[Closed] UberEats / Deliveroo...

Don't get the traffic thing - its all done on bikes round here.

JP

100% of my take away orders over the last year have been through deliveroo or just eat.

I've not had any more takeaways because of them, I just order in a different way.

I like the fact that delivery is by bike rather than car (mostly, though the occasional Uber driver delivers). That in itself massively overrides any issues in plastic being used to contain dishes.

Most of the deliveries I had have been in plastic containers that can be reused - are microwave (obviously) and dishwasher proof.

If be interested to know if there's been any increase in takeaways or their business directly due to deliveroo etc... Or if it just shifts the delivery employment

I will not use them. totally exploitative pseudo employment and it means less money goes to the place that cooks the food. I do eat takeaways, on occasion get them delivered but only by places that have their own delivery service.

No additional packaging IME. Zero* emissions delivery system. Student employment opportunities. More cycles on the roads.

What's not to like? Plus they mostly deliver from places that don't /didnt deliver.

* I say zero but I guess they are only human!

I'm genuinely confused here. You seem to be arguing against the existence of take-away food, which has been around for decades and you say you've never ordered?

Like, five people could order food, then go and collect it. Or one driver could deliver on a round trip, which is surely more efficient. And it comes in the same packaging either way.

Am I missing the point here somehow?

I was in ne of my local favourites for eat in or takeaway and noticed how many pickups were for ubereats and the like. The younger member of the family told me that they are lucky to break even once Uber takes its cut. They do it because they can't afford not to, but won't be able to afford to either if any otpf their costs climb even marginally
There was a guy that had a bunch of restaurants - he started a commercial kitchen in an industrial waste land and makes all the app food there. Basically a wall of iPads and a bunch of Cooks churning out the food. You'd never know it didn't come from the actual restaurant although at some point I'm betting he closes the actual restaurants.

I agree with Cougar.

From a consumer perspective it doesn't mean you should/will be consuming any more takeaways (or packaging) - it just mean you have more choice if you want food delivered.

Additional customers for your local restaurant is great.... as long as they are actually additional customers, and not just people who would be going to eat-in, but have instead decided to get the food delivered to their home. If it's the latter, they'll be losing revenue from drinks - which could have a significant impact I would guess.

The Deliveroo riders here are making good money and a lot of the restaurants are using recycled and recyclable packaging.

Just progress init.

There's a deliveroo rider around with a Spesh Levo so the money can't be that bad.

The money is rubbish by all reports, no employee rights, its exploitive.

I have used them, but try not to. Not because of concerns over packaging or too many vehicles etc, as like other people have said I dont think they're valid concerns compared to driving to collect a takeaway.

I try not to use them because it means less money going to the restaurant itself, this is not too bad at present, but I suspect that the business model of these delivery firms is such that once everyone is using them , they will then start to increase the price/percentage they charge the restaurants, and start screwing them down, which will be bad. they will also end up screwing the delivery drivers/riders etc etc. Its the usual problem with monopolistic business.

I always check whether the restaurant offers a direct delivery service without going through just eat etc, and if it does then I'll use them direct.

The money is rubbish by all reports, no employee rights, its exploitive.

Average out £10-12 ph. But thats lunch time evening, there's not much work outside those hours, but it's flexible work "FOR THOSE THAT CHOOSE" to do it, exploitation suggests there is no choice.

Ordered through just eat on Saturday night.
Looking through the options , most have a minimum order, and if not, then there was a modest delivery charge.
Came in exactly the same packaging as it would if I had gone into the place.
Foil containers with cardboard lid. Bloody lovely it was too.
Used to help out my mate delivering for his pizza shop back in my youth. By the time I got my wages, tips, delivery bonus etc, I was earning more per hour than I was as an apprentice at the time 😃

Tend to avoid all large Internet company's like these, basically they are monopolistic and skim money off the top, as stated above when restaurant's can't afford not to be part of a scheme 😒 always order/book direct when I can, mind you I hardly ever eat take away and Mrs db's cooking is fabulous.

FOR THOSE THAT CHOOSE” to do it, exploitation suggests there is no choice.

Not really.

I've seen one local guy and seen lots of reports of " if you don't work this shit shift you won't get given any work on good shifts"

They sell it as make your own choice but I don't see it.

 if you don’t work this shit shift you won’t get given any work on good shifts”

Thats simply not true, uber eats is just an app on your phone, you want work you turn it on you turn it off when you want to finnish. Jobs are allocated strictly according to who's the closest and it's all done by a computer program. There's nobody deciding he/she gets a job and someone else doesn't .
I drive with Uber and you get the same conspiracy theories from some drivers, about who gets what job and who doesn't. In the end all UE and Uber care about is that the job gets done and they get their cut.

I've never once ordered a take away to be delivered, I might have one or two in a year and then it's from nearby so I walk and pick it up.

If be interested to know if there’s been any increase in takeaways or their business directly due to deliveroo etc… Or if it just shifts the delivery employment

It shifts the kitchen employment too: linky

Delivering takeaways isn't some new invention of the internet age.

In the early nineties I used to deliver for the China Garden for 60p a time plus a free dinner each night.

