The explosion of food delivery during the pandemic helped many restaurants stay afloat, but complaints from owners about the platforms are just as common — the high commission fees, the need to buy ads and boost listings, and the wedge that third-party apps create between the people making the food and the people eating it. Platforms like DoorDash withhold most data from the restaurants, typically only sharing a customer’s first name, last initial, and what they ordered. That data is valuable to restaurants: A business could use direct contact information to send discounts or notices to customers, develop loyalty programs, or offer customer support if there are problems with the food that’s delivered. Instead, delivery apps hold on to that information. This has spilled into the courtroom, too: A New York City law attempted to compel third-party platforms to share customer information with restaurants upon request, but was struck down by a judge. Jayaraman, the restaurateur, says he gets “absolutely nothing” from DoorDash when it comes to customer data; with Bites he is able to contact customers directly because the orders (and customer contact information) come straight to him.
