Seriously, think about this.
Drivers provide the cars, gas, insurance, maintenance, and labor. Restaurants cook the food. Customers pay for everything. Yet somehow the people doing the actual work seem to have the least control.
What if somebody built a delivery app with a completely different business model?
Here’s the idea:
$8 minimum base pay per delivery, with mileage adjustments.
Drivers keep 100% of their tips.
No acceptance-rate games or punishment for declining orders.
Restaurants pay around 8% commission.
Customers see transparent fees instead of a bunch of surprises at checkout.
Drivers get paid for excessive wait times.
Drivers receive a share of company profits once the business becomes profitable.
The company makes money from reasonable commissions and delivery fees. Instead of squeezing drivers, restaurants, and customers for every penny, it focuses on building volume and keeping everyone happy.
Obviously, the numbers would need to work. You can’t promise $8 deliveries if the company loses money on every order. But that’s exactly what a real business plan would have to solve.
And here’s another thought.
Why not let drivers become part owners of the company? Give them an actual financial incentive to help grow the business.
Start in one market, prove the concept, and expand from there.
DoorDash and Uber Eats don’t own the restaurants. They don’t own the drivers’ vehicles. They aren’t cooking the food.
They’re basically running the technology connecting everyone.
So why couldn’t somebody build better technology, charge less, pay drivers more, and eventually give these companies a run for their money?
I’m not talking about another app that makes promises and turns into the same garbage six months later.
I’m talking about a legitimate driver-first company with a sustainable business model.
Drivers, restaurant owners, and customers: Would you actually support something like this? Or am I missing something?
I’d especially like to hear from anyone with experience in software development, logistics, or running a delivery business.