‘Putting people at risk’: Guy slams Uber Eats after a man delivers his food instead of a woman, and it sparked a huge debate

An Uber Eats customer took to social media after realizing the driver who delivered his food didn’t match the details in the app — sparking a heated debate about safety. Expecting a female driver, he was instead met by a middle-aged man, raising concerns about Uber's vetting process and whether delivery substitutions put customers at risk.

Matt Stevens (@MattStevn) shared his concern via X (formerly Twitter), stating, "Hi @Uber. Can you please explain to me why my food, that was supposed to be delivered by a woman, was delivered by a middle aged man? Thanks, look forward to your reply."

In the post, he shared a screenshot from his Uber Eats app and a photo of the man who delivered his food as proof.

After failing to receive a prompt response, the man updated his followers: "Update. Yet to have a formal response from @Uber_Support. Have emailed [my] MP." This statement revealed his frustration with Uber's lack of transparency and communication. His decision to escalate the issue to his local Member of Parliament (MP) reflects his growing concern for public safety.

The message reads, "Hi [redacted] I am a constituent of yours (postcode [redacted]) and a particular issue I’d like to raise to your attention is the recent uptick of illegal working in the food delivery sector. Attached are two separate examples from the past 6 months of deliveries I’ve had, that were supposed to be delivered by person A but instead were delivered by person B. A recent study showed that as many as 4 in 10 UberEats drivers in London are working illegally. Given that food delivery drivers are often in interaction with young women and in occasion children, this uptick is of extreme concern."

The delivery incident escalated further when the man shared what he called a "pathetic" response from Uber's support team. He tweeted, "🚨Update: just got this absolutely pathetic reply from @Uber_Support. They seem not bothered that randomed unchecked males are coming into close contact with females and young children. Have emailed my local MP @mtpennycook; I will not let this rest!"

In the tweet, he questioned Uber's commitment to ensuring customer safety, especially when it comes to verifying who is delivering food. His comments mirror broader concerns about the risks involved when delivery drivers are allowed to substitute one another without sufficient oversight.

According to Matt, during the conversation, Uber admitted they have no clear system to track or verify who is delivering the food once a substitute driver steps in. 

This admission exposes a loophole in Uber's delivery policies that has raised serious concerns about accountability and safety. The potential for drivers to assign substitute deliverers without oversight could have dangerous consequences, particularly when it comes to ensuring that individuals are properly vetted.

Matt's post drew a ton of hate from users calling him wasteful, overreactive, an "incel," and even "evil." Hundreds of comments ragged on his post and insinuated he was racist. But plenty of women defended his position, arguing this sort of last-minute driver swap is a safety concern and needs to be addressed.

"I’ve lost count on the number of times @Uber has done this in the last year," wrote X user @vvoguee. "And as a woman, it’s f**king terrifying especially when they come to your door like wtf ?! It takes 2 seconds to verify the person who is actually delivering."

@justsaydai echoed a similar sentiment, writing, "They acting dense in the replies but every time I ordered on Uber Eats and Doordash the profile would say a woman and then a man would show up in a completely different car. Not only is it dangerous but it’s ILLEGAL."

Food delivery companies’ background check loophole 

In recent years, Uber has faced numerous lawsuits related to sexual assault allegations involving drivers, as well as challenges to its vetting processes. According to one such lawsuit, victims of assault claimed Uber had failed to properly screen its drivers, making it difficult for the company to prevent dangerous individuals from working for the platform. They write, "The plaintiff claims that Uber failed to implement adequate safety measures, including proper vetting and monitoring of its drivers, thereby creating a dangerous environment for passengers."

A BBC article from 2024 highlighted that some delivery platforms, including Uber Eats and Deliveroo, have been under pressure from government authorities to better regulate their systems. These include changes aimed at preventing unverified drivers from stepping in as substitutes. According to the BBC, there are increasing calls for stricter checks on who is allowed to operate as a delivery driver and under what circumstances.

Additionally, a report by The Grocer detailed how pressure from the Home Office has forced platforms to adapt their systems to ensure that substitute riders are properly vetted. While Uber Eats and other platforms have made attempts to address these issues, critics argue that not enough is being done to prevent unsafe practices from slipping through the cracks.

In an email statement to the Daily Dot, an Uber Eats spokesperson said, "As independent contractors, couriers who use the Uber Eats app are permitted by law to appoint a substitute to carry out deliveries on their behalf, providing they meet the same criteria as account holders."

"All couriers who use the Uber Eats app, whether it is the account holder or their substitute, must undergo checks to ensure they are over eighteen and have a legal right to work in the UK," said the spokesperson. "We require couriers to register their substitutes so that we can verify their right to work. Account holders using substitutes who do not have the legal right to work in the United Kingdom will permanently lose access to their account." 

"If a courier has been flagged for any breach in our community guidelines including unlawful or unsafe behaviour we investigate and take appropriate action on the account, including permanently removing access to the app. We are constantly reviewing and improving existing processes to ensure they are as robust as possible."

Social media responds

Responses to Matt’s post varied, with many expressing their concern about Uber’s safety measures, while others expressing it shouldn't matter who delivers the food, so long as it gets delivered.

@MattStevn did not immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via X direct message.

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The post ‘Putting people at risk’: Guy slams Uber Eats after a man delivers his food instead of a woman, and it sparked a huge debate appeared first on The Daily Dot.