Grab Philippines has launched targeted support for local restaurant owners as rising food, utility, and operating costs continue to squeeze micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
From May 21 to June 20, Grab fully funded a one-month demand-boosting campaign for selected homegrown food merchants, allowing participating restaurants to offer consumer deals without further reducing their already tight profit margins.
The company said the initiative was designed to help small food businesses draw more orders at a time when inflation and higher input costs continue to weigh on their operations.
The firm said the campaign delivered measurable gains, with two out of three participating merchants reporting increased order volumes during the promotional period. Most of those businesses posted double-digit growth.
Among merchants that saw improvements, average order volume rose by 30 percent. The fastest-growing merchant-partners recorded increases ranging from 145 percent to 158 percent.
Grab Philippines Chief Commercial Officer EJ dela Vega said the program reflects the company’s commitment to supporting merchant-partners during difficult business conditions.
“It’s easy to be a partner when times are good,” dela Vega said.
“But with utility and ingredient costs spiking, the daily math just wasn’t making sense for our local merchants. They didn’t need business advice; they needed actual orders and protected margins. By shouldering the cost of demand-boosting initiatives and providing a concentrated lifeline for those hit hardest, our goal was simple: help them keep their doors open,” he added.
Grab said it also rolled out measures to ease cash flow pressures among merchant-partners affected by rising costs and the country’s continuing energy challenges.
These include debt relief options, alternative payment arrangements, and loan holidays for eligible merchants with existing cash loans.
The company said its support for MSMEs also extends to long-term business development through the Grab Asenso: Digital Diskarte Program, which was developed in partnership with local government units.
The program provides small businesses with practical digital skills training, including AI fundamentals, social media strategy, and digital marketing.
Grab said it is also helping restaurants grow their offline business through Grab In-Store Solutions+, which includes Grab Dine Out Deals and Grab Payment Solutions.
The platform allows merchants to digitize payments, streamline checkout processes, and launch targeted promotions aimed at increasing dine-in traffic.
Although the one-month demand campaign has ended, Grab said the program forms part of its broader effort to deliver targeted assistance to partners during periods of economic uncertainty.
The initiative follows Grab’s P350-million Bayanihan Fund, which earlier provided support to driver-partners affected by sharp increases in fuel prices.