Delivery Drivers Who Don’t Deliver
Have you had a problem with delivery drivers who don’t deliver? It’s so aggravating when you’ve ordered food and never get it, though you’ve certainly already paid for it.
It doesn’t matter if it’s Grubhub or Doordash. The same thing tends to happen. And if the drivers get too frustrated, they simply put the food down someplace and you’re going hungry.
If you’re lucky, they will call you for more directions.
Steve and I ordered food through Doordash yesterday. We’ve begun to do this because I hate for him to have to go out in the heat to pick food up. We don’t do this every day, but once or twice a week.
The problem is, for some reason delivery drivers cannot find my apartment. I give them two ways to get to me. At the front door or the patio door. The patio door is closer to where they have to park. Otherwise there’s only the gated entry.
Yesterday, they delivered it to the front office. I could tell from the photo they send you after they deliver where it was. So poor Steve had to walk over to the office and get it in this heat, which is dreadful. And then our food was cold.
The name of this senior apartment complex has actual numbers in it. Delivery drivers somehow get that mixed up with the numbers of the building and then the numbers of the apartment.
Amazon Deliveries Are Almost Always Delivered:
Amazon seems to get my deliveries to me. Typically Walmart does as well. And Target. But food delivery drivers do not.
So after you pay for the food and tip, if you don’t get your food, you’ve just lost your money. And it isn’t what I’d call a small amount. Usually $40+ for two people after you pay for delivery, the food and a tip for the driver.
Close to a week ago, we never did get the food delivered. And I had to jump through hoops to have another order delivered because the driver wouldn’t respond to texts.
If Amazon and the other big stores can find me, what is it with the food delivery folks? We all know that you randomly get a driver, so it’s not one driver. It’s many drivers.
While Wearing The Walking Boot:
This is why I hate to order food for just myself. Because I can’t walk around outside looking for the order.
I’ve been in the walking boot off and on for over 10 years, but at least I could walk most of the time with the boot on.
But now, while I’m recovering from ankle surgery, the physical therapist assigned to me told me not to walk without the rollator. And to only do that three times each day from the living room to the front door. That’s so I don’t put all my weight on that foot.
Everyone involved is cognizant of how long I’ve lived with this injury. So we want to go slow and easy.
The Water Leak Problem:
So now the main maintenance guy has been here and left. The apartment manager just called me and said a plumbing company would be coming this afternoon.
This is the first and only time I’ve been worried about having kitchen cabinets without doors. Because I imagine there’s going to be lots of dust. That’s if they actually do have to tear into the cabinets.
Cross your fingers that they don’t have to go that far!
Oh well, I guess I could just put everything in the dishwasher and call it done.
Another Service You Might Need:
There’s something else I want to mention to you that might help you out.
I don’t like to have Steve pick up bottled tea or water at the grocery store, because then he has to carry it from the parking lot to the apartments. And he also likes to drink bottled water or tea when he eats here, so he has gotten it at the grocery store when necessary.
So I place orders with Walmart. Not with the monthly Walmart subscription. I’ve never had that.
What I do is look for food/beverage items they will deliver if you spend $35+ to get free shipping. Yesterday I placed this type of order with Walmart.
Their Site Is Picky About Some Items:
For instance, they would not deliver two 6-packs of Snapple tea. My choice said: Pick up at store.
So then I clicked on the 12-pack of Snapple tea, and lo and behold they will deliver that when you spend $35+!
I know, it doesn’t make sense. But it pays to try different combinations to see what they will deliver under the $35+ shipping feature. It might not be 6-packs, but instead 12-packs.
This way it comes right to my door in about 2 days. So far I haven’t had a problem with Walmart not delivering to me. Then no one has to bring heavy items from the parking lot.
This will only work on things that you don’t need that very day, and on items that don’t have to be refrigerated on its way to you.
I was just on the Walmart site, and I also found the information below, which I didn’t know about. But I will now be looking into this as well, as I did not know about this next day delivery feature.
NextDay Delivery:
Is NextDay delivery available in my area?
We are currently only able to provide this service to select ZIP codes.
(NOTE: I tried to see if this service is currently available in my zip code, but for some reason I couldn’t get a cursor to type into the box. I will try again later.)
How do I know if an item is eligible for NextDay delivery?
Look for the label “NextDay eligible” on the product page. If you see it, it’s eligible!
Will I really get my order the next day?
