Food delivery apps have revolutionized the game of take-out. We are no longer limited to only pizza and Chinese food if we’re not interested in cooking dinner or leaving our homes. Although those are both fantastic options, our phones now hold the capability to have almost anything delivered right to our doors. This has been especially useful in recent years when dining-in has been restricted due to the pandemic, and many of us have had to quarantine at least once.

But while we all have enjoyed the convenience of food delivery apps on occasion, few of us actually know what it is like to work for these companies. There are so many nowadays that will bring you anything from a pint of ice cream to a gourmet meal in take-out boxes, but as one DoorDash driver recently shared on TikTok, not every driver is willing to pick up any order. 

In the video posted by The Gig Doctor, he shared his tips and methods for being selective when driving for the app, and it sparked quite the debate in the comments. Below, you can read his full explanation, as well as some of the replies from a variety of viewers. Let us know in the comments what you think about these recommendations for working for DoorDash and if they will change the way you order food in the future. Then if you’re interested in checking out a Bored Panda piece featuring wild stories from food delivery drivers, we’ve got the perfect article to read next right here.  

This DoorDash driver recently sparked a debate online after sharing that he won’t pick up just any order

Image credits: Marques Thomas (not the actual photo)

Image credits: gigdoctor

Image credits: gigdoctor

Image credits: gigdoctor

Image credits: gigdoctor

Image credits: gigdoctor

Image credits: gigdoctor

Image credits: gigdoctor

Image credits: gigdoctor

According to Business of Apps, food delivery apps have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. From April to September in 2020, the combined revenue of the most successful food delivery services (DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats and Postmates) was $5.5 billion. They are constantly expanding as well. I remember when Uber Eats had a handful of options scattered around the city, but today, these apps cover almost every single restaurant, as well as places like grocery stores and pharmacies to bring you the snacks and food items you’re craving that don’t need to be prepared in a kitchen. These apps are on the rise worldwide as well, as Business of Apps projects that the global market for delivery apps will grow to $300 billion by 2027. That’s a lot of pizzas (or brunch bowls, pad thai, lasagnas, milkshakes, etc.).

While the demand for food delivery has increased rapidly, the demand for food delivery workers has grown as well. In theory, it’s a very simple way to make money and can be added into anyone’s schedule to earn a little extra income on the side, if it does not serve as their full-time job. But we all know large corporations like Uber can be very greedy and make it much harder than necessary for small businesses and drivers to earn money, so The Gig Doctor might be onto something when he discusses how selective he is about picking up orders. He explains that it just is not worth his time to take small orders, which upset some readers online, but he is working to make money. If he knows from experience that small orders don’t bring in profits, he has no obligation to take them. 

Another DoorDash driver, Mike Hayes, opened up to Business Insider about his experience working for the app. The company claims Dashers earn $25 for every hour they work, so Mike was intrigued by the opportunity, after being laid off during the pandemic. Unfortunately, however, Mike reports that he typically earns between $300-$800 a week after working for 45 hours over the course of 6 days. He also echoes The Gig Doctor’s sentiment that orders will get passed if they are not worth it. “My biggest piece of advice for customers is to tip more than $5 on your delivery if you want it to arrive fast,” Mike says. “The bigger the tip, the more incentive the Dasher will accept it right away and to get it to you quickly. And the more you tip, the more we get paid. Tips are our livelihood, since we don’t depend on the DoorDash base pay.” 

The base pay for DoorDash workers is about $3 an hour, so it is perfectly reasonable for drivers to skip orders that won’t be worth it for them. At the end of the day, food delivery workers are just trying to pay their bills and provide for their families just like everyone else. So if we want them to bring us food, we can’t expect them to pick up tiny orders with no tips. Let us know what you think about The Gig Doctor’s video in the comments, and if you plan to use a food delivery service any time soon, please make sure you can throw in a few extra dollars as a tip. It might even help your order be delivered in record time!

Viewers had mixed opinions in the comments, ranging from frustration to support for the underpaid drivers

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