SHANGHAI, Aug. 9 -- China's food delivery market is witnessing a fierce battle as Alibaba and Meituan launch competing promotions offering free drinks to attract customers, according to the South China Morning Post. The move has led to a surge in orders, affecting delivery workers and merchants across the country.

Delivery rider Xie Yu, who has worked with both Alibaba's Ele.me and Meituan, experienced a dramatic spike in orders last week.

"This is one of the craziest days I've experienced since I became a rider," Xie, 39, told the South China Morning Post. On one day, he handled nearly 100 orders - double his usual average.

Alibaba kicked off the promotion with daily vouchers worth 18.80 yuan (about RM11), quickly escalating to giving...