Nearly everything can be done on an iPhone, from playing Candy Crush to ordering hot food delivered in a matter of minutes to your own home. This allows Americans, including students, to place delivery orders from virtually anywhere.
As someone who frequently attends full-day debate competitions, it’s not uncommon to witness innocent Dashers get berated and sent away by tournament staff. But the employees of the No. 1 food delivery platform in the U.S. are not at fault. It’s our culture that has become so reliant on making these quick-fix purchases to satisfy our cravings.
The implications of this reliance go beyond laziness. Many people don’t recognize the excessive cost of delivery fees, which could be setting them back from their financial goals. Nasdaq finds that “on average, Americans spend $12.80 per order on service fees, delivery fees and tip expenses — or $654.44 annually.” That’s five cents more than the price of McDonald’s 40-piece chicken nuggets, factoring in the average sales tax in the state. Clearly, our society is just throwing away hard earned money to the billion dollar food delivery business.
Delivery services also take away what makes going out to eat something special. My most fond memories come from getting dressed up to go to a fancy restaurant with my family. Since the alternative was eating leftovers at home, I appreciated the experience even more. Now, the accessibility of food delivery eliminates what makes eating at your favorite restaurant special; you can order from there anytime you want.
DoorDash also allows users to purchase food from different places to meet the food cravings of everyone in your household or friend group. This negates any sense of adventure that comes with trying a new Asian restaurant together when each person defaults to their comfort foods.
Now, it’s not wrong for us to enjoy comfort. I, too, prefer lying in my bed while someone ventures into the cold to get my food for me. But remember that there’s also some merit to trying a new restaurant and experiencing the ambiance beyond the confines of your bedroom. So save the delivery fees and ditch the DoorDash every once in a while!