Thoughtful gifts for frontline workers, mainly healthcare staff, have been aplenty since the first Covid-19 outbreak in Singapore.
But similar gestures for those serving the nation in other industries aren’t as common, which was probably why it took staff at NTUC FairPrice Bukit Timah Plaza by surprise.
On Friday (3 Apr), an anonymous donor sent loads of bubble tea to employees there.
Amidst the unforgiving weather and packed supermarkets, the gift was indeed a pleasant relief.
Shortly after word got out that Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong was making an announcement on Friday (3 Apr) evening, crowds began to form at supermarkets island-wide.
Perhaps not anticipating the sudden surge, many supermarkets had to shutter their stores to stop people from panic buying.
For the many customers who managed to get in line, staff on duty had to work doubly hard to attend to them.
Dealing with large crowds and a possibly panicky one during the Covid-19 outbreak is surely challenging.
Imagine the staff’s relief then, when they received a surprise gift from a total stranger.
According to a staff member who shared the incident on Twitter, a GrabFood rider had come along with plastic bags full of LiHo bubble tea.
Since none of them had ordered from LiHo, they asked the rider for an explanation, and he told them that a customer had bought bubble tea for NTUC staff “as a form of appreciation.”
The large order even came with a thoughtful note in the receipt.
The anonymous customer made the order as a thank you not only for NTUC staff, but also food delivery riders for their hard work.
There were a variety of flavours too, so everyone could pick what they preferred.
Though small, the customer’s gesture meant a lot to the staff who’ve had to face difficult situations lately, what with the waves of panic buying.
Kudos to kind souls like these, for thinking about others in a time when many would rather think of themselves.
Let’s be more considerate and make things easier for everyone, especially our service staff. Buy only what you need, and support our local businesses.
They’re working hard to get us through the pandemic while many of us stay at home, so we should all help each other as best as we can.
Featured image adapted from Twitter.
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