Will Deliveroo etc ever disappear or are we too used to it?
Posted by Slight-Poetry-3230@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 75 comments
Before the pandemic, you'd occasionally see Deliveroo and other delivery drivers but they are now everywhere and I always hear their bikes/mopeds zipping throughout the evening. I know the working conditions aren't great and drivers are often under pressure to get orders in so they can be reckless.
Will Deliveroo and other delivery drivers disappear in the UK and be replaced by something else or are they here to stay?
NotoriousKSV@reddit
It will stay.
It was marketed at somewhat reasonable prices when it first came.
Now people are used to the convenience and will pay a premium for it.
It will only disappear if the workers are given the same rights as an employee of the delivery company, but then you have to right to work checks and then it will all come crumbling down.
This_Suit8791@reddit
You have to prove right to work now
zackaria_@reddit
No people have become lazy
BeatificBanana@reddit
I hope you never ever do anything that's quicker or easier or more convenient otherwise you'd be a raging hypocrite. Hope you walk everywhere, never drive, hope you always take the stairs and not lifts, hope you never order anything online, hope you never text or call anyone rather than walking to their house to visit... Need I go on?
Cheap-Rate-8996@reddit
What's your gut feeling reaction when you see this image? Because your gut reaction is likely what I have when I think about Deliveroo. The problem is that the "convenience" comes at the expense of other people, doing demeaning, difficult work.
I don't know how people live with themselves using these apps. They seem so exploitative. It's the same reason I couldn't bring myself to ride on a rickshaw when I was visiting Dhaka. It just feels so scummy to so directly benefit from the labour of someone so much worse off than yourself for something you can so easily do yourself.
The fact a lot of these workers also come from impoverished countries also doesn't help. "Wall-E, but instead of robots it's exploited people from the Global South" is not a society I want to live in.
BeatificBanana@reddit
What device are you writing that comment on if you don't mind me asking? And what did you eat for your last meal? I hope you never eat meat for example since slaughterhouse workers have among the highest suicide rates of any profession, and hope you don't eat cashews since picking cashews males people's skin burn and blister
Cheap-Rate-8996@reddit
That's a bit of a dodge. Pointing out that modern life involves trade-offs doesn't actually address the specific concern being raised. To me, it does make a difference when that exploitation is both so visible and passively accepted. Again, in Bangladesh I felt disgusted by how openly human beings were treated as disposable. The rise of delivery apps is the first time I've had that same feeling right here in Britain.
This is a 'utility' we don't actually need and everyone got along just fine without until recently. Like AI, it's a perfect example of a solution in search of a problem.
I wouldn't even say what these apps do is a good thing in isolation. It encourages an obesogenic, sedentary lifestyle. We already had a public health crisis before we made it so people didn't even have to get off the sofa. Even drive-throughs meant you at least had to walk in and out of your car. If I wanted to cause as much damage to a society in a single move as possible, I would create Deliveroo.
So, to summarise the moral ick these apps give me: We now have an exploited, highly visible social underclass of foreign migrant labourers that exists to make pale, chubby people even paler and chubbier. And that's not dystopian to you? That sounds like a country you would have ever thought we would turn into? One you want to live in?
Opening-Fortune4@reddit
It’s true what everyone has said about ending baked into people’s lives, but they just made their first profit of £3 million on revenue of more than £3 billion. Margins that fine are pretty precarious. They might just go away, no matter how infrastructural they are. Same with uber.
Bubbly-Weakness-4788@reddit
I live in a part of the country where we don’t have access to any of the apps and it’s like night and day when I head to a town that does. If we want a takeaway, we have to go and get it. And I’m not dealing with the bikes on the roads.
Key_Hearing5146@reddit
At this point food delivery apps feel less like a trend and more like infrastructure unless something better replaces them, they’re probably here to stay despite the obvious issues.
skkkrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr@reddit
Food always come cold, wrong or takes forever.
There’s a lot of convenience in it but I never have these problems with Dominos who has their own drivers.
Deliveroo made our options bigger, but quality of service is pretty garbage for what you pay.
I’ve waited 2.5 hours for a delivery before and support told me to call back once it reaches 3 hours. (I live 10-15 mins from the restaurant)
Necessary_Umpire_139@reddit
Unless you are physically unable to, I don't think a 10-15minute journey to the restaurant is much to ask if you're unhappy with the delivery service.
Obviously the service should be better but you don't have to use it.
skkkrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr@reddit
Difference between a 10-15min drive and a 30-40 minute walk each way…
Necessary_Umpire_139@reddit
That's why I said journey they didn't specify if it was a walk or drive.
skkkrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr@reddit
Deliveroo don’t walk… so why would I be talking about a 10-15 min walk ?
