A whistleblower claims DoorDash scams drivers and customers alike — and they’ve got receipts.

In a viral Reddit confession posted this week, a self-described backend engineer at a “major food delivery app” — almost certainly DoorDash, based on the fee structures described — alleges systemic exploitation of workers and manipulation of customers for profit.

The post quickly sparked outrage — with progressives flooding social media calling for a boycott of DoorDash and other gig platforms exploiting workers.

THE DETAILS: The whistleblower says fees like the “Priority Fee” and “Driver Benefits Fee” go entirely to the company — with drivers seeing none of it.

“The wording is designed to make you feel like you’re helping the worker. In reality, that money goes straight to a corporate slush fund used to lobby against driver unions.”

The developer, who says they quit after eight months on the job, posted the confession from a burner laptop on library Wi-Fi to avoid violating a strict NDA.

“I can’t sleep at night knowing I helped build this machine.”

Among the most damning allegations:

• “Priority Delivery” is a scam. The $2.99 fee flips a backend flag — but does nothing to speed up your order. The company allegedly ran A/B tests where standard orders were intentionally delayed to make paid “priority” ones feel faster.

“We generated millions in pure profit just by making the standard service worse, not by making the premium service better.”

• Desperation Score. The system tracks how “desperate” drivers are based on behavior — like accepting low-paying orders quickly — and punishes them by hiding better offers.

“Why pay this guy $15 when we know he’ll do it for $6?”

• “Benefit Fees” fund union busting. The developer claims those $1.50–$4.99 fees on customer bills in cities like NYC and Seattle go to a budget line called “Policy Defense” — funding corporate lawyers fighting minimum wage laws and union protections.

“You’re literally paying for the high-end lawyers that are fighting to keep your delivery guy homeless.”

• Tip Theft 2.0. While DoorDash was forced to pay $16.75 million for stealing tips between 2017–2019, the developer says a new system uses predictive modeling to reduce base pay for drivers if the algorithm thinks you’re a generous tipper.

“Your generosity isn’t rewarding the driver — it’s subsidizing us.”

In internal meetings, the dev says, product managers openly referred to drivers as “human assets” and debated how to squeeze another 0.4% profit margin from them.

WHY IT MATTERS: These claims — while unverified and coming from an anonymous source — echo long-standing criticisms backed by lawsuits, journalism, and government scrutiny.

In 2024, the FTC accused DoorDash and Uber of misleading customers with “junk fees” that padded corporate profits instead of supporting workers. In Seattle, DoorDash admits its $4.99 “regulatory” fee covers its own operating costs — not driver wages, which are mandated separately under local law.

THE BIG PICTURE: This is capitalism at its most dystopian: weaponize workers’ desperation, trick customers into thinking they’re helping, and pocket the difference. Food delivery revenue hit $30 billion in the U.S. last year. DoorDash alone pulled in $8.6 billion in 2023.

According to this whistleblower, that money came from systematically grinding full-time drivers “into dust,” while dangling just enough perks to keep part-timers hooked.

BOTTOM LINE: Gig platforms like DoorDash thrive on illusion. They market fairness, flexibility, and convenience — while using algorithmic manipulation to extract every last dollar from workers and customers alike.

Whether this specific engineer’s claims hold up in court or not, the broader pattern is well-documented: tip theft, fake fees, union busting, and corporate deception. The system isn’t broken — it’s working exactly as designed.

The dev’s final advice? Tip in cash. At least then you know who’s actually getting it.