Hotel's free lunch for taxi drivers

JAKARTA (JP): Five-star hotel Gran Melia Jakarta yesterday started a three day publicity campaign in which it is distributing free lunch boxes to 1,000 taxi drivers per day in an effort to establish closer ties with the city's taxi industry.

The so-called Power Lunch campaign was also held last year.

Hanum Yahya, spokesperson of the hotel located at the Kuningan business district in South Jakarta, said that the free Indonesian meals are being distributed at the hotel's Mutiara ballroom from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A number of coupons have already been distributed to 11 taxi companies in and around the city. But taxi drivers who pass by would also receive lunch boxes, said Hanum.

She, however, refused to disclose the price of each lunch.

"We know that taxi drivers would enjoy the food because we also like it," she said.

The capital currently has 21,000 taxis.

The free meals are being distributed by hotel executives wearing chef uniforms, she said.

Three women clean the taxi's windshield and, with the driver's permission, put a hotel sticker on the back of the front passenger seat, explained Hanum. (bsr)