Doordash is a service used to order food delivered by 'Dashers'. (Eli J. Ridder/CHAT News)

By Jesse Gill, Eli J. Ridder

‘Your food just sits there getting cold’: Food delivery driver messages customer warning of slow arrival without a tip

Feb 23, 2024 | 3:47 PM

Tipping food delivery drivers has become a hot topic in Medicine Hat.

Catrina Kimber had only just submitted her Doordash order when she received a message from a delivery driver on social media.

The messages made fun of Kimber for ordering the food without a tip, adding: “Let’s see how long u wait for your food”.

The “dasher” told Kimber that a tip is required to receive food in a timely matter.

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“Most dashers now are not accepting any orders without tips so your food just sits there getting cold until someone finally does,” the driver wrote.

“Even just $1 makes all the difference.”

Screenshots of the conversation was posted to a Medicine Hat Facebook group Friday.

Screenshots posted to the Facebook group. (Graphic: Eli J. Ridder)

The dasher also warned there was a Facebook group with a list of customers that don’t tip.

Kimber said she posted the screenshots to spread the word about her delivery driver.

“I’m not trying to ruin anything, or anyone,” Kimber told CHAT News.

“I just want it well known that this person is a door Dasher, who contacted me personally, to tell me that I will be waiting for full food.”

While the original post was taken down and replaced with one that removed the name of the delivery driver, it sparked a conversation featuring hundreds of Facebook accounts in the comment section.

Some of the comments said a tip should only come into play when the delivery driver goes “above and beyond.”

“I get it, some people rely on tips, but that doesnt excuse this behavior,” Calvin DiBartolo wrote under the post.

“They have a job to do first and foremost. If they dont want to do it they have two options: decline the order, or not work the job at all.”

Others said tipping is just part of ordering food.

“Just my opinion, but if you’re using door dash or Skip, everybody should know that a tip is part of the whole procedure,” KE Johnson commented.

The delivery driver did not respond to a CHAT News request for comment.

Kimber has yet to hear back on a complaint she submitted to Doordash.

She had previously received a message from the same driver denying delivery without tip in December.