MealPal, a U.S. food subscription start-up is apparently planning to offer S$1 hawker fare and restaurant meals starting from S$6.99 in order to establish its stance in Singapore food-on-demand industry. Incidentally, MealPal commenced this meal service on Monday, the 16th of July.
Normally dinner plans in Singapore cost S$89.90 for 10 restaurant meals and S$127.35 for 15 restaurant meals. However, MealPal intends to provide restaurant meals between S$6.99 and S$8.99 which would be 40 percent cheaper than dining-in.
Unlike its competitors such as Fastbee, FoodPanda Deliveroo or Plum, MealPal will not be delivering its meals. Also, its participating food and beverage outlets – around 250 of them including Tuk Tuk Cha, Soup Spoon, Grain and Teppei Syokudo, offer just one dish daily.
Through MealPal, subscribers at restaurants can get 12 lunch meals for S$95.88 which can be reclaimed within 30 consecutive days. For an additional S$2, customers are likely to get two hawker meals. The service is currently available only at the Central Business District (CBD), Buona Vista, Orchard and Novena and is available only on weekdays, excluding public holidays.
Similar to other food-on-demand providers like Plum and Fastbee, MealPal, meals must be ordered hours in advance through the MealPal website or app. After reclaiming all the meals at the end of 30 days, customers will automatically be charged for the next round with an option to pause between cycles.
Paul Clifford, MealPal’s General manager of international markets was quoted stating that their aim is to mass produce cheaper and faster meals with the combined efforts of all their participating restaurants. As MealPal saves huge costs in logistics and delivering food, its business model will be more scalable and sustainable, he said.
Khoo Kar Kiat, founder of Fastbee said that MealPal targets consumers in areas with a wide selection of food options, unlike their company which targets business parks and buildings specifically.
Edgar Sung, Plum's country manager for Singapore hailed the upcoming competition, stating that it would encourage Plum’s team seek unique ways to improve its services.