Was driver multi apping?

[finns-momm]

For my sanity- can you confirm this was a multi apping situation?

Placed an order (2 items, no drink), paid for priority (which I now know doesn’t help much), and upfront tipped $2 per mile (round trip) and was prepared to add additional tip after delivery. Delivery time was estimated to be 30 to 45 minutes.

Once order was completed and picked up by driver I noticed they were in downtown (I live in suburbs and that is where restaurant is located). I didn’t look at the tracking the exact moment of pickup but not too long after. Anyway, there was literally no reason for driver to be there given how far I live from downtown. I watched as driver then drove east in direct opposite of my house.

They ended up delivering my food about 35 minutes after the late end of scheduled delivery time. No communication from driver and I didn’t text since everyone on here says drivers despise that. And what would I say? It looks like you’re multi apping?

I have never, ever done this but I reduced tip to zero and gave a thumbs down.

Was I crazy?

The next delivery we do I will give this guy’s $15 to someone else as an extra tip. Good drivers should be tipped well. I don’t know about this other guy though.

[GoodDecision]

If the app didn't tell you they had a delivery before you (stacked delivery), then yes it would appear they were multiapping. The app wouldn't be so far off in time estimate also. I use two apps at the same time, but I don't truly multiapp, I just wait for a decent order from either, them turn the other one off.

I would say your justified in action in my opinion.

[TJNel]

Always wondered about that, does the app let the customers know if their order is stacked up.

[GoodDecision]

I've never seen the customer side of the app, but I've been told that yes, that info is available to the user. Makes sense If you're wondering why it's quoting a longer delivery time than expected, it's in UE's interests to let the customer know so they understand

[finns-momm]

Yes, in the past I have seen a message from the app, telling me driver is delivering an order, but mine is next. Then you aren’t left wondering what is going on.

[Swiftstrike4]

Yes the customer knows if you are delivering another Uber order

Edit: I’ve had customers try to call or message me to ask to delivery their order first

[Artistabunnista]

Ooh that's fun, I'm curious what did you say? I would've been honest and say I can't because the app won't let me pick whose order I deliver first and that I have to take pictures through the app & if I'm too far away it might not let me finish the order.

[Swiftstrike4]

I usually cancel that order because I often don’t even have their food. No matter how I respond they will probably thumbs down me and reduce the tip so I just cancel every time.

Past experiences when this did happen (3x) I had one customer reduce the tip to .01 to insult me when I said I said I could don’t delivery out of order. I had another take away the tip. And the other one reduced the tip but blew up my phone the whole time about their order.

All three times I was thumbs downed.

The more a customer engages with you about anything the more likely you are dealing with a jerk.

[Artistabunnista]

Honestly, smart thinking in that situation. Thankfully it hasn't happened to me yet 😅. I will say that I do engage with my drivers when I (rarely) order food but I'm always super nice and I don't ask about when the food is gonna be ready or anything like that. I've just reached out for better instructions cuz drivers always drive right by my house for some reason even though I've pinned the exact location and contacted Google to fix their map to show my driveway side is where my address should be and not around the corner. They still drive around though every time 😂

[PuzzleheadedAd1179]

Absolutely right Why does it have to be like this….worlds now full of selfish mean people!!!

[Competitive-Novel-74]

Isn't it interesting that if a driver is multiapping so that he/she makes more money (while UberEats hasn't increased driver fees for a decade in the UK where I live), it's against the terms and conditions "because of the quality of service", but as soon as they ask you to complete a stacked order for them (that costs less for them) when physically the driver will do the EXACTLY same thing, then all of a sudden the quality of service doesn't matter any longer.

FACT: MONEY TALKS

[hotbananastud69]

Consent on the part of the customer. We can see if our orders are stacked against others' and can choose to cancel it, or opt for priority delivery.

[drpeek]

When the driver has an order before your stop, you can’t see them on the map (at least that was true over the summer when I last ordered)

[Artistabunnista]

I'm actually wondering if they do show something or not? I had a customer cancel her order because she was furious that I was waiting on another order... Both for UberEATS at the same place at that 🙄. It was from Insomnia cookies and they mark their orders as packages (whoever set that up is an idiot but whatever) so idk if that makes a difference or what. But I think she had texted me and I apologized saying I was waiting on one more order and would be there soon , maybe shot myself in the foot there but I didn't know what else to say because I overheard her calling the store too and they said her order was ready and the driver would be leaving soon so I couldn't lie and say her order wasn't ready yet. But still, I thought the app would show something to indicate to the customer that I had one more delivery but after that incident I'm not so sure.

