DoorDash CEO Tony Xu aggressively pushed back against a currently viral claims that a major food delivery app uses a so-called “desperation score” to determine how much drivers are paid, calling the allegations “appalling” and flatly denying they apply to DoorDash.
Reddit Scandal
The controversy began this month with a Reddit post from an anonymous user claiming to be a developer at a large food delivery company. Citing a strict NDA, the poster alleged that drivers were internally referred to as “human assets” and that the app tracked a hidden “desperation score” based on how frequently drivers accepted low-paying orders. According to the post, drivers deemed more financially desperate were allegedly blocked from seeing higher-paying deliveries.
The post spread rapidly across social media, sparking outrage and speculation. Some users questioned its legitimacy, with tech publication Platformer later suggesting the post was likely a hoax.
Xu addressed the claims directly on X after a user shared a screenshot of the Reddit post. In an expletive-laced reply, he rejected the allegations outright, stating that DoorDash does not operate in the manner described and that he would terminate any employee who promoted or tolerated such a culture. Xu stressed that DoorDash does not track drivers’ financial situations, has never used a “desperation score,” and does not refer to its drivers in dehumanizing terms.
“Holy f—king s—it is right!” Xu wrote in an X post. “This is not DoorDash, and I would fire anyone who promoted or tolerated the kind of culture described in this Reddit post. There’s so much wrong with this post.”
In a company blog post, DoorDash rejected additional claims from the Reddit user, such as accusations that “priority delivery” was a scam designed to slow standard orders, that a vague “benefit fee” was funneled into lobbying efforts against driver unions, and that the company reduced base pay on orders where customers were likely to tip well.
The veracity of the Reddit post’s claims remains disputed.
