Spirit of Gotong Royong Present Through Appreciation in the Digital Ecosystem
The spirit of gotong royong does not always have to be realised through large-scale activities. In everyday life, care can be shown through simple actions, such as sharing food or giving appreciation to others. The development of digital services has also opened space for customers, business operators, and service workers to share attention with one another. This spirit is reflected in the Traktir Driver initiative involving customers, GrabMerchant partners, and driver partners throughout the independence month. By mid-August 2026, more than 8,100 GrabMerchant partners had provided food and beverage menus that customers could purchase to give to driver partners.
Since early August 2026, more than 18,000 Traktir Driver orders have been received by driver partners. Through GrabFood and GrabMart services, customers can show appreciation in the form of food or beverages, while GrabMerchant partners prepare the orders before they are passed on to drivers.
Grab Indonesia Country Marketing & Communications Head Melinda Savitri said the programme serves as a means of bringing together three elements of the Grab ecosystem through acts of appreciation. “Through Traktir Driver, we want to create real ecosystem synergy by connecting customers, GrabMerchant partners, and driver partners in a single act of appreciation,” Melinda said.
She noted that the high level of public enthusiasm is evident from the number of orders, which has reached more than 18,000 since early August. According to her, the programme also serves as a reminder that the values of independence can be applied through care, collaboration, and togetherness in daily activities.
In its implementation, GrabMerchant partners are not only tasked with preparing food or beverages. They also act as a link between the appreciation given by customers and the driver partners who receive it. The available menus become a medium for customers to convey their attention directly to drivers.
One of the participating business owners is Efa Fauziyah, owner of Mie Aceh 769 Pijay. Her experience running a business under various conditions has convinced Efa that sharing does not have to wait until someone has a surplus. Through her restaurant, Efa provides a Traktir Driver menu at an affordable price without reducing the quality of ingredients, taste, or portion size. She even helps convey messages from customers to the driver partners who receive the food.
“I am very happy to see them smile, especially if they are hungry. The prayers uttered by the drivers when receiving the food are sincere and very long,” Efa said.
For Efa, the attention given by customers to drivers is also a valuable experience in running her business. She feels that the prayers and expressions of gratitude from drivers are part of her business journey.
A similar story comes from Sambal Bakar Indonesia (SBI). The restaurant, which has 34 outlets, has had an exclusive partnership with Grab since the beginning of its business journey and won the Most Favourite Asian Dine Out award at the Grab Bintang 5 Award 2026. SBI views driver partners as an important part of the service chain. They play a role in ensuring that food prepared by merchants reaches customers. On that basis, SBI also offers a Traktir Driver menu as a form of appreciation.
“In a transaction, there are many parties who need one another. Starting from the customer who orders, the merchant who prepares the food, then the driver who delivers the order to the customer,” said a representative of Sambal Bakar Indonesia.
According to SBI, customer appreciation for drivers through Traktir Driver is not merely part of a transaction. The activity also creates space for care and togetherness among the various parties involved in the service ecosystem.
For driver partners, the attention given by customers is not always measured by the amount of food or the value of the gift. The feeling of being valued and noticed directly can provide a positive experience amid their work routines.
These various experiences show that interactions through digital services can develop into more personal relationships. An order can become a medium for customers to express gratitude, merchants help facilitate forms of appreciation, while drivers feel appreciated for their role in helping meet the needs of the community.
This spirit of gotong royong is also part of Grab’s activities during the independence month. In addition to Traktir Driver, there is the Agustruuss Promo involving more than 200,000 GrabMerchant partners through a co-funding scheme. Grab is also running GrabAcademy, which is aimed at improving the capacity of merchant partners and driver partners.