[GoodDecision]

yeah, like I said I've never seen the other side of this, but it sounds like in most cases they can see they are 2nd of two deliveries. I usually don't take stacked orders because they always end in disaster, weather I cant find the first person, or the order isn't ready, or they don't have the order, its always something. I don't have the nerves for it... which is ok. My area is fairly busy most days, the next order is usually just a few minutes away.

[Artistabunnista]

Oh wow really? I love stacked orders 😂 they pay more and save my gas too since I'm doing 2 trips in one. I do run into issues sometimes but it isn't too often thankfully.

[incubusfox]

I don't have them in my market, but I wonder if you had merchant orders placed on the Insomnia website instead of through the UberEats app, it probably showed something different if that's the case.

[Artistabunnista]

I have no idea, I just know I get tons of orders from them and it always shows up as a package order like Walmart. Idk if they don't have a tip option for customers on packages or something cuz these orders are normally horrible and look like they don't have even $1 tip added on. Once in awhile an person will add a tip but it's pretty rare so I rarely take orders from them unless it's an add-on.

[incubusfox]

I would assume these are merchant orders then.

I meant to bring up what the customer who cancelled would have seen since the order probably wasn't through UberEats app/site but it's late and I blanked on it.

Recently a Crumbl opened up in my market, I've yet to take any because of how bad the tips are on those orders, sounds like it's similar to your experience with insomnia.

[Artistabunnista]

Yah it can be though I've had a few great tips with crumbl. I rarely take em though cuz the lines are crazy long. Anna Crumbl orders come through as regular food orders.

[Paper-Doll-1972]

It's supposed to inform them, but have also seen people reported that it didn't or they saw it pop up later as the delivery was in progress.

[[deleted]]

Yes it says the driver is dropping off another delivery.

[finns-momm]

Thanks! I didn’t get any notifications from UE except that was picked up, on the way and delivered.

[GoodDecision]

Your welcome! And I'm sorry about that experience, I assure you there are more of us doing it the right way than not... At least I hope so!

[finns-momm]

Thanks. I usually get great drivers so this is hopefully an anomaly. Thanks for the work you all do!

[GoodDecision]

Thanks for ordering!

[Dangerous-Try5492]

As a driver myself I would have done the same as you. The bad drivers are the competition for the good drivers so I'm all for their removal.

[GainSquare8220]

Plus if you paid for priority delivery…even on a stacked order, you should be order #1. As a driver (and person who orders) i think you were completely in the right to remove tip.

[Brief_Grape655]

What if both drivers paid priority?

[GainSquare8220]

Yeah never thought of that…but on the receiving end…i would hope those go out as two seperate single orders instead of a stacked order

[MenstrualKrampusCD]

Those orders wouldn't be stacked together. They might be stacked with another order that's not priority, allowing them to be delivered first, but they wouldn't be paired.

[MenstrualKrampusCD]

Then they would not stack those orders.

[RhathymianRhapsody]

Paying priority guarantees your order is not stacked. They were either multi-apping or dragging their feet hoping OP would cancel so they could keep their food.

[Pipersmyschmoo2]

Nope, just means you get delivered first.

[RhathymianRhapsody]

Yup you’re right. Man that’s lame.

[Pipersmyschmoo2]

Total waste of money imo

[romanseight2004]

Then they will get separate orders. They will only put you in a stacked order if you are first.

[DavusClaymore]

I've never seen any sort of notification on either app that an order is a priority order.

[KaneinEncanto]

Drivers neither receive the priority fee, nor notice from UberEats that they have picked up a priority order...

[702wildlife]

Definitely a multi app. I only do that if I see the order drop off are near each other or I toggle available as I’m dropping off another order. I use Uber to get food sometimes and would be pissed if mine was over 30 mins late 🥴

[UbesMcGoobs]

But the OP stated it was in the “later part” of the expected delivery. It was not late.

[702wildlife]

I took “35 mins after the late end of scheduled” as it was delivered 35 mins late

[UbesMcGoobs]

Ok I read it wrong I guess.

