A bond formed across five years and over two thousand delivery orders has left a restaurant owner deeply worried when his long-time customer suddenly 'vanished.' The owner is seeking the customer through various means, just hoping the loyal diner can report that they're safe.
According to a report by Jimu News, Mr. Wu, a restaurant owner in Chancheng, Foshan, China, recently went public in his search, hoping to find this long-standing regular—considered a friend despite never having met in person.
Mr. Wu explained that over the past five years, this customer had ordered from his shop more than two thousand times via food delivery platforms, averaging at least one order per day and sometimes even two. However, since last year, the customer has stopped placing any orders, leaving Mr. Wu deeply concerned.
Despite never meeting, Mr. Wu is extremely familiar with the customer's food preferences. To express his gratitude, he even set up a special “Long-Time Takeaway Friend VIP Seat” in his shop. Although the customer has never stepped foot inside, the chair has always been kept vacant, bearing witness to the unique bond established across the screen.
Mr. Wu tried to locate this loyal patron via the food delivery platform, but due to user privacy protection mechanisms, he was ultimately unable to confirm their identity. The restaurant brand’s manager also tried to help, yet was likewise unable to contact the customer due to limited information.
The food delivery platform responded that in accordance with user privacy protection principles, it does not provide customer personal information to merchants or any third parties, and can only help to verify limited details so long as regulations allow. Due to insufficient leads, they can’t confirm the person’s identity at this time.
To fill the gap, Mr. Wu decided to work with the platform and launch a “public call-out search,” widely sharing the news through social media and public channels, hoping to find the old customer or anyone who knows them—just asking for a word of reassurance about their well-being.