Delivery apps

Started by Bruce, May 02, 2022, 07:30:59 PM

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Bruce

Figured this topic deserved its own thread after seeing it seep into so many other discussions.

I drive part-time for a few gig apps (DoorDash, Grubhub, Roadie, Instacart) and can only speak to the particulars of the industry from this perspective. This thread might not be the place to talk about traditional delivery services with in-house drivers.

For most of these apps, the driver is an "independent contractor" who can deny offers based on pay/distance/origin but are often soft penalized by the algorithm if they do. This allows some flexibility, but often means the driver takes all the risks that the company should cover in the first place (fuel costs, wear on vehicles, insurance, potential liability).

For many of these apps, the driver is presented with an offer that includes most (but usually not all) of the total payout. The payout is the sum of the base pay (as low as $2.50 for DoorDash/Uber) and the tip added by customers, assuming it isn't stolen by the merchant as some pizza chains do when their overflow lands on DoorDash/Uber. That means the "tip" that customers add in the app is actually a bid for services, and if the tip is too low for the distance and effort, the order will be passed onto the next driver and potentially never be picked up. A common rule of thumb among drivers I've talked to is $2/mile in urban and suburban areas, so tip accordingly.

The apps may send a driver far too early to a restaurant or merchant, leading to unpaid wait times and frustration; personally, I don't take it out on the employees, as they're being screwed over by the platform as well, but some drivers unfortunately do. Some merchants also don't offer any attention or pleasantries when handling delivery orders, so the cycle of resentment goes on and on.

Once the order is picked up, a number of things can happen that befuddle customers. Sometimes we're doing multiple stops from multiple merchants because cancelling part of an order is either a pain in the ass (requiring a long wait for text or phone support with agents who don't understand English all that well) or comes with a penalty. For example, DoorDash requires that you complete 80% or more of your orders, so cancelling a low-tipping, late-at-the-merchant order would mean taking a hit towards potential deactivation. The worst part is that good tipping customers are screwed over by being paired with low-tippers who may not leave adequate delivery instructions (e.g. no apartment number, no navigation aids for sprawling complexes, no gate code/callbox number), which wastes more time for the driver.

TL;DR: Your DoorDash/Uber Eats/Grubhub/etc. order may be late due to a low tip, restaurant issues, or the app being buggy or dumb.

Some tips if you're ordering:
Leave a good tip in the app, as promises of cash tips are usually bait and good drivers just ignore those offers.
Include clear instructions on how to get to your home if it's in a large complex, or if your neighborhood is difficult to navigate. Assume that the driver is completely reliant on the GPS (because we are).
Please be patient if you see us zooming around to another order. Sometimes things get delayed and we've got little choice but to continue.
Don't ask us to do a funny dance at the door or include weird names in the order. It's not funny.


kphoger

Quote from: Bruce on May 02, 2022, 07:30:59 PM
... and the tip added by customers, assuming it isn't stolen by the merchant as some pizza chains do when their overflow lands on DoorDash/Uber.

Wait, what?  How do they get away with that?
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

Scott5114

Quote from: kphoger on May 02, 2022, 07:48:28 PM
Quote from: Bruce on May 02, 2022, 07:30:59 PM
... and the tip added by customers, assuming it isn't stolen by the merchant as some pizza chains do when their overflow lands on DoorDash/Uber.

Wait, what?  How do they get away with that?

Employees that either don't know that's illegal, or they need a job enough that they're afraid to make waves by complaining (even though retaliation against an employee for complaining about illegal behavior is itself illegal).
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

abefroman329

Quote from: Scott5114 on May 02, 2022, 08:09:37 PM
Quote from: kphoger on May 02, 2022, 07:48:28 PM
Quote from: Bruce on May 02, 2022, 07:30:59 PM
... and the tip added by customers, assuming it isn't stolen by the merchant as some pizza chains do when their overflow lands on DoorDash/Uber.

Wait, what?  How do they get away with that?

Employees that either don't know that's illegal, or they need a job enough that they're afraid to make waves by complaining (even though retaliation against an employee for complaining about illegal behavior is itself illegal).
Speaking as a former Uber driver, the scant protections I have as an at-will employee are completely nonexistent when working as an independent contractor.  You can get thrown off the platform at any time, for any reason, and if you think customer service for Uber riders/customers is bad, customer service for drivers is a billion times worse.

Takumi

I'm certified with Instacart, but I've only ever done one order because it turned out to not be worth the effort.
Quote from: Rothman on July 15, 2021, 07:52:59 AM
Olive Garden must be stopped.  I must stop them.

Don't @ me. Seriously.



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