Reducing Missing & Wrong Items (MIWI)

⁠What is MIWI and why does it matter?

MIWI (Missing Item / Wrong Item) Rate measures the proportion of orders that result in a customer complaint about an item being missing or incorrect.

A high MIWI Rate signals operational gaps that damage customer experience and expose merchants to reimbursement deductions.

This guide maps best practices to the five stages of order fulfilment: Setup & Readiness, Order Preparation, Order Packing, Order Handover to Riders, and After Service. Each section identifies the MIWI issue type it targets and the specific actions merchants can take to prevent it.

5-Stage Summary

Stage 1 - Setup

Stage 1a. Menu & Stock Accuracy

Poor setup is a silent driver of Missing Item complaints — customers order items that are no longer available, leading to last-minute substitutions or unfulfilled portions. Getting setup right before service begins prevents issues before they start.

• Review your active menu at the start of every shift. Mark items as unavailable immediately when stock runs out — do not wait until an order arrives.
• Before peak periods (lunch, dinner), do a quick stock check on your top 10 best-selling items.
• Remove or hide menu items that are seasonal or temporarily unavailable rather than leaving them active.
• Keep modifier options (add-ons, customisations) accurate — an outdated modifier that no longer exists leads directly to a Wrong Item complaint.

Learn more: Manage items and categories in your menu →

Stage 1b. Device & App Readiness

A device that is offline or out of charge at service start can cause missed order alerts and delayed availability updates.

• Ensure your GrabMerchant device is fully charged and the app is open and running before your store goes live.
• Confirm you have a stable internet connection — a dropped connection can cause missed order notifications or delayed availability updates.
• If you use a Sunmi device or a POS-integrated system, verify the integration is syncing correctly before service begins.

Stage 1c. Shift Handover

Information gaps between shifts are a common but avoidable cause of Missing Item complaints.

• When a new staff member takes over, brief them on any items that are out of stock or being substituted for the day.
• Maintain a short written unavailability list visible at the prep station — update it whenever stock changes during the shift.

Stage 2 - Order Preparation

Stage 2a. Reading the Order Correctly

Most Wrong Item and a significant share of Missing Item complaints originate when an order is misread or items are overlooked under time pressure.

• When a new order arrives, read the full order details before you start preparing — not just the item names. Pay close attention to modifier selections (e.g. extra meat, extra sauce, upsized sides), quantities per item, and any special instructions in the notes field.
• For complex orders with many items or modifiers, read the order out loud or have a second staff member verify before you begin preparation.
• Do not rely on memory for complex orders — keep the order screen visible and refer back to it throughout preparation.
• If using a Kitchen Display System (KDS), ensure that order information is concise and consolidated for easy reading.

Stage 2b. Complex Orders

Complex orders — those with many items or modifier selections — have a disproportionately high MIWI rate.

• Treat any order with 5 or more items, or 4 or more modifier selections, as a high-attention order. Slow down — the cost of a MIWI complaint (reimbursement deduction, rating impact) far outweighs the time saved by rushing.
• If you receive a Smart Nudge alert on an order in the GrabMerchant app, treat it as a signal to double-check. The system flags orders as high-risk based on your store's historical MIWI patterns and order complexity.
• If the same packaging is used for different items, label the items clearly on the packaging to prevent mix-ups.

Stage 2c. Multiple Concurrent Orders

Juggling too many orders at once — especially for single-staff operations — is a leading cause of items ending up in the wrong bag.

• Avoid preparing more than 2–3 orders simultaneously if you are a single-staff operation.
• Keep each order's items physically separated on the prep counter — never place items from different orders in the same area.
• Use order numbers as your reference at all times, not the customer's name, which can cause confusion when orders look similar.

Stage 2d. Out of Stock Mid-Service

Running out of stock mid-service without updating the app is one of the most preventable causes of Wrong Item complaints.

⚠ Act immediately when stock runs out

Update the item's availability in the app right away — do not continue accepting orders for it. Silent substitutions are a leading cause of Wrong Item complaints.

• If an order has already been placed for an out-of-stock item, contact the customer via the app promptly and offer an alternative.
• Never substitute an item without the customer's knowledge — always communicate the change first.

More info: What should I do if my item is unavailable? →

Stage 3 - Order Packing

Stage 3a. Verification Before Packing

Packing is the last physical checkpoint before an order leaves your control — the highest-leverage point to prevent both Missing and Wrong Items.

• Cross-check each item against the receipt, item by item, modifier by modifier — before placing anything into a bag.
• Implement a visual cross-checking system (e.g. crossing out packed items on the receipt with a pen) to eliminate the risk of forgetting what was already packed.
• Check quantities: if the customer ordered 2 of the same item, confirm 2 are packed.
• Check that modifiers are reflected in the dish: if the customer ordered no chilli, confirm the dish was prepared accordingly before packing.

Stage 3b. Bag Labelling

An unlabelled bag is one that can be handed to the wrong rider.

• Write or attach the order number clearly on every bag before placing it at the collection point.
• For multi-bag orders, label each bag (e.g. Order 12345 — Bag 1 of 2) so nothing is missed at handover.
• Never leave a bag unlabelled on the counter.

Stage 3c. Sealing & Separating

A sealed bag signals to the rider that the order is complete and ready — and protects against disputed claims of missing items after handover.

• Seal every bag securely before placing it at the collection point. Use stickers, staples, or heat seals as appropriate for your packaging type.
• If you have multiple active orders being prepared simultaneously, keep each order's bags in a clearly designated, physically separated space.
• Never consolidate bags from different orders in the same area without clear labelling on each individual bag.