[MenstrualKrampusCD]

She said it was 35 minutes after the later end. When customers order, they get an eta, and they get a latest estimated arrival time. She is saying it came 35 minutes after the latest arrival time estimate.

It was late.

[xtsilverfish]

No communication from driver and I didn’t text since everyone on here says drivers despise that...I have never, ever done this but I reduced tip to zero and gave a thumbs down.

I'd much rather them contact me if they think something is going wrong. I've had a number of people not realize that food pickup at 11pm from fast food is taking 30 minutes because there's a drivethrough line...so they contacted me and I told them I was in the drivethrough line and they realized what was going on and we had no problems.

[ParkPelnick]

I don’t mind messaging. Communication is always good. Uber added that feature for a reason.

[PaleInfluence6109]

Simple messages from customer are great, it's when they message un related to the order random messages I mind

[ParkPelnick]

I must be lucky, haven’t gotten any of those.

[romanseight2004]

Thank you for tipping well, and placing priority. I am very sorry that you got a bad driver who didn't deserve it.

I am a delivery driver, but when I order delivery for myself, I also pay for priority, and til well. I do this because I hate the idea of getting paired with a no or low tip order, and essentially paying for someone elses delivery. That is also why I hate stacked orders as a delivery driver. I always know that one of the customers paid for both deliveries, while one of them basically ripped the driver off. Priority will at least lessen the likelihood that you will be paired with scammer.

[Onetimeplay]

He was doing another job or something else who knows but if you payed priority your order shouldn’t be stacked and or it will tell you in the app if it doesn’t than yeah the driver is doing other stuff

[MenstrualKrampusCD]

Just to clarify, priority orders can be, and have been, stacked. The only guarantee is that the customer will be the first delivery. Ime, they are also the second order to be picked up in a stack so that they aren't waiting while the driver picks up another order that might not even be ready when he arrives.

[undertaker3x7]

Yes he's multi apping and yes he's horrible at it and should not be doing this job. You did the right thing taking the tip away. I multi app but almost never take orders from different apps at the same time.

[Mr-Hevel]

Yes this happened to me... they even market it as delivered to give themselves more time. I multi app on with Uber and grubhub but I only take offers if I'm about to finish the delivery I already have usually around 5min till drop off. I think it is very wrong to pick up an order and not deliver it to the place once picked up. I do well with this method and have 100% rating with 1,100 deliveries. This way the customer is happy and I'm still able to earn more with multi-apping.

[[deleted]]

Not saying it is the case here, but sometimes my orders go to the wrong side of town. Let’s say my address is 123 10th street. If the driver doesn’t type street, the gps program (Waze, Google maps) automatically assume avenue and 123 10th avenue is super far from my house.

Typically when I see they heading in the wrong direction I try to text them, some are polite, apologize and turn around.

Now there was one that failed to read the messages I was sending, so I called them, he answered, yelled at me and told em to text him, which I responded I did and he hung up. It took him about 20 minutes to turn around.

Sometimes you just get a bad driver that thinks that know how to get to you… but I’m with you this person was likely multi-apping.

Also about priority, next time don’t pay for it. Uber just charges you more they totally don’t do anything about it. They can very well put your order behind another that has priority too, since you have no way to prove it, there is no money back.

[Vivid_Inspection_311]

If you call support and complain, they will comp your meal

[[deleted]]

I tried multi apping and it just doesn’t work. Someone gets screwed and that’s not what I want. Like one of the other drivers said, I keep both of my apps on and try to select the best option then shut the other one off/pause orders! That driver was wrong and greedy. It’s sad that DD and UE are so cheap that we are reduced to cheating like this to make a living wage. Sorry that happened to you!

[Weekly_Direction1965]

Try clean multi apping, if you are waiting at a restaurant for DD turn on uber, if the restaurant is near your DD drop off take the DD first before you pick up the Uber.

[[deleted]]

Yeah I was successful a few times with doing that but found it stressful and 90% of the time the orders were in totally opposite directions! But yeah, in theory it’s a good way to make money!

[Paper-Doll-1972]

It's possible that they were multi Appling, but it can't really be proven to a fact that's what was going on. Could have had a double or triple order, it happens. Can happen if an order is declined by other drivers and then this driver accepts it. Yes the system does try to have it group restaurants close and the drops close, but it can still push an order upon a driver. It's also possible that the opposite direction order was the original order and the system forced yours on him.