I didn't feel exploited

Went to our local Japanese restaurant last weekend. The owner said that whilst they are busy with deliveroo, it has not increased overall trade. She said that people living in the local streets who previously would have walked to collect their order, now have them delivered by moped.

Progress or laziness? I’ve never used them.

Taxi - according to multiple reports it is true. there is control on the app as to who gets what job.

Taxi – according to multiple reports it is true. there is control on the app as to who gets what job.

Sorry it's just not true, multiple reports of who ?? I've worked with Uber for 3 years and not experienced anything like you describe. But as I said there's conspiracy theroists and discontents by the dozen.
P.s
Control if you'd like to call it that is by giving incentives to work when it's busy "boost or surge" payments. Ive never seen credible evidence other than hearsay often from those with an "agenda" that UE or Uber pick and choose who gets what jobs.

The money is rubbish by all reports, no employee rights, its exploitive.

I don't think that industry has ever been a beacon of employee rights, fair wages and conditions.

I'm always torn on things like this. I don't want anyone exploited, but the world needs 'crap jobs' it really does. Especially the way our education system doesn't really work for non-academic kids.

To be honest, I royally screwed up my school days, I entered the workplace at 18 with very few bits of paper to say I was clever, and being 18 almost zero practical skills. I don't want to be a sort of employed, self-employed with few of the benefits of either now, but it sounds better than a lot of the crap jobs I had back then. If you've got bills to pay and few marketable skills then a 'crap job' will keep the wolf from the door and 6 months of it and you can 'prove' to a prospective employer that you can at least be relied upon to turn up on time etc. I wouldn't wan't to remove the bottom rung on the career ladder for people like me to were stupid enough as kids to only learn the hard way.

Thinking exploitation some of the posts on here regarding people's workplace experiences are truly jaw dropping, to me anyway . I've been in the so called "gig" economy for 30yrs and had no idea how badly people could be treated in proper jobs.

if you don’t work this shit shift you won’t get given any work on good shifts

It has always been thus with this type of work. I worked as a motorbike courier in the 90's and that was the deal then too.

The problem is that this type of gig/zero-hours work is now growing exponentially with some employers seeing it as the ideal way forward in reducing their employee liabilities and shifting it on to the employee. And we have a government and a benefits system that are quite happy with that.

Universal Credit says that if you've done as little as an hours work over a 2 week period then as far as they're concerned you're 'in employment' so you're not their problem

taxi - we are not talking about uber but just eat / deliveroo

Fair enough tj my modern day experience is with Uber/UE, they just let the computer sort it all out. However as binners mentions, back in the day 😦😦😦

Thinking exploitation some of the posts on here regarding people’s workplace experiences are truly jaw dropping, to me anyway . I’ve been in the so called “gig” economy for 30yrs and had no idea how badly people could be treated in proper jobs.

taxi25, how is it with driving for uber/addison lee etc. media reports tell us that payments are being squeezed, and the bar is continually being set higher in terms of performance and standards for the same or less money- are you having to work longer/harder for the same or less money?

Taxi rank at the airport up the road was taken over by Addison Lee, drivers have been out on strike due to decreased earnings/increased outgoings mandated by company, uber drivers are cagey but if they've been with the company for a while they don't seem too happy, obviously the industry has changed dramatically, is it now too difficult to make a decent living.

Hi - I'm a Deliveroo rider and there are pluses and minusus to it.

- It is flexible, I took a while off, I'm now working again, but on the downside it isn't "totally" flexible as unless you are doing it really regularly then you are low down the pecking order for getting the shifts you want. I do a 9-5 job as well, but 'roo a couple of times a week.

- I'm paid to ride my bike......Let that sink in. I am paid to ride my bike.

- It's hard enough work when the weather isn't good and doesn't pay that well - I wouldn't want to have it as my main job, but I do it a couple of evenings a week. Normally make between £10 and £15 an hour which isn't too bad. So instead of going to the gym/turbo/training I can do a good session (lots of sprints from lights!) and make about £50.

- I think it opens up being able to deliver to a lot of restaurants who may not be busy enough to justify having a delivery driver (or allow them to do deliveries every night of the week.)

Open to questions from anyone about it too! AME 🙂

It's something I've considered and still ocassionally think about it.
I work away 2 nights a week, same hotel, same nights normally, so good consistency.
At the moment, other than going for a run, my evenings are very empty. 3 kids at home so the other 5 nights a week don't see any spare time!
So, in theory it would be a great way to fill the time, get fit and make a few pounds on the side.

crymble - a few questions...
- How much is the kit to get started? Do you need to buy more than the bag? Do you need to wear thier kit to ride in?
- How is it paid? Are you classed and self-employed and sort oall the tax stuff out yourself? This would be on top of my normal 9-5 job so definitely above the tax threshold.
- How reliable is it to get the jobs? I'd be looking at tues/Weds evenings from about 6pm onwards. Do you need to be there consistently to get a chance? I've read terms like "early shirt release" but I thought you just logged in when you were available like taxi25 says?

crymble – a few questions…
– How much is the kit to get started? Do you need to buy more than the bag? Do you need to wear thier kit to ride in?

