In Qingpu's delivery rider center, Meituan rider Liu Xuejun happily shared, "Just before the Spring Festival, I received my first social security subsidy of the new year. After calculating, I can save over 8,000 yuan annually. This allows me to give my grandson a generous red envelope for the holiday, so he can buy whatever he wants!" As the Lunar New Year approaches, Meituan has been hosting festive gatherings at rider centers and community service hubs in areas like Qingpu and Yangpu. Riders from across the country come together to write calligraphy blessings and receive holiday goods. Reports indicate nearly 100,000 riders participated in pre-festival activities, many showcasing their newly received social security subsidies.
Fifty-three-year-old Liu Xuejun, originally from Baoying, Jiangsu, previously worked in a Shanghai factory and has contributed to the local social security system for over a decade. Since Meituan introduced its subsidy program, he receives 740 yuan monthly. "This adds up to an extra month's salary per year, giving me greater peace of mind," he noted. Liu plans to return to his hometown in a few years to retire, growing vegetables while drawing his Shanghai pension, ensuring financial security.
On October 27, 2025, Meituan announced the nationwide expansion of its rider pension subsidy program, covering counties and townships through agency areas. This initiative is the industry's first comprehensive social security subsidy open to all types of delivery riders. Platform promotion teams have conducted over 10,000 offline consultation sessions at union stations, rider hubs, and street service points to explain the program and provide operational guidance.
Starting February 11, Meituan launched a Spring Festival support and allowance plan for riders remaining on duty, including cash subsidies, retention bonuses, shopping vouchers, and services at rider centers. Those staying active can earn incentives for completed deliveries, weather allowances, time-based bonuses, and holiday payments. Increased delivery fees due to supply-demand dynamics and holiday conditions will be fully passed to riders. Retention bonuses ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 yuan are available depending on the region, with riders in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen potentially earning over 10,000 yuan in additional subsidies and activity rewards beyond regular income.
Delivery rider Ma Jun has arranged for his family to celebrate the New Year in Shanghai. "Combining various subsidies and activity earnings with my delivery income, I expect to make at least 20,000 yuan during the holiday," he calculated. He added that avoiding expensive and scarce tickets for a hometown trip made staying in Shanghai preferable. "I'll work deliveries in the morning and take my wife and child out in the afternoons."
Tian Ye, head of Meituan's rider support team, explained that multiple measures have been implemented to assist riders during the holiday period. Rider stations and centers in major cities will remain open daily, offering rest areas, charging facilities, maintenance, meals, beverages, and gear for cold or rainy conditions. Riders can use the app to claim meal allowances, clothing subsidies, and battery-swapping benefits, with insurance coverage providing risk protection.
With the 13th noted as a peak time for riders returning home, stations have moved up salary payments originally scheduled for the 20th to ensure timely and full disbursement before the holiday. The platform will also flexibly adjust incentive amounts and subsidies based on delivery capacity fluctuations.