'He's very pitiful': People offer meals to man rummaging through trash for food at Northpoint City

Dressed in a red polo T-shirt and carrying a backpack, one middle-aged man has become a familiar face to some of the fast food chain employees at Northpoint City. 

The reason? He's been spotted on several occasions loitering outside these establishments — either eating the leftovers of others or rummaging through the trash for food, reported 8world.

A reporter from the news publication who visited Northpoint City last Thursday (Nov 3) night found the man standing outside McDonald's, looking at diners.

One woman was seen approaching him and giving him a box of biscuits, which he threw away.

"I often see him looking for food in the rubbish bin, I thought he was quite pitiful, so I gave him the biscuits," the 67-year-old surnamed Lim told the Chinese media outlet. 

A reporter approached the middle-aged man and offered him $10 to buy food, but was rudely shooed away.

When the reporter returned to the McDonald's outlet later, the middle-aged man was seen eating a meal.

According to the cleaners, a customer ordered the meal and did not collect it. The McDonald's staff then gave it to the man, saying to the reporter: "He's very pitiful, we should be kind [to him]." 

Responding to 8world's queries, McDonald's said that the staff at the Northpoint outlet have noticed the man rummaging through the dustbin for food.

"Out of concern for him, the staff have identified him and have provided him with food and drinks," said a spokesperson. 

Spotted at other fast food joints 

When interviewed by 8world, a Long John Silver's employee said he had encountered the middle-aged man twice. This fast food joint is located on the same floor as McDonald's.

The employee added that the man would always show up around closing time. At times, some diners would then order meals for him out of pity, and ask the staff to serve it to him. 

A KFC staff, who was only identified as Nora, shared that she has seen the man appearing around the outlet during mealtimes. She said the man would sometimes kick up a fuss, but they would offer him food when he was quiet. 

"We've never spoken to him. We only serve him food and he leaves after eating," said the 56-year-old. 

Another elderly woman surnamed Huang, who works at the mall's food court as a cleaner, told 8world that the man used to disrupt diners at the food court a few months back. 

According to the 68-year-old, the man would move the tables and chairs around and pour water on the floor. 

"We eventually called security to get him to leave. He hasn't appeared for a month," she said. 

Unfortunately, the middle-aged man isn't alone, as there are a few other men who have appeared at food establishments in Northpoint City to look for leftover food.

Just last week, 8world also reported that at least seven men were spotted looking for scraps at People's Park Food Centre. 

They would turn up at different meal times.

"Every day at around 8am, an uncle will eat leftover food like soup and rice. But he hasn't been here for more than a month," a cleaner told the Chinese media outlet.

Another man, who is in his 60s, is also known to bring his own containers to pack the leftover food. 

ALSO READ: Man seen eating leftover food at McDonald's outlet - here's how a diner made sure he had a proper meal

claudiatan@asiaone.com