Doordash
Delivery service · Downtown Los Angeles ·
Delivery service offering buy now, pay later and restaurant advances
Information
333 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90071 Get directions
Delivery service offering buy now, pay later and restaurant advances
333 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90071 Get directions
"The delivery platform has partnered with a fintech that lets customers split purchases into four payments with no interest; these installments are usually billed every two weeks, so "if you spend $100 on pizza or sushi, you’ll make four payments of $25 each over the next two months." The fintech makes money by charging merchant fees to companies like this platform and big-box retailers, earning a percentage of each order, and, according to NBC News, the partnership will allow customers to defer their payments to "dates that align conveniently with payday schedules." Critics argue this is risky because the "buy now, pay later" industry is less regulated than credit cards and can be an easy way for people to go into debt: a 2025 analysis from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found that most customers who regularly use “buy now, pay later” platforms like Klarna and Afterpay take out multiple loans at once and end up deeper in personal debt than people who don’t use those platforms. That concern is sharpened by larger economic context: since 2019 the cost of food has risen about 31 percent, and the USDA found that 13.5 percent of American households experienced food insecurity in 2023, leaving financially vulnerable families especially exposed to the argument that BNPL plans are better than high-interest credit cards. Unlike credit cards, these installment plans generally don’t help build credit scores, and many commentators call the idea of financing food purchases "a uniquely terrifying proposition." The author adds a personal perspective, writing, "I’m no financial expert — please do not look at the balance on my credit cards," and acknowledging that "I deeply understand the psychology of wanting a little treat when you’re broke," noting that "If it’s Tuesday night, I’ve got 38 bucks to my name, and I’m craving Thai food, it’s easy to see the appeal of putting off that payment until I get paid on Friday." - Amy McCarthy
"A major food-delivery platform is expanding into financial services by offering restaurants short-term cash advances that are repaid automatically via deductions from every order they fulfill. The company frames the product as a fast, convenient cash advance rather than a traditional loan, charging a one-time fixed fee (reported up to about 10% of the advance) and determining eligibility from a restaurant’s sales history on the platform. This move follows other steps to become a full-service partner for restaurants—national shipping, paid sponsored listings, and a dominant market share—and has raised concern that restaurants could become increasingly dependent on the platform for delivery, marketing and now financing. While the advances may help struggling operators cover payroll or rent during downturns, critics worry about high effective costs and conflicts of interest for establishments that have already clashed with the platform over fees and advertising practices." - Amy McCarthy
"Drivers describe an app-driven workflow with brief training and even a company-issued Visa card to cover customer payments, but report a pay model that often feels like a fixed delivery fee rather than true base pay plus tips. The platform has been widely criticized for a practice of discounting or replacing customer tips with a stated delivery payment (a policy it has reversed and reinstated at times), leaving workers vulnerable when tips are relied upon to make ends meet. Workers also point to stressful working conditions—difficulty finding parking, long hours, heavy mileage, exposure to traffic risks, and customer or restaurant staff abuse—that combine with tip-dependent pay to create precarious, sometimes dangerous, work." - Saru Jayaraman
"According to its statement to Eater, DoorDash says it has provided more than $100 million in commission relief and marketing support, cutting commissions for small restaurants in half through May, and has also provided PPE, telehealth access, and financial assistance to Dashers—though the statement did not mention the proposed emergency 10 percent cap; DoorDash has also said it slashed commission and marketing fees by half through May." - Tanay Warerkar
Chuck B.
Michael B.
Mario Tomas Marrero J.
LaDonna S.
Jodi J.
Larry B.
Kiley Yvette and Z.
Karra R.