Necessary_Umpire_139@reddit
No you donut, if it's a 10-15minute journey for the customer, why would they (the customer) not go themselves is my question. Yes the delay is bad but if its that bad just go yourself if it's that close.
If you're able to.
skkkrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr@reddit
Because not everyone has a car.
Do you always default to insults ? Such a nice person.
Necessary_Umpire_139@reddit
Hence why I put physically unable to.
No, this could have been resolved if you had correctly read initial statement.
skkkrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr@reddit
I didn’t ask for your unsolicited advice on what services I use.
Necessary_Umpire_139@reddit
No but you came and criticised my original comment, which if you had thoroughly read, would have avoided all of this.
skkkrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr@reddit
What would have avoided all this is you not giving unsolicited advice and being rude by using insults.
Necessary_Umpire_139@reddit
You have put a comment on a public forum, what did you expect. Also donut is hardly an insult, more of a look at what this silly goose is saying.
skkkrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr@reddit
Sure bud
Necessary_Umpire_139@reddit
Have a good day !
Kind regards
roxieh@reddit
I use Deliveroo more for some supermarket extras than for take aways, it's pretty convenient for that I have to say.
MattWillGrant@reddit
They'll replace the humans delivering eventually. We're stuck with this purely service based economy.
connolan1@reddit
I could see it vanishing one day. It's only a matter of time before shops just do it themselves whilst still charging the mark up and keeping all the profits. Tesco and Sainsbury's already do and takeaway delivery was already a thing.
I only really use delivery if I have an offer sent to me that makes it worth the money, all it'll take would be for major chains to just start doing same day deliveries at store cost to price out Uber eats before hiking prices again once competition is gone.
I'm surprised just eats still exist Tbh. Never hear people using them and never see promotions from them like I do Uber eats and deliveroo.
If restore britain come into power I'll have only have like 2 drivers left where I live
Lammtarra95@reddit
Deliveroo has increased its range and now covers Sainsbury's and M&S and others. For a large order, of course you would use the shops' own delivery services but for two or three items, Deliveroo is more convenient.
connolan1@reddit
Sainsbury's and Tesco like I said do offer the same service for just a few items now. Ordered to delivered within an advertised 30 minutes
iffyClyro@reddit
It’s probably your location.
Just eat is a major player in most of smaller town in the central belt. There’s no uber or Deliveroo at all in some places.
Dtoid_Ali_D@reddit
People will always pick the easier and more convenient option.
ImmediatePiano6690@reddit
Depends if they're forced to pay staff at least minimum wage regardless of how many jobs they do. Then either profits will decline, or prices jump to cover the lost profits.
Delldax@reddit
I find things like deliveroo strange.
If I wanted a nice restaurant meal I’d go out for one.
If I wanted a takeaway but wasn’t sure what, I’d look on deliveroo to choose something and then just call the takeaway directly to avoid the extra fees.
I have on occasion had a McDonald’s delivered but anyone who orders regular takeaways via uber eats or something is just very very lazy or terrible with money
miklovesrum@reddit
I've never used it since it's so bloody expensive and I don't understand how other people afford it tbh. If they keep putting prices up then surely people will just stop using it?
ForwardImagination71@reddit
Lots of people are in debt and they can't really afford it.
Rude-Possibility4682@reddit
Used it once never again. I get 15% discount from my local takeaway, if I collect it. I'll walk the half mile, or cycle it, if it's further. Rather than pay extra fees for someone to deliver it Lukewarm and expecting a tip.
tdrules@reddit
If they disappeared you’d have nowhere for these new arrivals to work without a significant expansion of the state.
72dk72@reddit
I have never used deliveroo or just eat. When I want take away I either call on wait and take it away or phone up and then collect it. Why would I want to pay someone to do so something so easy as to pick up some food. Also being rural the options are limited.
koyliMeld9003@reddit
They provide work for thousands of doctors and engineers.
VolcanicBear@reddit
Will many people ever not want instant gratification?
I don't know how to answer my own rhetorical question, so I'll go with "people are lazy and want things immediately, it will not go away".
racloves@reddit
Instant? Clearly you haven’t used any of them lately lol.
VolcanicBear@reddit
Fair point.
AllThatIHaveDone@reddit
It'll go away once we get around to inventing replicators and achieve fully automated luxury gay space communism.
As soon as we can say, "Nuggets, chicken, hot" to a hole in the wall, many will never leave the house again.
tucnakpingwin@reddit
You sold me with inventing replicators, but you didn’t have to tease me with luxury gay space communism.
bfp@reddit
Found the Trekkie ;)
But also yes
R05579@reddit
I've never used a delivery app. However I have a car and like that I grab my takeaway as soon as its ready and get home quicker than any delivery driver. If I want a chinese or curry my usual places deliver.