NextDay delivery is available on eligible orders placed before cutoff Monday–Saturday, for delivery Tuesday-Sunday, in qualifying zip codes. In other zip codes, NextDay eligible orders placed on Saturday or Sunday will be delivered by the date shown in checkout.
I added an item to my cart and now my order doesn’t qualify for NextDay delivery anymore. What happened?
Adding an item that’s NOT labeled “NextDay eligible” to your cart will disqualify your order for NextDay delivery.
What if my cart of NextDay eligible items don’t amount to $35?
You can still get NextDay delivery for just $5.99.
What happens if I place my order on Saturday or Sunday?
Your order will be delivered by the date shown, which is typically two business days from placing your order.
You are doing the right thing by food delivery services despite some hiccups in the actual delivery and a good lesson on how frugality actually works for everyone. Being frugal means spending less on the majority of life needed categories to be able to spend more on categories that are needed because of health/situation changes …which you are doing, or in a life category area we enjoy and brings joy. You should feel proud of your wise decisions and graceful responses to some uninformed commenters.
It’s amazing how dependent we’ve become on home delivery. It’s great when it works….not so great when we have problems. Hope your leak situation isn’t too complicated.
Brenda, you need to hang something really bright and eye catching on the door so the driver has a “sign post” to look for as well as the apt. #…wreath, banner, garden flag, pink plastic flamingo or a pic of a carnivorous plant with a sign that says “Feed Me!”
Brenda,We often have trouble with grub hub and door dash. It’s so frustrating! Either the food never shows up or they set it out side and leave, no knock on the door, no ring of the door bell.
9 times out of 10, the food is wrong or just plain tastes disgusting.
It is easy to a refund though!
But, you can’t eat a refund! Lol 0
I’ve only gotten a partial refund out of Doordash one time. I think they refunded my account $8 out of $35 or something. So it wasn’t a full refund.
I have never used a delivery service for anything except Amazon. Just a warning… never ever used Door Dash before and they somehow took my whole entire Social Security disability check out of my checking. I called my bank immediately and they had me come in. I did get all my money back from my bank… thank goodness! But they gave me a warning that Door Dash has been doing this to other people… they have trouble with them. So please be careful! I had to get a new debit card and call the people that took money out of my checking monthly (like electric and telephone bills).
OMG! That must have been a nightmare! I’m so sorry!
Oh my God. I am going into my account right now and disabling my debit card for my bank.
That is a great suggestion Dianne! It doesn’t hurt to inquire.
Amazon is my most reliable delivery service. I’ve never missed even one delivery, or had to return a damaged package. Not so with grocery deliveries. I began to have my groceries delivered during the height of Covid. Most of the time my groceries get delivered OK. Yesterday was the biggest exception. I was supposed to get my order on Saturday. It never showed up. Sunday, my order that had been scheduled to arrive between 4:00 to 5:00 PM, was delivered at 9:30 AM. For 6-1/2 hours, the refrigerated items sat outside in the 80+ degree heat. My grocery store uses Doordash.
I just deleted Doordash after the comment above.
I have never had any food delivered to my house, nor groceries. The only thing we have delivered is through Amazon, UPS or Fed Ex.
An idea for water and iced tea – keep a Brita pitcher in your refrigerator with water in it. Saves money and the environment. Make your own iced tea – simplest thing in the world. Keep it in a pitcher in your fridge. I do both.
Hope all goes OK with this water leak and that they don’t have to do anything drastic.
I’m using bottles because I’m getting around with one hand driving the scooter and one hand for everything else. Things that are heavy or messy I don’t do right now.
Brenda I have been using Wal-Mart’s free shipping on $35 or over orders for several years with very few problems which if /when they do arise have always been resolved in a timely manner. I keep a running list of items I need from WM and check to see what can be shipped prior to actually going into my local store. It just makes sense to have items delivered for free to my covered deck instead of having to load them into my car trunk then unload and carry bags from the car into the house. And if the delivery box is too heavy to pick up I am able to open in on the deck and carry lighter weight bags inside at my leisure. Even though not everything is available for shipping anything that makes life a little easier at no cost to me is a win / win in my books,
I agree. I can’t pull heavy packages in. But when a neighbor goes by and sees a big package, they will bring it over the door threshold for me.
I live in a rural area and there are no food deliveries of any kind. Only things from the US postal service, UPS and Fed-X. Hope the plumbing company can fix the leak quickly and correctly.
I live in a very rural area. FedEx, UPS, and the USPS are the only ones that deliver to me also!