Free. They supply bags, a jacket, a helmet and a phone mount. Only thing you have to use in the bag, but the phone mount is handy and the jacket is 'alright' as long as you don't mind getting sweaty. In poor light the bag and jacket come into their own as they are very very reflective. Personally I use my own jacket and helmet - as they are better than the supplied.

– How is it paid? Are you classed and self-employed and sort oall the tax stuff out yourself? This would be on top of my normal 9-5 job so definitely above the tax threshold.

Yup, self-employed, so you need to do a tax return and all that jazz. You get paid directly to your bank account.

– How reliable is it to get the jobs? I’d be looking at tues/Weds evenings from about 6pm onwards. Do you need to be there consistently to get a chance? I’ve read terms like “early shirt release” but I thought you just logged in when you were available like taxi25 says?

The shifts are released in phases, generally if you know what hours you want to do then try to book them as soon as they come up, and even if they aren't free you can be alerted if they become free. Be fast if they do as once you get a shift you can select it to be re-occurring weekly. I believe there are some areas where you can just turn up and log on, but that isn't the case in Belfast where I work. I do similar to what you are planning and do 1700-2100/2200 but often the shifts will only come up in the few hours before I start - I just have my stuff with me and if they don't come free then no biggie (this would be a big downside if I had to rely on it for my mortgage.)
If you can work busy shifts (Fri/Sat/Sun nights,) then you can get priority access to shifts. I never have, so I can't comment on how easy these shifts are to get.

One thing I will say is that it's hard on your bike. All the stopping, starting, locking, unlocking, rain, dirt etc etc eats through components. I generally ride an old Dawes single speed as I don't care if it gets damaged or nicked and there isn't much to go wrong. It's a good way to kill an evening, get some exercise, get some beer money and generally while reasonably physically hard work it's pretty good craic bombing about the town.

Keith

Damn, missed the edit cut-off time!
Should say "early shift release"

crymble - thanks for the feedback. I think it's still an option for me. Just the shifts thing that may become and issue. I wouldn't be ready to go until nearly 6pm - is that an option?
Anyone know if it's different on Uber eats? do they just do the sign in when you feel like it thing?

media reports tell us that payments are being squeezed, and the bar is continually being set higher in terms of performance and standards for the same or less money- are you having to work longer/harder for the same or less money?

Media reports are sometimes just that. But since Uber,lyft, Ola ect arrived competion has increased amongst taxi companies and pricing is certainly one of the things that gets squeezed.
I can't comment about AL their a London based private hire firm. I work in Cardiff and use the Uber and Ola app. You don't get hassled on hours, I do a school run with a mini bus so work with my own P/H cab between 8.45am and 2.15pm Mon to Fri so only 22.5hrs split between two companies. Their totally fine with that, the hours I do are my buisness not there's. Performance has three aspects customer rating out of 5 mine's 4.97, pretty good but but over 4.9 isn't hard to achieve unless your a real twunt. Uber don't normally raise eybrows unless it goes down to 4.6 which is really, really, really low. There's a % measure of how many jobs you are offered that you accept. But if your working the idea is to accept as many jobs as possible I'm on 96%. If your consistently under say 70% they'll talk to you about it, basically to find out what the problem is. Lastly again as a % there's the number rides you as a driver cancel after accepting. This is a bit sensitive because drivers cancelling can cause problems for customers. Often I run 100% on this, occasionally I'll have to cancel a job but normally only if I cant contact my customer.
Bear in mind taxi drivers are genetically programmed to complain, they moan about everything and it's always someone else's fault, you'll seldom get a balanced view talking to taxi drivers. Have a look at an Uber drivers forum for a bit of insight into this.
The bottom line is working with the Uber's earns me more per hour than conventional companies, on sign up day they said on average you'll earn X which I do or more, I'd like to earn extra but nobody lied about what I'd get. You do your job and they give you no hassle whatsoever. The app is great, keep your documents up to date by uploading them to Uber and your ready to go whenever you want. I'm at home now just about to go for a ride. I can go out the door on my bike and not come back for 3mths but still go to work as soon as I sit in my car. I wouldn't have a house, wife, kids, dog or money by then but I'd still have Uber. 👍

@pocpoc
Here's the UE site, you can sign up at no cost or obligation, go along and have chat, thats the best way to see how they operate in your area and if it might be something your interested in.

https://www.uber.com/en-GB/drive/delivery/

Interesting. I was coming at this from the point of view of it leading to more people eating more take away, which simplistically I view as a “bad thing”. Turns out the first part isn’t looking true and the second part is just my grumpy opinion.

For those who do UE, what’s the radius in which your delivery comes by bike? I live pretty close to the town centre but still see loads of UE going to cars and mopeds. Wonder how far out they deliver?

Also, not particularly against gig economy work - though I do have done misgivings - I use Uber all the time as I’m a big fan of drinking!

The shifts are hourly and in Belfast up to 23:00. So you'd have a 1800-1900, 2000-2100 etc. So starting at 1800 wouldn't be an issue.