A DoorDash program that allows drivers to unassign themselves from orders without financial demerits is being rolled out to more drivers.
The company said that drivers could unassign themselves from gig pickups, if they felt unsafe, without fearing retribution. Previously, drivers who did so could see diminished returns in their completion rate, along with losing eligibility to notch Top Dasher recognition.
A TikTok user by the name Maliek (@maliekr) recorded a video with over 14,000 views explain how the process works.
“You can now unassign penalty-free,” Maliek says. “Oh baby, did I use this last night. I mean, everything. If I waited more than two minutes? Unassign. Unassign. If the person had texted me asking, ‘what’s taking so long?’ Unassign.”
In the video, Maliek explains that drivers can now unassign orders without penalty if they wait more than two minutes or if the customer texts them asking what’s taking so long. It’s unclear what criterion is being used to give Dashers this feature.
Some commenters claimed they had already received the feature while not being a Top Dasher, while others claimed that they were Top Dashers and had not yet received the feature. Many Dashers have celebrated this development, with some hoping that an increased ability to pass off orders may lead to better treatment for Dashers.
One commenter wrote, “Them folks better tread lightly with these drivers if they want their food.” Another user exclaimed, “I AINT GOING TO POPEYES ANYMORE!!!!” while others praised the benefits of being a Top Dasher.
It remains to be seen whether this feature will be rolled out to all DoorDash drivers or if it will only be available to a select group. However, it is clear that this change could significantly impact the way that drivers work for DoorDash and could lead to a more efficient and effective system for both drivers and customers.
As the gig economy continues to evolve, companies like DoorDash are likely to face increasing scrutiny over their treatment of workers. By implementing changes like penalty-free unassignments, DoorDash may be able to improve its reputation among drivers and continue to attract new talent to its platform.