Taiwan’s cold snap leads to food delivery dilemmas

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan remained under persistently low temperatures on Wednesday (Jan. 24), perhaps explaining why many residents reported difficulties in getting food delivery services.

The Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued a cold weather warning for all of Taiwan on Wednesday. According to the report, the lowest temperature had dropped to eight degrees Celsius, covering all of Taiwan with cold. The cold snap is expected to affect until the early hours of Thursday.

As the cold weather bites, many people have chosen to stay in at home, avoiding outdoor activities. Online users have posted their complaints, saying that they want to order take-outs due to the cold weather, but nearly all of the delivery options have become self-pickup. They have decried what seemed like couriers on a "strike".

Many echoed the sentiment, saying they also couldn't get any deliveries and suspected that the cold weather and low delivery fees had led many couriers to avoid taking orders.

Some people have pointed out that the income from a single delivery is only between NT＄30 and NT＄40. Coupled with the cold and rainy weather, they believe it is reasonable for couriers to opt out of jobs.

"The delivery companies are always cutting wages; no one would deliver in this kind of weather," expressed one online user. Many feel that the delivery fees in Taiwan are too low, leading many couriers to choose to take a break in such weather.