Here’s Why Some DoorDash Drivers Hate Walmart Orders

Thanks to a partnership between DoorDash and Walmart, some Walmart orders are now delivered by DoorDash—and Uber Eats, too. Convenient, right?

But there’s a problem: Many DoorDash drivers hate doing Walmart orders. Take one visit to the DoorDash subreddit you’ll see daily posts like these by drivers complaining about Walmart orders.

• “Walmart orders are making me lose money” 
• “I decline all Walmart orders”
• “200 items up to a 3rd story apartment and no tip”
• “Just remember, Somewhere in the world right now….someone is on a $3 Walmart order”

The disdain for Walmart orders is so strong that some drivers even request to block all Walmart orders (pic).

So what are the main complaints from drivers? Low pay, slow service at Walmart, infrequent tipping, and simply too much work for too little money.

Just check out these estimated payouts to see why drivers are upset: $3-$5 to spend 30+ minutes hauling heavy groceries, with no guaranteed tip. Normal food deliveries are faster, easier, and typically pay more.

It’s clear that DoorDash drivers don’t like Walmart orders. To get to the root of the issue, let’s look at how Walmart orders on DoorDash work, and what DoorDash and Walmart can do to improve the situation.

How the pickup and delivery process works for Walmart orders on DoorDash

Here’s what the overall delivery process looks like for a Walmart order:

• Accept or decline the Walmart order request
• Navigate to the Walmart pickup area
• Wait for Walmart employee to load the order into the car
• Navigate to the customer
• Drop off the order at the customer’s door

Walmart orders might not look too different from a typical DoorDash food delivery, but the problems lie in the execution.

Problems with the DoorDash/Walmart delivery process

A Walmart order request looks similar to other requests: Drivers see the location of the Walmart, the customer drop off location, and a payout amount that includes a base payout and any electronic tip.

Walmart customers can now tip when they place an order, and DoorDash updated the Dasher app to include tips in the overall estimated payout on the order request screen.

A lot of complaints are with the pickup experience. Drivers say that pickup areas can be disorganized, and wait times vary wildly. It’s not supposed to take more than 5 minutes to get the groceries, but DoorDash drivers regularly report that it can take 20+ minutes.

Drop offs are another point of friction for drivers: Food deliveries are typically just a light bag or two, but Walmart orders can contain dozens of heavy items that must be hauled to the customer’s door.

Imagine taking several trips to the car to haul cases of water up the stairs at an apartment complex. It’s a lot more work than a food delivery for the same, or sometimes less, pay.

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• DoorDash Driver Requirements
• Are DashMart Orders Worth it for Dashers?
• The problem with Petco orders on DoorDash
• How to Schedule More DoorDash Hours
• DoorDash Deactivations: How to Get Reactivated 

How DoorDash Drivers Get Paid for Walmart Orders

Payouts for DoorDash orders work the same way as a typical food delivery order: Drivers receive base pay + promotions + 100% of tips. Base pay is an algorithm that accounts for time, distance, and ‘desirability.’

The issue is that base pay can be quite low, sometimes as low as $3, and tipping for these orders seems to be less frequent than regular orders. Many DoorDash drivers share screenshots of orders in the $6 – $8 range, which isn’t terrible as long as the entire order doesn’t take too long. But when wait times are 20+ minutes with a long drive & delivery to follow, $6 doesn’t look so great.

It used to be that Walmart customers could only tip after an order was completed, but that has changed. Walmart customers can now leave a tip when they place an order, and the tip will be included in the order payout estimate that drivers see.

Which would you accept: A food delivery that shows a $10 payout to deliver a bag of food, or a Walmart grocery order with 25 items that shows a $5 payout?

Controversy: Does Walmart ‘Keep’ Tips on DoorDash Orders? (No)

Tips on Walmart orders can be so few and far between compared to food delivery that some drivers suspect an issue with the payment might be preventing them from receiving tips.