Stage 3d. Packaging Suitability

The right packaging prevents complaints that arise from damaged or seemingly incomplete orders during transit.

• Liquid-heavy dishes (soups, curries): use sealed, leak-proof containers to prevent spills during transit.
• Hot and cold items in the same order: pack in separate bags to prevent temperature mixing and quality degradation.
• Items with separate components (e.g. sauce on the side): pack components in the same bag but in separate containers so nothing is mistaken as missing.

Stage 4 - Order Packing

Stage 4a. Collection Point Setup

Entirely Different Order incidents represent only ~2% of MIWI complaints but are the most severe — and fully preventable at handover.

• Set up a clearly marked collection area for delivery riders — separate from your dine-in or walk-in counter where possible.
• Label the area visibly (e.g. GrabFood Pickup) so riders can locate it quickly without disrupting kitchen operations.
• Update your GrabMerchant app with clear pickup instructions so riders know exactly where to collect before they arrive.
• Only pack orders when all items are available. If items are packed before all items are ready, put incomplete orders in a visually marked area to prevent premature handover.

Stage 4b. Verifying the Handover

‼ Verify every handover — no exceptions

Check the rider's order number against your bag label before handing over — every time.

Staff must physically hand orders to riders; never allow riders to self-collect.

Unsupervised self-collection is the leading cause of Entirely Different Order incidents.

• If multiple riders are present simultaneously, handle one handover at a time. Do not hand bags to multiple riders in rapid succession without individually verifying each one.
• For temperature-sensitive items (e.g. ice cream) prepared only when the rider arrives, use a clear visual indicator that the order is not yet complete to prevent premature handover.

Stage 4c. Marking Orders Ready

Marking an order Ready too early creates time pressure that leads to rushed packing errors.

• Only mark an order as Ready in the GrabMerchant app when the bag is fully packed, sealed, labelled, and placed at the collection point.
• If a rider queries whether an item is included, check your receipt first and confirm verbally before opening a sealed bag.
• If a bag needs to be reopened, reseal it properly with tamper-evident sealing before completing the handover.

Stage 5 - Order Packing

Stage 5a. Reviewing Performance

Merchants who review their performance data regularly catch and resolve issues before they compound into lower ratings and ongoing reimbursement deductions.

• Check the GrabMerchant portal at least weekly to review customer feedback related to missing or wrong items.
• Look for patterns: is the same item repeatedly flagged as missing? That may point to a stock accuracy issue or a portion control problem.
• Are wrong item complaints concentrated on a specific day or time? That may point to a particular shift or staff member needing additional coaching.

Stage 5b. Acting on Feedback

A single incident can be an anomaly. A recurring pattern points to a fixable operational gap.

• When a Missing Item complaint is received, trace it back: was the item in stock? Was it packed? Where did it go missing?
• When a Wrong Item complaint is received, identify whether it was a preparation error (wrong dish made) or a packing error (wrong dish packed into the bag).
• Aim to close every MIWI complaint with a root cause identified — patterns become visible only when individual incidents are examined.

Stage 5c. Disputing Deductions

If a reimbursement deduction appears incorrect, act quickly — the window to dispute is 7 days.

⏱ Dispute within 7 days

Raise a dispute via the GrabMerchant portal with supporting evidence — ideally a photo of the completed packed order taken before handover. Disputes must be raised within 7 days of the incident.

Make it a habit to photograph packed orders during busy periods. This photo serves as evidence if a formal complaint is later raised despite re-delivery.

Stage 5d. Continuous Improvement

Identifying a pattern is only the first step — a targeted fix and team awareness close the loop.

After identifying a recurring issue, implement a targeted fix — a checklist for complex orders, retraining on a specific item, or adjusted packaging for a leak-prone dish — and monitor whether the issue recurs.

Brief your team on MIWI trends at the start of each week. Shared awareness of the most common complaint type creates accountability and faster response.

Stage 5e. Chat Resolution Features

Two GrabFood features help merchants resolve MIWI incidents before a formal complaint is lodged — avoiding the reimbursement deduction entirely.

Why this matters

Unresolved MIWI complaints trigger automated reimbursement deductions. Resolving an incident before the customer escalates avoids the deduction entirely. Merchants enrolled in the Merchant Quality Program (MQP) receive more favourable clawback treatment when incidents are handled proactively.

Customer-Initiated Chat

When a customer contacts you via the GrabFood app after delivery, this is an opportunity to resolve the issue before it becomes a formal complaint.

• Monitor the GrabMerchant app for incoming customer chat messages after each delivery window.
• Respond within minutes — customers who receive a quick, empathetic response are significantly less likely to escalate to a formal MIWI complaint.
• Use the chat to understand the exact issue — which item was missing or wrong — so you can choose the right resolution path.

Direct Chat Resolution

From within the chat resolution flow, you can initiate one of two recovery actions directly — without waiting for the customer to raise a formal complaint.

Re-Delivery

Use when an item was missing or wrong and you can prepare and dispatch the correct item promptly.

• Initiated via the Pax-Mex Chat — delivered by a Grab Express rider.
• Document the re-delivery in your order records as evidence if a formal complaint is later raised.

Refund

Use when re-delivery is not practical — item out of stock, customer prefers a refund, or delivery time is too long.

• Initiate directly from the PAX-MEX chat — no need to wait for a formal complaint to be raised.

More info: Customer-Initiated Chat →

If you want to find out about how you can read your Missing Item Wrong Item Report, you may refer to this article.