How might we improve the user experience of food delivery apps for drivers?
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns that changed the way people eat and commune with others, ordering take-out food grew in popularity. Between February and December 2020 alone, food delivery transactions grew 96% in the United States, where food delivery had already been a growing industry. In the United Kingdom, the food delivery platform industry grew by 128% during the pandemic.
As a result, there was a need to hire more food delivery workers and add more restaurants to the platforms. Delivery apps were changing the way people eat, but reports began surfacing that they were exploiting both restaurants and delivery workers with the rise of algorithm-controlled labor and “dark kitchens.” Apparently, Deliveroo drivers were making only £2 or £3 per hour (well below the living wage) while Deliveroo claimed that workers can make up to £13 per hour during busy times.
Using ethnography as my research methodology, I sought to understand the experiences of food delivery drivers during the pandemic in Oxford. Through these findings, I revealed how delivery workers exercised agency among the many constraints they faced, in pursuit of social mobility and “putting food on the table.”
Research approach
My role: Ethnographic researcher at the University of Oxford
Participant observation: I followed drivers on their deliveries to get a sense of how the app worked, their interactions with customers, how they connected with each other, and public perceptions of delivery workers. I took photos and notes to document the process.
User interviews: I conducted six in-depth interviews (IDIs) with delivery workers from Brazil, Bangladesh, and Nepal across a range of professional backgrounds and time spent in the UK. Each interview took anywhere from 30-60 minutes. I audio recorded the interviews to pull direct quotes for analysis and to verify information.
Secondary research: Using academic articles, public articles, and other reports on the gig economy, the anthropology of labor, statistics, and more, I collected data to deepen my understanding of the problem space.
Key insights
Key insights
Economic freedom: “I am my own boss”
Food delivery is reliable gig work
They can turn the app on and off to work only when they want to
Some drivers observed the algorithm and gamed the system (the best places to “wait” for orders) to earn more money
Just Eat was by far the most popular and coveted platform to work for, but many drivers turn on (and fulfill orders from) multiple apps at once
Social freedom: “I was lucky to get out of the house”
During lockdowns, food delivery drivers felt grateful they had a reason to leave the house and congregate with fellow drivers on the street
Oxford was a safer place to deliver than London because it is less crowded and dangerous. Police were less likely to crackdown on false or borrowed accounts there
Riding a bike is physically tiring, but it eliminated the need to pay for the gym, which was cited as a bonus for some drivers
Mitigating precarity: solidarity through WhatsApp
WhatsApp group as a form of community
Users would lend their accounts to others who might be pending or waiting for immigration papers
Users use WhatsApp to communicate and watch out for each other when they are parking illegally to avoid violations
Borrowing a motorbike account can cost £120 per week. One guy had 10 accounts, made £50 per week for bicycle
Analysis and synthesis
After gathering data, I went through a detailed synthesis process. I transferred interview notes and transcriptions into Google Docs, identified key themes, and sorted the data into an Excel sheet.
“It’s not £2 an hour. If I work hard, I can make up to £2,800 per month. The news are lying, of course. If people knew how much money we make, because it really can be a lot, then Deliveroo would have to pay taxes and fees and stuff, so they don’t want people to know.”
— Samuel
“With this, I am my own boss. It’s up to me. If I want to work hard, I can work hard. If I want less money, I can take fewer orders. It’s not rocket science. But it’s nice, you get to talk to people and move around. I ride for four, five hours until I get bored, and then I go home.”
— Rik
“I always come back to delivery, whatever job I worked. Because there is always work, when you need. Or whatever, when you don’t need. Like now, I have time to chat with you, I go to work after. If it’s nice and sunny, I can go to the beach and swim.”
— Percy
“What is it like to come here and do delivery? I was a systems analyst in the bank’s headquarters in Brazil. I didn’t have a boss. It’s a challenge to come here and work. Of course, you have to work everywhere, but doing delivery is a challenge. Rain or cold. It’s physical work.”
— Yasmin
“I came here to start a new life from Brazil, learn English, learn maths, get certifications, to get accepted at this uni. When I get the certificate, I hope to go to Miami, or maybe get a masters. But I have to chat with my wife. I’m now doing investment with cryptocurrency, if I don’t get rich, we’ll see.”
— Percy
Plans for the future
Reflections and impact
Conducting this research during the middle of the pandemic was difficult, but it was rewarding to gain perspective into the lives of food delivery drivers from Brazil, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Despite the fact that I was a stranger approaching them on the street to schedule coffee chats, they showed up and shared their stories.
For them, food delivery platforms were strictly a transition job—a quick way to earn a buck on their way to university or a big move (back to their homeland or a warmer, cheaper location with more job opportunities). The work was not easy on their bodies but it provided both social and financial freedom during the pandemic.
Recommendations for improving the app’s UX for drivers:
Create product recommendations for Uber Eats and Deliveroo platforms based on Just Eat’s success
Assist immigrant delivery drivers with community resources, legal assistance, and access to job opportunities
Samuel plans to work in food delivery until he attends college later this year, when he will quit because he wants to find a secure job while studying at university.
Rik plans to continue working in food delivery indefinitely. Eventually, he will go back to Bangladesh to retire in his 60s and stay permanently, where he plans to make a farm with his land.
Yasmin plans to learn English for the next six months and wants to land a job at the BMW factory for £12 an hour. She and her wife will stay for a few years to acquire the UK passport before moving elsewhere in Europe.
