Woman Picks up Her own Order to Receive a Tip as Side Income; Triggers Debate About Ethics

Amidst the debate around tipping, a lot of people are expressing doubts about tipping delivery drivers and hairdressers, since it's traditionally associated with restaurant staffs. A DoorDasher has revealed an unconventional method of making extra money while picking up her order, sparking a debate among viewers. The DoorDasher, who is a fan of Chili's, shared her hack in a video on TikTok that has quickly gone viral, garnering over 2.4 million views. While some applaud the ingenuity, others question the ethics and financial implications of the tactic.

Unveiling the hack

The video, posted by creator Kameron (@kameronstpierre), demonstrates how she as a DoorDasher picks up her order from Chili's, effectively tipping herself in the process. The on-screen caption succinctly explains the situation, highlighting the dual role of the DoorDasher as both customer and delivery driver. Some viewers criticized the tactic, arguing that Kameron essentially paid more for her order by involving DoorDash. Others speculated that Kameron may have utilized DoorDash's pickup option, which offers discounts for drivers, thus, potentially saving money compared to a traditional delivery order.

Similar instances and observations

This isn't the first time such a tactic has been employed. In a previous incident reported by The Daily Dot, a DoorDasher living above a restaurant ordered food via DoorDash, accepted his order as a delivery driver, and collected payment for both picking up and delivering the order. The use of a DashPass, providing unlimited free deliveries, further enhanced the profitability of the scheme. Despite the debate surrounding Kameron's hack, some viewers acknowledged the financial incentive behind the tactic. By effectively tipping herself as a DoorDasher, Kameron may have saved money on her order, considering DoorDash's payment to drivers for pickups in addition to customer tips.

@sierra questioned the feasibility of the DoorDasher's hack, pointing out the additional costs involved: "Wait, but you have to pay for the delivery fee and everything." In response, @ultimategoffense suggested canceling the order after picking it up, saying, "Why don't you cancel the order after you pick it up?" However, @ElmoDIY shed light on the DoorDasher's benefit from Dash Pass: "She’s a DoorDash driver so she has dash pass free. So her delivery fee was already waived." @quenepa proposed another loophole, commenting, "Then claim you never received your order."

On the other hand, @josh cautioned about the financial implications: "DoorDash doesn’t pay much to dashers for picking up the order so she would be making less than she paid for the food itself." Meanwhile, @linny ࣪sought clarification: "Someone explain why this wouldn’t work because my mind isn’t working right now." @Amanda highlighted the price difference on delivery apps, writing, "Usually the food costs more on the DoorDashapp though."

@Rose questioned the rationale behind using DoorDash for pickup: "Why didn't you just order Chili's in person? It's cheaper than using DoorDash and picking it up yourself?" Providing insight into her strategy, @KAMERON explained: "I have dash pass & ordered, then I could just pick it up myself and the money will come back to me. So I still made a little bit of money instead of just losing all my money ordering on the Chili's app!" However, @Crystal countered this, stating: "Y'all, she lost money. Doordash only pays their drivers $2 per order, so even if she didn't tip, the fees would've cost her more."

For more such content, you can follow Kameron @kameronstpierre on TikTok.