo and FoodPanda.

In 2016, it was also touted as having the widest variety of food options delivered island-wide. It typically charged $3 for delivery with a minimum order of $30.

When TNP visited its registered business address at 167 Geylang Road on Tuesday, a security guard said the company moved out about two weeks ago.

He said that dozens of food business owners had come by in the past month to look for Mr Lo.

"The police also came about a month ago. Then, about two weeks ago, Mr Lo packed up and returned the keys," he added.

A police spokesman confirmed that a report was made against What To Eat.

COMPLAINT

A Consumers Association of Singapore spokesman said it has received a complaint against the company for closing down and becoming uncontactable.

A check of the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority's records shows What To Eat is still registered as a business.

Reviews of the company on Google in the past few months have been negative, with about a dozen merchants complaining that the company owed them money and could not be contacted.

Several customers also complained over the last four months about being charged for meals that never arrived and not being able to reach the company for refunds.

In a 2016 interview with The Straits Times, Mr Lo said What To Eat used to partner FoodPanda but they later went separate ways due to business differences.

He claimed at the time that demand was soaring.

The food business owners who spoke to TNP said they are hoping the authorities would hold What To Eat accountable.

Mr Fok said: "It's not just about the money, but also the integrity and trust of businesses here."

This article was first published in The New Paper. Permission required for reproduction.