Deliveroo exits Singapore as parent DoorDash shifts focus
DoorDash says decision not an indication of business performance
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[SINGAPORE] Food-delivery platform Deliveroo is exiting the Singapore market after a decade, with the final day of service set to be Mar 4.
Parent company DoorDash said the decision is “not an indication of the business performance”. It will also be ceasing operations in Qatar, Japan and Uzbekistan, and commencing an orderly wind-down process in affected markets.
In a mobile notification sent to Singapore users on Wednesday (Feb 25), Deliveroo encouraged users to use any credit or gift cards by 3 pm on the final day of service.
DoorDash said in a media statement that the move followed a multi-month review of country-specific conditions, and reflected a focus on the “clearest path to sustainable scale and long-term leadership”.
The company added that it was also implementing limited operational changes in select locations, including investing in certain engineering roles in the UK.
Customers who have existing subscriptions are advised to contact Deliveroo’s customer service team for refunds.
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“We have since communicated this news with our partners, including riders, and will be assisting with the offboarding process,” said Deliveroo in a statement.
This closure does not come as a surprise, given Deliveroo’s Singapore market share being in the single digits since the second half of 2022, Li Jianggan, founder of consultancy Momentum Works, told The Business Times.
“We have been arguing over the years that a general food delivery platform needs volume, density and operational efficiency to succeed in the long term,” he added.
The question Deliveroo had to answer over the past few years was whether it could regain market share in Singapore or if it should focus on its core European markets. That decision became easier after its acquisition by DoorDash, with the parent company able to review strategic plans from a more rational point of view, Li noted.
Food delivery prices might not shoot up with Deliveroo’s closure, with likely no material impact on the remaining food delivery players Grab and foodpanda, according to Li. The parent company of foodpanda, Delivery Hero, will release its earnings on Feb 27, and might provide a glimpse into foodpanda’s viability in Singapore. Li added.
“Experiences in China have shown that even a market leader with 70 per cent share could not raise the prices at the detriment of consumers and merchants, as that would provide opportunities for rival platforms to come in and attack,” he said.
Platforms will have to continuously improve on operational efficiency and service quality, to retain and grow customer base and profits.
“That’s the real moat. Something that leading players in the region like Grab have been focusing on for the last couple of years,” said Li.
NTUC said that it was ready to support the Singapore Manual & Merchantile Workers’ Union (SMMWU), which counts some affected Deliveroo employees as members, and National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA), which some delivery riders are a part of.
SMMWU is ready to offer assistance and resources to affected union members transitioning to new employment opportunities. Affected union members are encouraged to contact SMMWU at 6294 2481 or e-mail feedback@smmwu.org.sg.
While Deliveroo has not formally recognised NDCA, the association is in contact with the platform’s management to ensure that platform workers continue to receive their earnings according to the regular payment cycle.
This situation highlights the importance of formal recognition by platform operators, said SMMWU and NDCA in a joint statement. Being formally recognised and being a member would allow SMMWU and NDCA to step in earlier to protect the interests and welfare of both employees and platform workers, and provide transition support.
Back in 2024, Deliveroo had shut its cloud kitchens in Singapore amid high operating costs and falling demand from restaurants, with the last two cloud kitchens closing in Aug 2024.
This is not the first market exit for Deliveroo, with the platform quitting Hong Kong in March last year, and selling some assets to foodpanda and closing the rest. The acquisition by DoorDash followed in May 2025, when it agreed to buy Deliveroo for an equity value of about US$3.9 billion.
DoorDash also noted that it does not expect these actions to materially impact its financial outlook, and that its previous guidance provided on Feb 18 is unchanged.
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