DenseRequirements@reddit
It is not going to go away since the demand is high. The infastructure will adapt to andy changes in the demand.
Timely_Cake_917@reddit
Fucking Andy. It's always him
DenseRequirements@reddit
Yeah Andy really knows how to utilise talent and resources to maximise oprtational effitiency
ProtectionGlass8110@reddit
It might stay, it might go…
It might go as things get tighter money wise and people realise it’s really dumb to pay an extortionate amount for trash food…
It might die if they are ever properly looked into by immigration authorities…
But they might stay because people are dumb and the immigration authorities don’t have much resources
Flonkerton_Scranton@reddit
The price is obscene. I have gone to order takeout a few time since Christmas and each time I have cancelled once the fees popped up. I had a 25% off voucher which ended up being 15% more than the original price with the fees.
It's going to fail, but it is trying hard to hang on.
Mavz-Billie-@reddit
I don’t think so unless the world loses its ability to function and technology gets wiped.
PootMcGroot@reddit
No, it's not going away.
What I hope happens is a consortium of major companies and industry bodies create their own app that's run at cost as a delivery service across the UK for large and small places alike - there is zero reason a takeaway in a small Welsh village should be sending 30% of its income to Silicon Valley.
Ditch the fee to the restaurant, ditch the additional random fees to customers, and you could likely run the entire thing for a flat 3-5% to the customer on an order - just like takeaways with their own drivers have done for decades.
Everyone wins. Cheaper food, better payment to delivery folk, no-one being crippled by fees (else miss 90% of the custom), no surprise fees.
It would take someone like McDonalds UK to bankroll it to set up though - but they have a history of loving PR community stunts, and I suspect they also dislike having their profits funnelled elsewhere (even though they're on special deals, obviously).
Small takeaways are doomed otherwise.
PatchcordAdams@reddit
I live in a Welsh village and have never seen a Deliveroo or Just Eat driver. They still use local drivers.
I do like your idealism but can’t see any consortium of companies setting up a national delivery system to replace Deliveroo or JustEat for cost.
It’s a massive undertaking. The software infrastructure behind JustEat is insane. They manage 750,000 orders a day. The dispatch logic to calculate restaurant prep time, rider location and delivery location on the fly is seriously impressive. Also dynamically calculating delivery fees to entice riders and handle the peaks 20x between Friday night and a Tuesday morning.
They’ve carved out an unassailable market in cities. I sympathise for restaurants in some way. The apps are all geared towards to customers, not the restaurants. My friend runs a place that uses them, they have their own driver/app and get to keep way more of their profit that way. But still receive 80% of their orders through the apps. Their business is unviable now without them. They make more money overall, but it’s lower margin so have to work harder.
Only consumers have the power to change it now. But we know people will pick convenience every time.
Mavz-Billie-@reddit
Yeah quite true
mdzmdz@reddit
Bristol keeps trying that and it never seems to stick.
PootMcGroot@reddit
It needs to be national, have all the major players, and have a patriotic marketing campaign.
TheLoneEcho@reddit
I think they're here to stay. I don't use them but I'm OK with them being around.
I would like to see better regulation for their delivery people though. A lot of them are reckless at best, and they look scruffy. Give them a uniform with some hi-vis on it at least!
Serious_Badger_4145@reddit
Well we were very used to bakers boys and butchers boys and then that went lol so I guess anythings possible?
Maybe we always would have returned to bicycle deliveries and the time Without them was a weird blip
LittleSadRufus@reddit
On the one hand, I've lived through enough change - and watched enough business empires crumble overnight - to agree with you that it's very possible they will vanish and be replaced by something else.
On the other hand, OP's question is so broad - will we "ever lose delivery drivers" - that it's hard to imagine what else could replace that. Especially as drones would still be delivery drivers on a way. Perhaps if we get a modern equivalent of pneumatic tubes they might go? Or teleportation or food replicators? Hard to imagine what else would do it.
As for Deliveroo itself - absolutely will fall eventually. Probably sooner than later as awareness of their high prices and shit treatment of staff becomes ever better known, someone will set up a new brand or system that focuses on avoiding those problems as a selling point and some venture capitalists will consider it worth pouring in the cash needed to disrupt the market.
TheRegularBelt@reddit
Can I ask what’s wrong with them? I use them every now and then during long study sessions when I can't be bothered cooking.
I view them as a treat, don’t see anything wrong with that.
BrotherClive@reddit
Within 10 years, I expect the majority to be done via drone.
