By Celina Yin
Many drivers from DoorDash have been on strike, demanding higher tip transparency and higher pay. They’ve logged off the DoorDash app for a whole day against the food delivery service. Where did this start?
It seems to have started on Reddit, a social media website. A post on July 15 said, “DOORDASH BOYCOTT ON JULY 31ST ALL DAY !!” The post quickly spread, and Dashers, DoorDash’s name for drivers, were convinced to stop using the app for a day and to use UberEats instead. Many Dashers agree with the post and demand that their “base pay,” which is the amount of money that the person gets before their tips, should be at least $4.50. The DoorDash app also doesn’t show the amount of tips that a customer pays. Some Dashers solved this problem by using a third-party app called Para, which allowed drivers to use an order’s code to let them see the tip amount before accepting an order. However, in mid-July, Para no longer worked with the DoorDash app.
Hundreds of posts about DoorDash can be found in TikTok, Reddit, Twitter and Facebook. While many people agree with the posts and include and urge others to join, others said that the strike wouldn’t be effective. We don’t know when this strike will end. We will have to let DoorDash and the Dashers decide.
DoorDash responded to the strike stating that "DoorDash is proud to provide flexible, low-barrier earning opportunities for Dashers while helping restaurants grow their businesses. On average nationally, Dashers work fewer than 4 hours a week and earn over $25 an hour (while) they're on delivery, including 100% of their tips." A Dasher who is participating in the strike argued: "Dashers want fair compensation for our time and efforts. We are what makes the company run but we're treated as disposable."