Meituan, Ele.ma Increase Delivery Times Amid Criticism

To prevent delivery drivers from violating traffic rules in the rush to meet deadlines, Meituan Dianping and Ele.ma, China’s two major food delivery platforms, appealed to customers to voluntarily give delivery people extra minutes through the app. But many users lashed back, arguing that the company’s dispatch algorithms are to blame for putting their drivers at risk. The apps determine the shortest route and the time for delivery while ignoring many issues on the ground, such as traffic jams and long waits while food is prepared. Couriers also complained that the apps often give them more orders than they can handle during peak hours. Netizens said that the real solution is to improve the apps’ algorithms rather than shifting responsibility to customers.