Hong Kong food delivery platforms charge up to 85% more for orders compared with store takeaway prices, consumer watchdog says
- Consumer Council ran a test of 56 orders through six platforms during lunch and dinner sessions in 11 districts in December
- Besides steep prices, watchdog called on consumers to consider the environment as it flagged the problem of overpackaging in deliveries
Hong Kong’s major food delivery platforms charge as much as 85 per cent more for orders compared with takeaway prices at outlets, while some meals arrive outside the estimated time, the city’s consumer watchdog has found.
Consumer Council chief executive Gilly Wong Fung-han said on Thursday that it would be difficult to regulate food prices across the platforms due to operators’ profit considerations but customers could always weigh the pros and cons.
“The price discrepancies can cost a lot in the long run,” she said. “Consumers can think twice on whether they need to order a delivery. Even if they order, they should make smart choices.”
Among delivery platforms of restaurant chains, all 15 food items ordered through McDonald’s McDelivery were higher than the pickup price, with a fish burger as the utmost case. It cost nearly 85 per cent more than its original HK$13 (US$1.70) takeaway price.
KFC’s delivery platform had 10 out of 14 food items costing more than the customer pickup prices, while Pizza Hut mainly offered its food at the same price.
For aggregate platforms Deliveroo, Foodpanda and KeeTa, 83 to 91 per cent of surveyed food items cost more than customers picking up their meals at the restaurants.
The most extreme case was a negitoro hand roll priced at HK$42 on Deliveroo, 1.6 times its original price of HK$26.