It is a joy not to cook but to consume one's favorite. One then orders online, and before he/she realizes, the choice is in his or her hand. The credit goes to the online delivery platform mostly because of the performance of the individual who directly delivers the meal.
More than 6 million delivery riders gamble it daily to satisfy customers' needs. Several crashes and incidents have been recorded of riders due to the digitized algorithm system constructed by the O2O platforms.
One assumes that these riders calculate threats before taking the job; however, one does not have to sleep starving when they race around the clock and on weekends when they should be with their families. These riders support others who could not get food but can afford online food delivery especially during the peak of Covid-19 pandemic.
The algorithm system sets these riders on edge. When one places an order online, the algorithm gives the exact time that the delivery is supposed to reach the user/client. The digitized system calculates the rider's time performance continuously, so when a rider picks up the notification, he goes against all the odds to deliver on time.
Late delivery implies grim feedback and affects his daily commission, as an average rider earns between 7 to 10 Yuan per delivery. While the algorithm allows the rapid fulfillment of clients' orders, it jeopardizes the lives of those riders who have to travel impudently to reach the specified deadline. The rider's goal is to deliver meals in a shorter period because the algorithm system tracks his location and sends the real-time updates to the client.
Mr. Yu, a rider from Eleme, said if he were one or two minutes late due to traffic jam, he would contact the client, clarifying the inconvenience to prevent a horrible rating review. Over time past, many users have taken to social media to express their dissatisfaction over these apps' outrageous policy regarding the riders' evaluation process.
Many articles have appeared recently, highlighting the callous treatment meted against these riders by the digital algorithm system and some inconsiderate customers.
A 2018 article by CGTN stated that most of these riders operate without a formal contract since they are hired by the third-party companies. Conversely, most of the riders interviewed refused to comment on the aspect of their contracts or employments.
Though, a rider who requested to remain anonymous stated:
"No contract is signed yet. I make deliveries for KFC, but I'm hired by an outsourcing company, so the salary is given to us by the outsourcing company. We only have accident insurance.
So if you encounter other difficulties at work, you find your own way to solve them. I became a rider on 10 August 2019. Our commission for each delivery was 9 yuan at the time, but due to the influence of pandemic, it is now 7 yuan. Nonetheless, we get a subsidy of 100 yuan on festival days."
About the digitized system, he added, "the system only allows 30 minutes of the delivery time for a 2KM distance; the 30 minutes include meal preparation and delivery time itself."
Interestingly, some meals take longer to prepare, so when the rider gets at the restaurant, he waits for the food.
"That time counts against the rider as some users complain, associating the delay to the rider's performance. They do not consider the weather and road conditions, either", the rider added.
As a sign of appreciating their resilience, food delivery riders were opportune to lead China's 70th-anniversary parade last year on their bikes. At the sight of these riders in the parade, the hashtag #Guardians Of The Stomach# immediately started trending on Chinese social media apps.