Stolen

[u/PizzaTimeIsAnytime]

What’s going on in Atlanta today?? 😅 nearly ever other order was stolen by a driver. I figured it was too good to be true…

[u/Worldly-Reindeer-853]

High double digit offers with no decimal points (cents) with minimal mileage with one customer typically from fast food are guaranteed stolen.

[u/Dith_q → u/Worldly-Reindeer-853]

How does this scam work? I've twice had fast food orders upwards of $20 and both were "already picked up" according to the workers. 

[u/Worldly-Reindeer-853 → u/Dith_q]

A driver accepts the offer, comes to the restaurant, picks up the order, but never confirms the pickup. Gets into the car and drops the order as if he doesn’t want it. Order is gone. However, it’s still circulates in the system as if it has not been picked up yet (as technically it’s true), every single driver who accepts comes only to hear it was already picked up, and cancels the order, and it keeps going. The system thinks that no one wants this trip and keeps raising the base pay for it. Most like the base pay for this 41 dollar order is 40 bucks with 1 dollar tip. Hence, if it’s just a burger for 10 bucks, you can just pay out of your pocket and still end up in 30 dollar profit. Or if the restaurant is cool; they can remake it and you can have the 41 dollars, customer is happy, and everyone is happy.

Stealing food is fucked up, and people should really stop doing this nonsense, even if it’s a 2 dollar order. They should Have some integrity, if the customer is an asshole with zero integrity expecting the food for free, don’t lower yourself to his level.

[u/Dith_q → u/Worldly-Reindeer-853]

So the customer places an order, and it's initially $10 ($9 order + tip). Then the food stealing driver sets in motion an automated process which drives the price up to $41? 

Is the customer completely unaware that the cost of their order is ticking up astronomically? Why would Ubers system allow that to happen? It seems to screw over every party. 

[u/Worldly-Reindeer-853 → u/Dith_q]

Oh, my friend, you are asking a very existential question here which no one has answers for😁.

On overall question, I have some answers based on my experience. The customer has no idea about the price for delivery going up, this offer price is only between the driver and uber. And yes, after the theft happens, the system thinks no one wants the order and keeps pushing the price up for the delivery to happen (it’s Uber’s reputation at stake here). That’s the reason on big holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve or even Halloween night the fares for delivery are exponential, a delivery from Taco Bell or Wingstop for 5 miles, which usually are 7 dollars or less, go up to 45-65+, because there is lack of drivers (drovers are either partying, or with family celebrating) and the delivery has to happen. Happened to me on all three occasions/holidays. I made like 500 dollars a night on Thanksgiving, because every delivery was like 70-90 bucks.

Why would Uber allow it to happen, who knows?! They create all sorts of metrics and bullshit, but can’t create a simple system for merchants to confirm the pickup with the name of delivery person, so that there is some accountability. Many restaurants have been making drivers confirm the order, or sign a sheet of paper with their name, but cmon, it’s not enforced, and not serious. So, who knows why they do that…

[u/Dith_q → u/Worldly-Reindeer-853]

Got it. So Uber's eating the cost of the scam in this case. 

The signing the paper thing is so weird. A few places around me do it, make me print and sign my name before handing off the order. I'm confused about what this actually achieves since anyone could write anything. I'm guessing the merchant somehow uses it for reference if there's a dispute with Uber... but again, I have no idea what practical use the paper serves in that scenario.

[u/Worldly-Reindeer-853 → u/Dith_q]

Yeah, Uber loses here and has to compensate.

Yeah, exactly on paper thing. You can write just a fake name and fake number, no one checks it. I think so too, it’s for the dispute with Uber, also I guess restaurant employees are doing it to prove it to their managers to save themselves. But it’s pointless. I saw so many times when a driver is asked to confirm delivery while picking, they never do it, they just click a button on their phone, and the restaurant is like: “thank you, drive safe” 🤦