He bought a 2.1-metre tall tub of fries for $8.80 — then did the unexpected
A content creator went viral after documenting his attempt to maximise Potato Corner’s Bring Your Own Tub promotion with a 2.1-metre tall tub — before giving away the mountain of fries to migrant workers.
Videos posted on Sean Aw’s TikTok and Instagram accounts have since racked up more than 1.5 million views across both platforms.
According to Potato Corner, the promotion is part of its multi-week eighth anniversary celebrations.
From July 6 to 12, customers could get one fill of fries with a choice of one flavour for $8.80 using their own container, as long as it was clean, dry, rigid, food-grade and could fit through a designated measuring frame.
Aw had a custom-made food-grade container built for the challenge after failing to find one large enough for his plans.
He brought the 2.1-metre tall tub to Potato Corner’s Parkway Parade outlet on July 10 to tap on the promotion.
“Honestly we really thought it was not going to go through, and we’ll get rejected,” he told Stomp.
Fortunately for him, the giant container passed the size check.
“Actually they only said they were allowed to give four Tera buckets’ worth (the largest portion of fries) at most, but the store manager was so kind.
“He was like, ‘It’s no problem, I’ll fill it up to the top for you guys.’ Really, really nice guy.”
“With great fries comes great responsibility,” he quipped in the video.
After getting the tub filled, Aw then drove to a migrant worker dormitory at Boundary Close — near his home and along his running route — where he distributed the fries together with some soft drinks.
Aw said the idea was inspired by his family’s helper and his own interactions with migrant workers.
“I’m very close to my own helper at home, and I always see how tough it is for her to leave behind her daughter and son to come here and work to make a living so back home they can have a better life,” he said.
When the content creator heard about the promotion, he wanted to see “how far we could push it and how much more food we can get to share with these people to make their day”.
His backup plan, had the oversized container been rejected, was simply to buy fries for the workers instead.
He also hoped the video would encourage Singaporeans to see migrant workers in a different light.
“They’re really very nice people who are not really different from us. A little misunderstood, maybe different situations but all just trying to support their families back home,” he said.
“I wanted to shed some light on it and spread some positivity so more people would understand them.”
TikToker surprised by virality, heartened by support
“I didn’t expect it to go so viral,” Aw told Stomp.
The content creator said he received direct messages asking how people could donate money to the migrant workers. He directed those people “to the location”.
“I think it’s great that it really put the word out there that, as Singaporeans, we can all do just a little bit more to show care for others.”
The video also sparked plenty of light-hearted comments.
“I love this! May your pockets never run dry,” wrote one viewer.
Another noted: “That was not filled to the brim.”
Aw replied: “To be fair to them! They did fill it to the brim! But I walked about, then it all got compressed to the bottom!”
Others teased him about the fries turning soggy.
“I tried my best to rush it all over after I got it from the shop,” Aw responded.
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