Restaurants provide free hotpot for delivery workers

With the mercury beginning to drop, a special public welfare activity was held across the city with more than 300 delivery workers treated to a warm meal, enjoying a heartwarming winter feast and a rare moment of gathering

Lidong marks the start of winter in the Chinese solar calendar, and this year's lidong fell on Thursday.

On the day, more than 300 delivery workers walked into 10 outlets of hotpot chain Haidilao in districts like Jing'an, Huangpu, Xuhui, Putuo and Baoshan, to enjoy a free warm hotpot meal together.

After 8pm at the People's Square outlet of the restaurant, a group of people wearing delivery personnel's uniforms walked in. They were warmly welcomed by restaurant staff, who helped them take off their heavy helmets and uniforms, and handed them hot towels. Soon after, tables of sumptuous hotpots were set up, and with the boiling of the soup base, the delivery workers chatted and laughed, enjoying this rare gathering time.

Li Feng, 38-years-old, has been a delivery man for almost seven years in Shanghai.

"I have to deliver dozens of orders every day and often had no time to have lunch or dinner, and it is the first time that I enjoy a hotpot meal here," he said. "The arrangement touched me very much."

"Shanghai noticeably turned colder recently, and we care about these delivery men who are busy delivering delicious food to customers in rain and gales, the chill and heat, while often skipped their own lunch or dinner," said Hu Xiaozheng, manager of the outlet.

"Today, we also want them to have a good hotpot meal."

Efforts have been piling up in the city to pay tribute to this group of guardians.

In Yangpu District, an express worker friendly community development campaign has started recently with a series of measures caring for the group rolled out.

Businesses are the starting point of delivery and the most frequently visited places by couriers. During the daily process of waiting for orders and picking up meals, couriers often face issues such as parking, resting, and charging.

A hundred businesses in the district are jointly providing express workers with "free food and exclusive dining discounts" and other heartwarming services and resources. The Jiangwanli business circle is developing a round-the-clock rest station for delivery workers to take a rest, read, drink water, and charge cell phones.

Physical fitness monitoring service, cultural training courses, free movies, companionship plans focusing on the mental health of express workers, and training courses in culture, artistic cultivation, health preservation, physical fitness, and practical skill are provided by Hudong Workers' Cultural Palace in the district.