The way payments for Walmart orders are handled might also cause a delay in tipping, or potentially missed tips. With a typical food delivery order, payments are directly handled by DoorDash. With a Walmart order, payments are first handled by Walmart, then are completed by DoorDash. Walmart seems to settle orders more slowly than DoorDash, so the extra step can cause delays.

I asked DoorDash for more clarity on how the payment system for DoorDash/Walmart orders works, and if it’s possible for Walmart to ‘keep’ tips that are intended for drivers.

A DoorDash rep said, “[Walmart order pay] is the base pay plus 100% of the tips. However, for Drive and Grocery order, the customer’s are placing the order directly to the store. We cannot see here in our system if there’s a customer’s tip or none. It still depends on the store if they will provide the tip or not.” [Pic of conversation]

Some DoorDash customers have complained that they tried to tip DoorDash drivers, but an app bug prevented them from doing so. One customer said, “The app will show that the tip went through, however, the following day after delivery there’s an error message in the app that says “sorry your order is no longer eligible for tipping, your tip has been removed.”

My take: Walmart isn’t keeping tips, but they might be slow to deliver them, and app issues may prevent them from going through.

Some Walmart Customers are Unhappy with DoorDash Deliveries Too

Down in the comments section of this article, you’ll find comments from Walmart customers who were unhappy with a DoorDash delivery. The main complaint is that they weren’t notified that their order would be delivered by DoorDash. Some orders are split between shipping companies, so some items in the order are delivered by DoorDash others are delivered by FedEx.

Many Walmart customers don’t feel that they need to tip DoorDash because they were never notified that DoorDash would be fulfilling the order. If they didn’t request DoorDash, why would they tip? And if they don’t tip UPS or FedEx, why would they tip DoorDash? This is a common customer outlook on the DoorDash/Walmart situation.

One customer said, “The current system is not set up to even make customers aware of HOW/WHEN their items will be delivered. Most will just assume it’s through USPS FedEx or UPS.”

And it’s hard to argue with this customer’s logic: “I can’t justify a tip for something I was not advised was going to happen.”

Walmart Workers Chime in

DoorDash drivers don’t like Walmart orders, and it turns out that the feeling is mutual for Walmart workers. Walmart employees complain of impatient DoorDash drivers who become rude when wait times are longer than a few minutes. And then there’s the time a frustrated DoorDash driver dumped a load of groceries in the Walmart loading area without telling anyone.

Another point of friction is that Walmart instructs workers not to load an order into a car if the driver or vehicle appears disheveled or unclean, or if the driver has young children in the car who can’t be left unattended. Imagine how uncomfortable it is for employees to turn a driver away, or to be turned away as a driver!

How DoorDash and Walmart Can Improve The Situation

DoorDash drivers don’t like them, Walmart workers aren’t big fans either, and customers feel like they are in the dark too. What can be done?

Walmart should let customers know that their delivery is being completed by DoorDash. Too many Walmart customers have no idea what DoorDash is, or why part of their delivery was done by DoorDash when another was done by FedEx. If customers know what to expect, they’ll be a lot more satisfied.

Walmart orders are much less appealing for Dashers compared to restaurant orders, so Dashers either need more tips or higher base to make it worth their while. Walmart could try to encourage tipping, but it’s understandable that adding a new cost won’t go over well with Walmart customers who already pay for shipping or delivery memberships.

The remaining option is a higher delivery fee for drivers that is paid for by Walmart and DoorDash, or their customers. In the end, someone will need to pay more.

Another necessity that’s easier said than done: Improve logistics. One of the major complaints from DoorDash drivers is that they have to wait far too long at Walmart to pick up an order. Some type of logistical upgrade is needed to streamline the process, but there’s no guarantee that DoorDash and Walmart will be able to sort that out.

DoorDash drivers: If the payout doesn’t look right, decline it! You can’t be deactivated for a low order acceptance rate, so you’re free to decline any order that doesn’t meet your standards.