TL;DR
An anonymous backend engineer posted on Reddit claiming internal features in a major food delivery app direct extra customer fees to the company and alter driver pay and dispatching. The poster says tests and hidden metrics were used to boost revenue, while drivers received none of certain fees and were subject to punitive allocation logic.
What happened
An anonymous user identifying themself as a backend engineer for a large food delivery app posted a confession on Reddit saying they resigned after working on systems they describe as harmful. The poster says a customer-facing "Priority Delivery" flag is written into orders but that dispatching ignores it; management allegedly ran an A/B test where standard orders were delayed to make paid priority orders seem faster. The engineer describes a hidden "Desperation Score" that tags drivers who routinely accept low-pay gigs, after which the system reduces their access to higher-paying runs. They also claim a small line-item fee presented to customers as a "Driver Benefits" or "Regulatory Response" charge is routed internally to a cost center labeled "Policy Defense" used for lobbying, and that predictive models are used to lower base pay when a large customer tip is expected. The post drew requests for evidence and calls to contact reporters in the comments.
Why it matters
- If true, customer-facing fees may not be funding the worker protections they imply, raising transparency concerns.
- Alleged dispatch and pay algorithms could materially affect driver earnings and working conditions.
- Companies using experiments that degrade baseline service to boost premium sales pose consumer-protection and ethical questions.
- Claims touch on regulatory and labor issues—potential targets for journalists, regulators, or worker advocates.
Key facts
- The source is an anonymous Reddit post by someone who says they worked as a backend engineer for a major delivery app.
- The poster says the app's "Priority Delivery" flag changes a boolean in the order JSON but dispatch logic ignores it.
- An A/B test allegedly delayed non-priority orders by 5–10 minutes to make priority orders appear faster; the poster says this generated "millions" in profit.
- A hidden driver metric described as a "Desperation Score" reportedly tracks acceptance behavior and reduces access to higher-paying orders for drivers labeled as desperate.
- The post claims a visible customer charge called a "Driver Benefits Fee" or "Regulatory Response Fee" (example cited as $1.50) is routed to an internal cost center named "Policy Defense."
- The engineer alleges the company uses predictive modeling to lower the base pay offered to drivers when it predicts customers will tip more.
- The author says they resigned, gave two weeks' notice, and posted from a library on a burner laptop while under an NDA.
- Reddit comments include readers urging the poster to contact reporters and requests for proof; some users warned about sharing identifying details.
What to watch next
- not confirmed in the source: whether the company will respond publicly or provide documentation refuting or confirming the claims.
- not confirmed in the source: follow-up reporting or leaked internal evidence (screenshots, logs, financial records) that would corroborate the assertions.
- not confirmed in the source: any regulatory inquiries, investigations, or legal actions that might arise from these allegations.
Quick glossary
- A/B test: An experiment comparing two versions (A and B) of a product or feature to measure differences in user behavior or performance.
- Boolean flag: A simple true/false variable used in code to indicate the presence or absence of a condition.
- Dispatch logic: The system or algorithm that assigns tasks or orders to workers or drivers in an on-demand platform.
- Cost center: An internal accounting label used to track spending for a particular function or department within a company.
Reader FAQ
Is this report independently verified?
not confirmed in the source.
Did the poster name the company?
not confirmed in the source.
Are drivers said to receive the fees mentioned?
The poster asserts drivers received $0 of the "Priority" and "Driver Benefit/Regulatory Response" fees.
What evidence do commenters ask for?
Commenters requested screenshots and suggested contacting reporters or anonymous reporting platforms; the post itself contains no published documentation.
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Sources
- I'm a developer for a major food delivery app
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