u/SpiritedSorbet4

I'm Alex Bitter, a reporter with Business Insider.

Recently, I wrote an article about how Tony Xu, the CEO of DoorDash, said he was surprised that people spend as much as they do on food delivery. Tony has some say in how much DoorDash charges, to put it mildly, but I still found the comments interesting.

Often, ordering something through DoorDash, Uber Eats, etc. costs a lot more than if you bought the same thing in person at a restaurant or store, thanks to tips, service fees, and markups. I keep hearing about people trying to save money in other areas of life, but it seems like spending on these delivery services keeps increasing.

So, I'd like to know: Why do you find ordering from DoorDash worth the extra cost? Have you tried to cut back at all? How do you view spending on delivery as opposed to other costs?

If you're up for a chat, email me at abitter@businessinsider.com or reach out via text or Signal at 808-854-4501.

https://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-offering-subway-delivery-more-restaurants-may-follow-2026-6

Last month, I reported on the offers that Walmart was sending out to drivers to pick up meals at restaurants in Walmart stores.

Not only did they just confirm that test, it seems like they're also interested in delivering from other restaurants, too:

"Walmart also sees a path to expand the delivery service to restaurants beyond its stores, said Greg Cathey, Walmart's senior vice president of digital fulfillment transformation.

"'You can draw a circle around most Walmart stores, and almost all quick-service restaurant brands are located within five miles,' he said."

The question is: Will drivers go for making a second stop at a restaurant miles away from Walmart?

Hi all, just wrote this story about Walmart asking Spark drivers to deliver restaurant orders: https://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-expands-spark-delivery-to-restaurant-orders-2026-5

I'm still interested in talking to folks who have delivered these orders. If that's you, feel free to reach out at abitter@businessinsider.com

One thing I'm really curious about: Walmart says it will bundle some of these restaurant meals with shop and deliver orders. I'm curious how that will work. It seems like it will be on drivers to stop by the restaurant and pick them up (vs OGP folks)?

Seems like another layer of complication from the driver's perspective.