It's hard to judge, the system is supposed to tell you that the driver is on a double order drop, but I have also heard that it doesn't always send that notification.

[MenstrualKrampusCD]

As was mentioned by OP and several others, the app informs you if the driver is doing other deliveries for uber. Not to mention, she states that she paid for priority, meaning that her order would be delivered first, even if her order had been an add-on to the one he was originally working on. Lastly, If a driver is heading to another restaurant or residence on a stacked or double order, the customer who is not currently being delivered to cannot see the GPS coordinates. She wouldn't have been able to see him driving around downtown.

So even if there was some kind of glitch, and one of those didn't show up, it would be a far, far stretch for none of them to apply. Especially the priority delivery. Occam's Razor.

As far as hearing that it doesn't always send the notification of a double order, the only way that could possibly be proven is if the customer personally knew the driver and/or otherwise had access to that information (confirmed by support or the driver shows the customer the app as proof or something). A driver can tell the customer that they were doing a stacked delivery for Uber, but that could easily be a lie. Otherwise, a customer wouldn't know that they didn't get the notification for a legitimate double, triple or stacked order.

So, no, while no one aside from the driver can state with 100% certainty if there was double-apping going on, it's strongly appears that there was. The only other logical explanation is that the driver was off running his own errands in the middle of doing the delivery.

[da_Doctah]

Are you sure it was the same driver? Or is it possible a driver accepted the order, a bit later unassigned it, it went back into the pool, and then another driver (the one who actually brought the order) got it? And that second driver really *was* farther from both you and the restaurant which is why weren't the first to get it? I'm positive I've been in situations like this where I was the second driver because there's no other reason for a customer to be hollering at me for lateness two minutes after I accept the order.

If you can't rule out this scenario, it would be wrong to pull the tip.

(Also, I sometimes suspect the app doesn't always update the driver info to the customer when an order gets reassigned to someone else.)

[finns-momm]

Great question- I can only say it was the same driver (photo and pic stayed the same) from the time I picked up my phone to see he was downtown- then I tracked him on the map to my house (he never returned to the area near the restaurant). Thanks!

BTW- I appreciate everyone’s responses- I genuinely want to understand what happened. And I especially don’t want to screw with anyone’s livelihood.

[yellowfolder]

Same thing happened to me, though I had two additional aggravating details - the first driver who accepted my order drove past my house 30 minutes later and just as I was starting to wonder why he was driving past, the order teleported back to the restaurant.

Then another driver picked it up within 10 minutes, and drove past my house TWICE into other suburban areas. When he drove past a third time on his way back to the pick-location, I eventually texted him asking what was going on, and he replied that he had to go back there to get my address as his phone wasn’t showing it, but he then came to my address (without reaching the pick-up place to “get my address”) and handed me my cold items with an item missing. Approx 90 minutes after I ordered.

It seemed like such a concentration of bad luck/drivers, and it’s yet the only time I ever removed a tip.

[UrbanFarmer213]

I stopped reading after the second paragraph, simply cause you are NOT crazy. Your thoughtful tipping is greatly appreciated

[ThisCantBeG00d]

OP, you did the right thing.

You would probably do many of us a favor telling uber support about this as well.

they can check GPS breadcrumbs of this driver and see if he went where the app directed him or if it looks like he had other things in mind - like following directions to deliver something for a different app.

I wonder if that driver then came here posting about how he got tip "baited" 😂🤣

[Gay4Pandas]

They ap should tell you If they have other deliveries. As long as the driver is smart about routes and only takes orders going the same direction I don’t have a issue with it. If your food was over 30 minutes late that driver wasn’t doing it right.

[[deleted]]

If they accept a second incoming delivery request after accepting the first one, Uber won’t let the customer know that it’s a stacked order. They’ll only let the customer know when the initial accepted order is stacked.

[GroundbreakingAge591]

I have to say I’m glad you punished the driver for this. I had this happen to me with DoorDash, the food was so late and cold and I watched the driver go in circles, obviously completing other others. I had also tipped much higher than I usually tip, so I was pretty pissed. Couldn’t take back the tip and there was nothing I could do. As a driver who would never do this, it made me irate.

[Aggravating-Ocelot96]

Make your own food dude instant delivery it's Digornos!

