Demand for delivery services soar in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

Stores in Istanbul that are still open and provide essential goods in Istanbul are struggling to meet the soaring demand with their army of delivery people.

After the government imposed strict rules, including partial curfews for certain age groups, the closure of schools, and restrictions on mobility in the city which is home to nearly 16 million people, and some employees started to work from home, more and more people are placing orders with online retailers or their local markets and grocery stores. Restaurants are closed but they can deliver.

That means a lot of work for delivery companies or individually working delivery people.

A number of restaurants are putting up advertisements to hire delivery man to keep up with the huge demand.

“This business is booming, we are carrying a lot of orders every day and we are exhausted,” says one delivery man.

However, the silver lining for delivery people is that they can get around the city, which is known for its notorious traffic jam, much easier and much faster because the streets are almost empty now.

“I have been doing this job for eight years now. I have had many accidents delivering orders. Motorists do not care about delivery people,” said İsmail Himmet, a 30-year-old courier.

“People have retreated to their home. The traffic in the city is just brilliant. We are traveling around without facing any serious risks,” Himmet added.

However, he underlined that the customers’ behavior towards them has changed in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

“They want us to hang the bags on door handles. Sometimes we do not even see the customer. Other than that, traffic-wise speaking things are just fine with us,” Himmet said.

A restaurant owner confirms that eateries now need more staff to deliver orders.

“People remain inside their homes. We receive orders through smartphone applications. Business volume is lower compared to the previous months but still there is some business. We are currently looking for extra delivery people,” said Ahmet Tekin, who runs a restaurant in Taksim, in the heart of Istanbul.