On December 2, a freshly - launched promotional video by Meituan, which focused on its riders, came under fire from netizens. The criticism stemmed from the video's excessive glamorization of the riders' job and its apparent detachment from reality. It was labeled as being "out of sync with the lives of ordinary folks," and as a result, the video was subsequently taken down.

In the video, the main character made some rather far - fetched claims. He said that being a food delivery rider allows one to take in scenic views at will. Moreover, he boasted that he managed to purchase a camera worth 15,000 yuan using the money he earned from delivering takeout in a mere three months. These statements, however, are far from the actual earnings of the vast majority of riders. Many riders were quick to point out that the video "transforms the harsh reality of survival into a fairy - tale story."