A bizarre food-delivery story has gone viral in Singapore after a man in a Meituan uniform was filmed collecting just six curry puffs at Paya Lebar Quarter — claiming he had travelled from China on a S$454 flight to fulfil the order.
The food cost S$13.50.
The alleged airfare? About S$454.
That means the reported flight alone cost more than 33 times the price of the curry puffs. But there is a major catch: there is currently no independent confirmation that the man actually flew from China specifically for the order, or that this was an official Meituan cross-border delivery.
Six curry puffs — and an alleged S$454 plane ticket
The unusual incident happened on Aug. 31, 2026, at the Hong Lim Curry Puff outlet at Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ) Mall.
A Xiaohongshu user, who was at the mall with her mother and eight-month-old baby, noticed a man wearing the distinctive yellow Meituan uniform speaking with staff at the stall.
At first, she thought he was simply a delivery rider having difficulty communicating with the employee.
Then she noticed the Meituan branding.
The man reportedly told her that his customer was in China and had ordered six curry puffs, including curry potato and sardine flavours.
The total bill came to just S$13.50.
When asked about his journey, the man reportedly said his plane ticket cost 2,400 yuan, equivalent to roughly S$453–S$455.
He declined to say how much he would receive in tips or payment for the trip.
✈Did someone really fly across borders for curry puffs?
This is where the story gets much more interesting.
The viral posts initially created the impression that Meituan had sent a delivery rider from China to Singapore by plane.
But that has not been established.
Singapore reports from 8world and Stomp say Meituan does have corporate entities registered in Singapore, but does not currently operate food-delivery or e-commerce services in Singapore. Stomp also noted that Meituan delivery uniforms can be purchased online.
8world reported that it had contacted Meituan to ask whether the platform provides cross-border delivery services. At the time of its report, a response had not been received.
So the accurate description at this stage is:
A man wearing a Meituan uniform said he flew from China to Singapore to collect the curry puffs.
It would be premature to report as fact that Meituan itself arranged or paid for the flight.
Netizens immediately became detectives
The video quickly triggered a wave of online speculation.
Some viewers questioned why a supposed delivery rider would still be wearing a helmet after travelling by plane.
Others wondered why the stall’s co-founder happened to be nearby and appeared in the video.
Some even questioned whether the man might already have been living in Singapore and simply wearing a Meituan uniform.
Another theory circulating online was that the entire episode could have been a publicity stunt.
None of those theories has been established as fact.
That distinction is important because the viral claim is currently based largely on the man’s own account and the social-media video.
What the curry-puff shop says
Hong Lim Curry Puff co-founder Victoria Loh gave a somewhat different perspective on the scene.
She told 8world that the employee working that afternoon had only recently joined the company and did not speak Mandarin.
The man, meanwhile, reportedly could not communicate in English.
The employee became concerned that the unusual interaction might involve a scam and contacted Loh for assistance.
Loh said she happened to be attending a lecture nearby and went to the stall to help translate.
Once the two sides understood each other, the order was processed normally.
Loh also said she initially did not realise that the interaction was being filmed.
When asked by 8world about speculation that the episode was staged, she had not provided further clarification by the time of publication.
🇸🇬 Why these curry puffs may have attracted a Chinese customer
There is an interesting connection behind the unusual order.
Loh said she travelled to Hainan in May 2026 for a roadshow and was surprised by how much local residents enjoyed Singapore-style curry puffs.
She suggested this could potentially be where the overseas customer became familiar with the brand.
For the two-year-old business, the unexpected international attention has nevertheless been welcomed.
Loh said the episode made her happy that the business could share a taste of Singapore with people overseas.
The math behind the viral sensation
| Item | Reported amount |
|---|---|
| Curry puffs | 6 pieces |
| Food bill | S$13.50 |
| Reported airfare | 2,400 yuan / about S$454 |
| Airfare vs food cost | More than 33× |
| Customer | Reportedly based in China |
| Delivery platform shown | Meituan |
| Official Meituan cross-border delivery confirmed? | No |
The biggest unanswered question isn’t actually the price of the curry puffs.
It’s who arranged the trip, why the rider was wearing a Meituan uniform, and whether the journey really happened as described.
The story behind the story
Several outlets have now reported the incident, including AsiaOne, Mothership, 8world, Lianhe Zaobao, Stomp and Malay Mail. Their reporting broadly agrees on the core event: a man in a Meituan uniform appeared at Hong Lim Curry Puff in PLQ on Aug. 31 and said he had travelled from China after receiving an order for six curry puffs.
But the reporting also highlights an important unresolved issue: there is no confirmed evidence yet that this was an official Meituan international delivery service.
That makes this more than just a funny food story.
It has become a mini internet mystery.
Did a wealthy customer really spend more than S$450 to get six Singapore curry puffs? Was this a privately arranged cross-border errand? Or was the whole thing part of a marketing stunt?
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D
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