Dry_Action1734@reddit
Probably here to stay. If any one withdraws from the UK market, the others will benefit. I don’t see the system collapsing.
Personally, I’ve ended up (by chance) ordering from places which do their own delivery, i.e. curry and pizza.
My only contribution now is trying not hit them with my car when they perform dangerous manoeuvres.
mdzmdz@reddit
Depends on whether the younger generation realise they could be putting the money towards a house deposit.
ducks
mdzmdz@reddit
At the moment it's subsidised by cheap labour and loss-leading from investor funds.
If either runs out I think it will end, or at least become a niche service for the 'rich'.
Super-Craig@reddit
The companies are here to stay, but the drivers are already being phased out and replaced with robots.
The Just Eats delivery company is already trialing delivery robots in Sunderland.
CoffeeIgnoramus@reddit
I think the format is here to stay, but the specific companies will last for a while before canabalising itself for profits for the investors trying to cash in on their investments. Like all modern tech startups, the entire design of the companies is to: - find investors for an innovation in a market (e.g. use other people to deliver for any restaurant rather than each place doing their own) - use the large amount of investors capital to build market share by providing a service at a loss or very low profit. - strengthen service and stabilise - become the leader in the sector - Investors now need to get paid back so the company covertly increases pricing and reduces costs for higher profits. - Investors now need profits from their investments, so prices get pushed up over time until the customers can't pay more. - Investors squeeze. - other start up comes in with a slight innovation again, investors jump, company is left with lost value, customers who are no longer loyal and no capital to regain them. the cycle starts again.
But the customers will feel the squeeze for a long time because investors need their money back.
No one realises that UBER has gone up in price because they way it was done was so sly, it's all about the catagorisation of vehicles and the way the cost is calculated. So from a surface level it looks the same... but it's not.
There's a great interview with one of the UBER board members explaining how they did thst in the US and how it is being rolled out in "mature" markets.
I don't trust any of those tech start ups, they kill established solid companies for quick start-up and dump schemes that just push the cost of living up.
Did you know you could get deliveries from the shop for free or only a quid or two and you'd get it in 30 mins or less before all these delivery companies popped up?
Then when deliveroo came along, it was just as cheap but more choices of restaurants... Now you have to pay a subscription and a fee and then wait for someone paying even more to get theirs first, it takes an hour. It's hidden increases. You price has gone up, but it's baked into your waiting time, your sub, your fees, and the prices of your food going up (you're paying the restaurant's fees for deliveroo)... it's in every part of the process.
It will keep getting worse as they reduce their operating costs (paying drivers or lowering customer service, forcing money out of restaurants (who will pass it onto you) while seeing how much they can take off you.
caniuserealname@reddit
I mean, eventually.. sure. Everything evolves and changes eventually, but how fast that change happens, how drastic that change will be, who knows. This could be it for another 50 years before the next big (affordable) step happens and they're replaced. Or maybe some bit of legislation will make the whole business untenable.
We can't know when or what.
Icy-Belt-8519@reddit
Nope, too much demand, before it was other services, and we're more busy lazy and disabled than ever really, for whatever reason people can't cook there's demand
I know from where I'm sitting, often 12 hour shifts plus an hour of travel each way and overtime, plus chronic illnesses and partner whos had a stroke, sometimes yeh I'm not up to cooking, or I'm to lazy, and a hot meal to my door over a ready meal, yeh 100%, it's only maybe 1-2 times a week, but when my partner had his stroke and initial recovery, it's was a lot more ngl
Wandering-time@reddit
I think the days of everyone accepting they should journey themselves to whatever takeaway place they want are long gone. It's just too convenient, for the modest increase in cost, to have home delivery
But delivery drivers themselves may get replaced at some point. Likely by drones, although when is anybodies guess. There's testing going on at the minute in certain delivery services, but even if allowed by government/regulators, who knows how long it will take to roll out and become widespread.
Playful_Echidna_3465@reddit
I’d be down for it if they just charged me a delivery fee instead of a delivery and also adding a quid to the price of every item.
Top-Background-7305@reddit
They won’t disappear anytime soon companies like Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat are now baked into how people live, so what’s more likely is tighter regulation and gradual changes like better worker protections or quieter electric vehicles rather than them vanishing altogether.
LeopardNeat899@reddit
No It won't. UK is obsessed with food and takeaways and that doesn't involve them doing anything themselves to cook it or get it. Sad fact.
dbxp@reddit
Last mile delivery isn't disappearing, it's ultimately not all that different to how the post used to run back when there were multiple deliveries per day. Delivery drones are already in use in places like Milton Keynes.
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