Brent (@brenttalks) is a digital ad agency owner who also has some very strong opinions on personal delivery services. He shared some of these opinions in a recent TikTok that’s accrued over 25,000 views as of Sunday.
His gripe in the clip is geared towards apartment dwellers who expect door service from Uber Eats drivers. According to Brent, drivers shouldn’t have to jump through the hurdles many apartment complexes present to non-residents.
Uber Eats in apartments
Brent begins his video by directly addressing folks who live in multi-unit buildings.
“If you live in an apartment building and you order Uber Eats,” he says. “And you expect your Uber Eats driver to get out of their car. Enter your building. Get through the front door, bring your [expletive] up the elevator and then bring it to your apartment door. You are an absolute menace to society.”
The TikToker’s viewpoint appears to have been formed from personal experience.
“I see so many poor Uber Eats drivers in the lobby of my building,” he says. “[They’re] trying to get through the door. Trying to use the intercom to call people, ’cause it’s fob access only. The elevator doesn’t work.”
Brent doubled down on what he believed considerate delivery protocols should be. And it doesn’t involve expecting drivers to navigate apartment complexes to bring folks their food.
“Like, go to the [expletive] lobby and get your sh–. The Uber Eats people should not have to bring your food all the way up the elevator to the door of your apartment,” he concludes.
Delivery drivers agree with Brent
The Daily Dot has previously reported on a DoorDash driver who delineated why apartment orders can be frustrating. The delivery worker documented the time it took for them to walk through the building to finally get the customer their food. In the comments section of their post, the same driver went on to say why this extra delivery time can be so problematic.
Because drivers are rated on their order efficacy, which includes completion times, that could negatively affect their driver rating. Consequently, their ability to be considered for some orders may be put in jeopardy. This means that they could potentially receive fewer orders and as a result, earn less money.
In that same vein, delivery jobs pay per delivery, so time is of the essence. If a delivery driver could drop an order off in the lobby, they can get to their next order more quickly. This could help them earn way more per hour, especially if they live in an area with a high concentration of apartment buildings. An additional five or 10 minutes per order will add up and cut into their hourly earning rate.
Some don’t want to hear it
While Brent is a customer who appears to sympathize with delivery drivers, not everyone shares his viewpoints. One TikTok user slammed delivery drivers for not going the extra mile to leave food orders at a customer’s door.
A user who goes by @Qster14 posted a video airing her grievances with drivers who won’t bring food to the door of her unit. “When did doordash become meetup dash and why dont delivery drivers actually deliver?” she asked in the clip’s caption.
She says in the clip, “I’m not meeting you outside of my complex. I want the food at my door. I am paying for a premium service and tipping on top of it so I don’t have to go get the food. What’s the point of me tipping almost 30% if you can’t bring the food to my door.”
Furthermore, she explained that she always gives explicit directions on how to navigate her building. Several commenters criticized her argument, however, stating drivers shouldn’t be expected to jump through hoops to drop off food.
Brent’s viewers were divided
One commenter who saw his clip appeared to be in the same camp as the aforementioned woman. “If I’m going down the elevator I might as well just go get the food,” they wrote.
Another said that with delivery app surcharges, they expect door service as well. “After I pay fees and a tip? They can deliver to my door,” they wrote.
This was a sentiment echoed by another: “Sorry with the food…delivery free and tip, I 1000% expect them to come to my door.”
Someone else argued that there may be factors Brent isn’t considering, either, writing, “How can a single mom leave their unit as they have a sleeping baby at home? Or someone that is older/has mobility issues?”
@brenttalks #ubereats ♬ original sound – Brent | Google & Meta Ads
Others said they had no problem going to meet drivers downstairs. “I always met the driver in the lobby,” one wrote. “I always go to the lobby. Always,” someone else penned.
There was one commenter, however, who asked Brent if a certain tip amount made door delivery worth it: “What about a $15 tip.” According to a response from Brent in the comments, this was an “acceptable” compromise.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Uber Eats via email and Brent via TikTok comment.
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