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.
Haul 43 items for $5 with no guarantee of a tip. Would you accept?
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.
6 stops? This is more like a UPS delivery route. Credit essejpatterson on Reddit
Related Articles about DoorDash
- 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.
Joe says
If you pay the state in which you reside, $100 and fill out a VERY simple form consisting of your name, address and company name, all of that will allow you to form a corporation. Which means your tax bracket is now 15% plus lots of genuine and “creative” expenses to write off which lowers your tax bill even more. So no, you are not “in a high tax bracket”. Quit lying.
You guys are spoiled brats. I mean seriously, how difficult is it really, to sit in a nice comfy car with ambient controlled temperature and some lovely tunes on the radio while you wait for someone to load your car? Gosh, sounds like a nightmare. Probably playing with your cell phone while you wait. Oh the horror, it’s like working in a coal mine, the inhumanity. Then you spend a few minutes, most likely less than 10, driving to someone’s house. You cannot imagine the depth of my sympathy for your ordeal. The hardest part for you is carrying a few bags to the customers door — what cruel torture –the only people who would experience difficulty with that task would be the elderly or handicapped. Which is probably exactly the type of people who actually do need this grocery delivery.
You can grab multiple orders at once — do you not know how your own job works? So you’re sitting at walmart waiting for 3 or more orders to be loaded into your car for you, then spend 15-20 minutes delivering all of them. Even the dumbest most incompetent driver is going to make a minimum of $15 bucks per hour. Plus be able to write off the expense for all car insurance/tags, all car maintenance, all cell phone bill plus a few other expenses.
I just don’t have any sympathy for someone who is whining that they didn’t make $20 an hour for a zero skill job which is in reality, about the easiest job in existence AND has so many perks.
Kristy says
Wow. This guy really closed minded. It’s more about the hourly wage. Plus, carry big cases of water up third story making several trips totalling an hour for everything for only $3. Sorry but making $3/HR is reason to complain believe it or not.
Mitch says
I suggested to Walmart customer service that the surprise same-day delivery is not right and should be an OPTION not a surprise when DoorDash magically shows up.
I often do Registry for Good so I have no way of actually verifying with the Doordash driver. They left packages/bags in front of shelters/businesses/organizations.
The Grocery Delivery portion is fine, I know what to expect and I tip accordingly, however, the Walmart. com purchases should never be auto-selected to same day door dash delivery service. I also hate knowing a driver is dropping off a single $5 item from a nearby store when the order has 10 items that could have been packaged as a whole and sent through UPS/FedEx/USPS. Also, if the driver cannot reach you the item then becomes delayed. I had an item delayed for almost a month because I was not expecting door dash and did not provide the gate code in time.
Please contact customer service and let them know same day door dash deliveries from the Walmart. com portion should be an OPTION and not automatically selected.
blown away says
I got a doordash driver for a order of cat litter 4 38lb bags.I had no idea the order would come 4 or 5 hours after I ordered it. I was expecting fed ex or ups surprise surprise!! the driver backed into my driveway no marking on the car this was totally unnerving he said he was doordash I had no idea that he was delivering my order; I told him to get lost in so many words luckily my phone was on so he could call me and say he had my delivery. I apologized and we got the order in the garage. Next time I order I will be ready. I will Not tip I order from Walmart I order in bulk because the stores are usually picked over I don’t consider this groceries.
Art says
I agree…. Walmart orders are low pay, long waits, and too much work. Bottom line: Not Worth It! Doordash needs to increase pay and allow tipping before the order is picked up.
Jc says
Dashers do not accept no more orders from Walmart, I want to see what they can do when they see no one are able to pick their miserable orders from Walmart.
Jonelle says
I have had both good and bad experiences with Walmart Delivery, but for the most part it is up to the driver. I am not sure if the driver gets the delivery instructions, but they rarely follow them, and several times I have had to call and have them come back to correct the error. Two weeks ago, they left my complete order outside in a snow bank. I am handicapped and cannot get outside. Not only that, but they put it in front of the door so I couldn’t even open my front door. There was soda in the order, and it was below freezing. The order was also VERY early, so I didn’t even know it was out there for an hour. I live on a busy street and have lots of stray animals in my neighborhood as well as neighboring dogs. I am surprised my bread and lunchmeat was still out there and my soda hadn’t exploded. I had to pay someone else, on top of paying them, to assist me with my groceries. I did not tip the driver well. However, there have also been incidents with GREAT experiences, and I have tipped them 25 or more dollars. It would be nice if you could opt out of certain drivers for your orders.
Joe says
My impression from the article is that drivers want to get $20+ dollars per hour for what is, in reality, a no-skill job. Perhaps the drivers need to adjust their expectations so they’re more in line with reality? And also, now I’m going to start ordering restaurant food delivery — and not tipping. Because you’re just spoiled babies who assume you deserve above minimum pay for a below minimum job.
DougH says
If you don’t tip, your order payout will be low and dashers will skip your order. So that means a long wait time and possible cold food
Angel says
You are forgetting these drivers use not only their time but also their vehicles, insurance, and gas. Would you want to drive to walmart, wait 20 min. Drive 10 min. And unload 20 bags of groceries up 3 flights of stairs for $3. Then subtract all those expenses?
Zero says
Speaking of reality…. Dashers are independent contractors. We are taxed at a higher rate and have to cover our own expenses and benefits. When you don’t tip it’s likely the dasher is losing money on the order. No offense, but I don’t like having to help you pay for your food delivery and work for free.
James says
Then go get your own order. I wont deliver for 3 bucks. You bumped your head. I dont work for free and wear out my car for 3 lousy bucks. Do you go to work for 3 bucks for 30 mins of work? Get real dude.