Well, I’m very fortunate that I can get at least Amazon to deliver here correctly. Since I can’t go out, I don’t have any other choice.
It would be my guess that restaurants use the people they can get to deliver food, probably not the most determined to give good service, probably great turnover and no one ever gets really good at it. I would look carefully at the frozen foods you can order from Walmart or Reesor’s and stick them in the microwave. The Bob Evans ready to eat foods, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and a few different meats are really pretty good and would make several meals for you and there are so many other choices too. For a short time until you can walk better you could use your stool and eat at the kitchen counter so you won’t have to carry anything to the table, then you’re ready to just stick what’s left in the fridge and put the dishes in the dishwasher. Just practice flexibility and you’ll be able to do about whatever you want. As they say, where there’s a will there’s a way and you can do it!
I am so exhausted from having to drive this scooter over carpet all day that I just get what I can fast. Sometimes it’s peanut butter folded into a piece of bread.
I so hope that they can fix the water leak without a lengthy and disruptive process. It would make me so nervous having that going on.
The food delivery problem is so strange because as you say, Amazon seems to find you just fine. Not right that you pre-pay and then don’t get your order.
I took a look at the meal delivery site, and the food looks delicious. My issue with it would be having to recycle all those boxes and containers. It’s a lot of packaging.
Thinking of you and Ivy, wishing for the best!
I know it is. But then there is packaging with anything you buy from the grocery as well.
It seems to me you are spending a lot on food delivery. Not frugal at all.
When did she say she was being frugal? What business is it of any of ours?
Well said Kelly! Brenda never said anything about being frugal! As you said, it isn’t any of our business anyway!
I think Leah is commenting on it because in the past Brenda has had posts about frugality. Brenda is very knowledgeable about how the internet works and posted recently how she writes posts according to what will get hits on the algorithm. That’s how she makes her money. 19 people commenting on a post is not paying her rent, constant Amazon shopping, iced tea, and food delivery service for her home. She knows how this works!
What Gin said is true. Plus this ankle thing has been going on for a very long time. I don’t have the energy or strength to do a whole lot because I was worn down long before surgery. I’m not paying the housekeeper right now, so food is my main objective. Frugality is wonderful and I’ve practiced that in the past, but this ankle problem has pretty much turned my world upside down over the last 10+ years.
Brenda, have you thought of meal delivery service? I know many people who use Tovala, and love it. I personally have never used or eaten it but it may be the way to go with now.
The meals are pre-cooked and you heat them in the microwave.
Just a suggestion.
Yes, I’ve checked into many services like that and used one. The problem was that the refrigerated box they put the food into I couldn’t manage to carry to the dumpster before I even moved to this apartment. It was way too heavy. So I had to cancel it.
SPEND SOME MONEY
TO SAVE SOME
MONEY
OR HOW TO SAVE
THE DELIVERY
If my order needed more to quality for free or next day service I would spend the extra money in something I use often to receive it.
I sure don’t blame you and agree. I can’t get out or even walk to the sidewalk right now, so I’m extremely dependent on delivery services.
All deliveries can and will have challenges. Thankfully, I haven’t experienced any issues with anyone except the post office. Leaves me baffled and scratching my head.
I hope the plumbing issue is an easy repair. Fingers crossed!
Try to make the best of your day, Brenda!
Yes, and I agree this would be true of any company. But the food delivery for me has been the very worst. They don’t seem to even try very hard and they’ve already got my tip.
Oh my gosh. So sorry re food orders never delivered properly Brenda. So frustrating. Then, you either have to go hungry, or reorder. Jeesh.
Thankfully, we’ve never had the problem with take out/ restaurant food.
Other issues though ,,,,, store purchases have been dropped off at another address.
Really bizarre bc our address is in huge white numbers.
Glad that hasn’t happened for awhile.
I am really concerned 😟 re your kitchen floor.
All of it that’s been damaged.
Hoping for the best outcome for you Brenda.
I have no idea where I’d go or anything else I’d do if that happened to me.
Only thing going through my mind would be staying at a nearby hotel or motel that accepts pets.
Thinking of you with these difficult things you must cope with now. Upsetting.
Is it possible to shower at your daughter’s house?
Hope so Brenda.
If the leak is in a place that a faucet can easily be added outside then can you ask for that or pay for that?
Excellent idea Dianne.
It’s a wall that adjoins another apartment.
I have my address on the front door and I put one on the back patio wall as well. Doesn’t seem to help.