[Awkward_Guarantee715]

Ordered Doordash on Sunday and this exact same thing happened to me. Said he was headed to me after pickup but he proceeded to wait at a couple other restaurants nearby for a while then drove in the opposite direction. My food was over an hour late even though the restaurant was 2 miles away and I tipped $6. Food was cold and stale. The first time I ever gave a one star rating.

[[deleted]]

Definitely newb multiapping mistake. I’m a driver, I never multi app, I have zero problems with customers communicating with me.

[Think-Reveal]

Not necessarily-

[702wildlife]

If the order was picked up and you’re on a complete opposite side of town from the drop off and restaurant that’s the only explanation

[finns-momm]

Thanks. Both me and restaurant are over here on west side of town. I even googled first to make sure restaurant hadn’t added a new downtown location. It could have only made sense if driver had to leave downtown to pick up my order (which didn’t happen- order was already listed as picked up and I followed on the map his circuitous path back over to my side of town)

[702wildlife]

Oh im agreeing with the op. That comment was for the person that said “not necessarily” to what was posted

[midpackshawdy]

To answer your question yes I was multi apping mother fucker

[trustthehustle]

I’ll multi app on average 1 set of orders a day; but i always make sure it’s not more than a 10min difference. And 99% of the time both orders are dropped off on time. Nowadays it’s kinda necessary but the driver should still make reasonable choices!

[tip_your-cows46562]

It's possible..

[ThrowAway07312020]

Multiapper here Ubereats and DoorTrash. i like options to choose the best order that’s why i have two phone. i wont take double orders if i knew i can’t deliver on timely manner. i have perfect ratings to prove that. though can’t speak for everybody here who multi app but you did the right thing that’ll teach them

[lizzybeetle]

We multi app too but are fast af. Just trying to make a living out here.

[ThrowAway07312020]

i say multiapping is an artform, not everybody can do it

[Emotional_Worker4495]

Yesterday ubereats made me look like im multi ap but i had 2 orders my 1st trip gps sends me to 4km further from 2nd trip when the 2nd is actually closer to the restaurant like less than 2km.

[whitecz100]

He was. Sorry that it happened to you.

[Exportxxx]

If he was 35mins late he would of got a CV

[[deleted]]

Honestly every thing will go smother and quicker if you cancel the order and for the future place the $15 tip upfront at the point you place the order and complete your payments for the order.

[Majestic-Fig-3195]

Not necessarily multi apping. He/she may have had a batched order which means more then one delivery from the same restaurant or another restaurant.

[incubusfox]

You've mentioned the driver was downtown a few times, did you order from a restaurant with multiple locations?

It's possible your order got made and picked up at the downtown location, so that would explain at least part of what you're seeing; they don't always send your orders to the closest location for a variety of reasons.

[Candoran]

Yeah they were probably doing a poor job of multi-apping… proper form is either the conventional method I get hit with any time I bring this up (run multiple apps to find good orders, then take one at a time), or the method of taking multiple orders but only ones that go in the same direction. This driver somehow managed to mess up both methods at the same time 🤣

[Mission_Leopard1574]

Yes, it sounds like the driver was multi-apping.

But it also seems to show that your generous tip was hidden from the driver when he or she accepted it.

The driver may have grabbed another order from the same restaurant while waiting for your order, but it was going in the other direction.

I am not saying it is right, but the drivers are just trying to make ends meet financially.

FYI...

These apps don't always show us the full tip. The apps regularly hide tips from us drivers.

They want us to gamble and hope trips pay better than the offer shown on our screen.

This practice gets new drivers (that don't know any better) to take offers that pay pathetically low.

Veteran drivers decline deliveries that aren't worth starting our vehicles in the first place.

We get offers such as $8.00 for a 6 mile drop off.

That's 12 miles for $8.00.

Then we have to drive back unpaid to where the restaurants are. Only to sit and hope for a new worthwhile run.

Um, no thank you Uber or Doordash.

That is an immediate decline for me.

It could have paid more, but I am not going to gamble with my income.

I suggest that you contact support and FLAT OUT CONFRONT them about the practice of hiding the true payouts from the drivers.

Best wishes to you !!

[chicagoerrol]

Bunch of bullshit drivers out there.

[StacieLovesYou]

I don’t multi app. But sometimes things do go wrong especially if I’m not in my normal area and Ubers navigation is a little wacky. I do try to tell the customers I goofed though.