DoorDash Delivers Food, Frustration

Fast food chains use delivery service to better reach consumers.

SPONSORED 12:12PM • 11/19/15

Photo Courtesy of DoorDash

Couch potatoes rejoice—third-party delivery services are changing the way fast food franchises are getting in your belly. With the help of DoorDash, consumers can now enjoy many of their favorite brands without ever having to leave the confines their homes—but the rapidly-expanding delivery service is already being met with mixed feelings.

Dunkin’ Donuts is the most recent company to join the online-to-door marketplace after partnering with DoorDash. Currently available to residents in Dallas, Texas, the brand will soon extend its delivery service to the Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. markets.

“Whether it be coffee and a breakfast sandwich to start your day, or a latte and donut for an afternoon pick-me-up, Dunkin’ Donuts is the perfect delivery partner for DoorDash,” Tony Xu, CEO of DoorDash, said in a press release.

Among the long list of franchise brands to partner with DoorDash are Taco Bell, KFC and 7-Eleven.

"When we began exploring delivery options for KFC, we quickly found DoorDash was the right choice,” Chris Caldwell, KFC US chief information officer, said according to a news release.

After announcing their partnership with DoorDash, Tressie Lieberman, vice president of digital innovation and on demand services for Taco Bell, said DoorDash is the answer to consumer demands. “We're excited to continue using technology and innovation to redefine the customer experience, and we look forward to growing that opportunity to more fans and restaurants across the country,” she said in a release.

While many recognizable brands are jumping at the opportunity to serve their fans directly to the comfort of their couches, others are leery of what DoorDash delivers.

In-N-Out is suing the delivery company for misleading consumers into believing the two entities are in a partnership. In 2014, the famous burger brand requested the delivery service refrain from using In-N-Out’s trademarks and to stop delivering its products. After a brief hiatus, DoorDash resumed using the logo and now finds itself on the verge of a court battle.

The beloved California-based burger chain isn’t the only business bothered by DoorDash. A number of restaurants have learned that DoorDash has been delivering their food without the establishment’s knowledge, while charging more for the product than it would have cost in-house.

Tommy Ferrick is the owner of Delilah’s Steaks in Brooklyn, New York. After rejecting a deal with a DoorDash salesperson, he noticed the delivery service had his store listed as an option. To his dismay, he also discovered consumers were paying more than the menu price.

“I know someone paid 25 percent on top of it and thought they were probably getting a premiere delivery service," Ferrick said in the New York Eater. "They're getting sheisted.”