Senior Alexis Fuller musters her way onto the couch after an incredibly long and stressful day. Waking up in the early hours, scrambling to make it to school on time, and surviving a late night shift as a soccer coach, all weighing upon her. She hasn’t eaten since lunch, and nothing substantial or at the very least appetizing can be found anywhere around her house. Her phone vibrates, a notification for DoorDash illuminates her face. She knows using DoorDash for the second time this week may not be the best choice, yet the convenience of ordering delicious food right from the living room of her home wins over yet another time.
In recent years, the decision to order from food delivery services has become the default for many. Ordering food from home used to be relegated to takeout and pizza delivery. Today however, the creation of these apps has kickstarted an entirely new era for the food industry. Many find it inconvenient and a waste of time to visit their favorite restaurants in person, preferring the quick and painless nature of these food delivery services. There are also those who simply are unable to go out and order these foods the conventional way. Senior Auggie Jauernig has benefited greatly from this mode of food delivery. However, he believes these platforms are intended for only a particular group of people.
“ I like it especially since I can’t drive, but if you can drive, I don’t think you should be using it. Because it costs a lot less whenever you just drive there and wait in the line and get your food for like three times less the amount of money,” Jauernig said.
Though the convenience and simplicity of these apps have proven useful for many, rising concerns in the area of healthy eating are beginning to enter the conversation. As is human nature, when a behavior or action becomes easier to perform, we are likely to more frequently repeat it. This behavior creates a repeated scenario in which people don’t particularly like ordering from these services, yet they are accustomed to doing so anyway. In the realm of food delivery services, this has brought up concerns regarding the amount of fast food people could potentially work into their daily eating habits. Some have begun to resent these services.
“I believe these services have affected us negatively. I feel like it’s Americans getting fatter and also losing a lot more money. So we’re really in a lose-lose situation other than the fact that you’re not spending money on gas,” Fuller said.
Outside of these health concerns, there are also many who are worried about the financial impact these services are having on those who use them. The process of ordering food through an app like DoorDash will prompt customers with additional service and delivery fees, while also having the added cost of tipping your delivery driver. These fees can add up rather quickly, creating a repeated financial strain on many wanting to order from them.
“Well, unfortunately, the amount of money that I’m spending on DoorDash usually ends up with like $30 per order, which stinks because that’s a lot of money,” Jauernig said.
