Editor’s note: More than a year into the pandemic, we’ve all developed new routines. This month, GoodRap is putting the spotlight on brands that have made quarantine easier for everyone. In this story, the author shares how she utilizes Grab’s in-app services not just to purchase essentials but also to give back to delivery riders.

Like many Filipinos, I still spend most of my days at home. Last year, this was definitely a challenge. Since I used to live on my own in Quezon City, it was difficult to adjust to living in my childhood home in Pampanga again. 

Among the many challenges I faced – which you might relate to – is the lack of access to the food I used to enjoy. Here’s an example: when I lived in Quezon City, there was a Bon Chon near my workplace and the condo I lived in. In my Pampanga hometown, the nearest branch is 15 minutes away.

If we pair this with the fact that going out of the house for non-essential tasks isn’t encouraged, I used to think that enjoying restaurant food wouldn’t be part of my quarantine experience.

Thankfully, delivery apps and logistics services recognized this concern. Most of them have improved their operations – by extending service hours, widening coverage, and adding more partner restaurants – to cater to customers like me. Nowadays, I turn to delivery apps like Grab to satisfy my cravings or to buy essentials. 

Enjoying deliveries with Grab

Of course, I’ve become a dedicated customer. I open the Grab app almost daily. I could probably already name most of the restaurants that are available on the app. Most of all, I’ve become familiar with our modern-day heroes, the delivery riders that regularly come to our home. 

Whether it’s a rainy or extremely hot day, at breakfast or dinner time, or for small essentials like tube ice or large orders of Chinese food, these delivery riders make sure that I get what I order promptly. Most of them do it with smiles on their faces and with a kind word when I get my packages. 

We’re all probably familiar with a few ways we can be nicer to our delivery riders. Some of the habits I practice as a customer include giving my riders even just a small tip, waiting for them near the gate to ensure quick deliveries, and properly communicating with them to minimize the risk of these riders getting lost on the way. 

While these are helpful (and have proven to make these riders happy), I wondered if there was more that I could do to help them out. And it seems like Grab heard my thoughts. 

Buying groceries and food for delivery riders through the Grab app

One of the restaurants I always order from is Starbucks. One day, I noticed that the Starbucks store on the Grab app gained a new feature. They have included a “For your rider” tab, which now allows customers to buy food or drinks for their riders. 

This is on top of the tipping feature, which enables customers to input a certain amount to give as a tip directly from the app itself. This will be deducted from the customer’s chosen payment method and is helpful for those who prefer contactless delivery since there is no need to physically hand over the tip. 

Grab continues to implement programs for the benefit of its riders. Just this month, they rolled out a new feature under the Food for Your Drivers program. Until May 31, 2021, customers in select parts of Metro Manila can go to the Mart section of the Grab app and buy goods from select supermarkets and establishments for their delivery riders. 

Partner stores and brands include: 

• Robinsons Supermarket
• Shopwise
• WalterMart
• Ministop
• Watsons
• Generika Drugstore
• Nestle
• Unilever
• Mondelez
• PepsiCo
• BioFlu

Interested customers can also find the “For your driver” section of these select stores on the app. 

Do you also enjoy these services offered by Grab? Let us know how you’ve been thanking delivery riders for their hard work in the comments below! – Rappler.com