‘Why are people giving respect to food delivery riders?’ — Singapore man says, ‘My income is higher; I look down on them because S$5K full-time job isn't hard to find’ - Singapore News

25 May 2026, 07:34 · The Independent

SINGAPORE: A now-deleted Facebook post questioning why food delivery riders receive respect has ignited a fire of strong reactions online, with many Singaporeans pushing back against the idea that income determines one’s social value in society.

The heated discussion even spread across the Reddit forum after a screenshot of the original post circulated from the Complaint Singapore Facebook group, where a man argued that people working higher-paying full-time jobs like his contribute more to society and thus deserve exclusive respect.

The post read: “Why are people giving respect to food delivery riders? My income is higher, and I contribute more to society by working a full-time, high-paying job. I look down on [delivery riders] because I want them to find honest work for their own good. S$4K to S$5K full-time [work] isn’t that hard to find.”

That point of view didn’t land well with netizens, including other Singaporeans. Within hours, commenters challenged the tone and the logic of the post behind linking human worth to income.

“Looking down on anyone based on occupation is a low move…”

One response summarised a common reaction: “Why are people giving respect? I mean, shouldn’t this be the default for anyone, especially if they did you no wrong?” Another commenter wrote: “Looking down on anyone based on occupation is a low move.”

Several others pointed out that delivery work is legal, paid work that supports daily life in Singapore, so there’s nothing to look down on.

One person remarked, “If [the man] wants more respect, then he can go down to airport logistics and ulu industrial warehouses and self-collect his own parcels.” Another added: “He had better not complain when nobody delivers his foodpanda or grabfood orders.”

“It’s an honest living for someone trying to make ends meet… would you rather the person turn to petty crime instead?”

What started as criticism of delivery riders soon turned into a profound discussion about status and how people judge someone’s work. Many commenters rejected the idea that higher income means greater value to society.

“Just speaks volumes on how entitled we are as a society. There are people I know who believe that anyone earning less than them is inferior,” one comment read.

Another commenter noted that, under this type of logic, nurses, hawkers, and social workers would rank lower despite their public value. A medical officer from Malaysia also commented that some Grab drivers there earn more than he does in a month.

Several others also defended delivery riders’ “honest work,” saying that they operate openly, provide a service people pay for, and are part of Singapore’s growing gig economy. For some, it offers flexibility. For the rest, it fills the space between jobs, supports caregiving duties, or creates income during uncertain periods.

One longer response resonated deeply with readers. “Everyone works to survive,” the commenter wrote, adding that people carry family, financial, or health struggles others cannot see.

“Give respect to those who deserve such respect, it doesn’t matter if it’s a low-paying job, but at least it’s an honest living for someone trying to make ends meet, or would you rather the person turn to petty crime instead?” he asked, adding, “No point looking down on anyone making an honest living, no matter if the income is $100, $500, or $1000.”

He further explained that, “Everyone has their challenges in life, and everyone works to survive. You don’t know what everyone’s personal battles are; you should be grateful for the opportunity to work a high-income job, because there are some who have a lot of personal battles, be it family or health, and can’t even have the chance to work a normal 9-5/9-6. which is why they have to turn to freelancing.”

“Because we are a civilised society who don’t look down upon those who do ‘dirty’ jobs…”

A recurring theme was also expressed across reactions: courtesy shouldn’t require a payslip. One commenter wrote: “Courtesy is important to people. We should be courteous to each other. As for work, it’s about paid services. Nothing to be proud or ashamed of. Pay the right amount for the level of services performed.”

Another added, “Treat every human being with basic respect unless they show you they deserve otherwise, regardless of where you come from or what you look like.”

One comment answered the Singaporean man’s original question on why people give respect to food delivery riders: “Because we are a civilised society who don’t look down upon those who do ‘dirty’ jobs.”

Another longer reply explained that, “Usually, these types of people are influenced by their parents. You know the type when they see garbage man, cleaners, karung guni (recyclable junk collector), Bangla construction workers, etc., and the parents tell their children, ‘Make sure you don’t become like them, don’t be a loser,’ instead of saying good things like, ‘without them, Singapore won’t be where it is today.’”

He added, “These types of people are insecure, lack empathy, and only have a career status to feel superior and protect their fragile egos. Without cleaners, we have to wash our plates and return them to the shop. Without the garbage man, we have to go to the incinerator plants ourselves, probably on another island. Without delivery riders, we have to go all the way to the restaurant/shop and tapao (pack) our food ourselves. Without Bangla construction workers working below the minimum wage, we would probably still be living in a kampong (village), or at best in those low-maintenance housing in Malaysia.”

He then ended his note, expressing much gratitude towards all the people in the service industry, saying, “I will always be forever grateful to these people for doing honest work that many people don’t often want to do. These jobs are 10000% better than people with money, but scam people for a living.”

Respect and income aren’t the same thing

The discussion also touched on the unspoken ranking of jobs by status in Singapore: people may disagree on salary, career choices, or service quality, but many draw the line at judging someone’s worth by occupation.

Respect, commenters argued, is not a bonus for earning more. It is just the starting point. Nobody has to admire every job, but looking down on honest work says more about the observer than the worker.

Food delivery riders, office staff, cleaners, nurses and warehouse crews all keep daily life moving for everyone, so it’s only right to value someone’s ambition and contribution without ranking or judging them instead.

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