Food delivery drivers can be hit or miss. While some are speedy, careful, and friendly, others will steal your food or give you an entirely wrong order. Speaking from experience, it can be awfully disappointing to receive someone else’s salad when you ordered cheese fries. One DoorDash driver is combating the negative stereotypes by going above and beyond for a customer after they had some over-the-top requests, and his exemplary customer service skills had people singing his praises..
A driver shared in a Reddit post a unique situation he experienced while completing an order that required him to shop for the customer’s order and then deliver it. The customer’s only initial request was for the driver to use the self-checkout, rather than going through a checkout lane with a cashier.
The driver proceeded to send a picture of the items on the self-checkout machine to show that he got the correct products and that he was complying with the customer’s request. However, this is where things took a turn.
The customer replied with concerns about the items touching the machine, explaining, “I have major anxieties and germophobia. That’s why I asked you to use self-checkout, so that it wouldn’t touch anything. I thought normally people just scan the items and put them directly into a bag?” They then asked the driver to go back, get new items off the shelf, and check out again following their demands.
Reddit
The driver happily complied, saying, “I understand your issues and will do my best to accommodate your requests!” He revealed in the Reddit post that other DoorDash drivers in his area always decline taking orders for this customer to avoid dealing with their particular requests. Though he said the customer tipped well, he also claimed, “It’s obvious that they have major OCD but DoorDash should inform us prior to accepting offer that an order requires special care and attention.”
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People with similar conditions shared how much they appreciated the lengths this driver was willing to go for this customer. One user wrote, “I am not a germaphobe but have OCD, and the intrusive thoughts are just, even if I know they aren’t rational, are so convincing and consuming. Thank you for providing so much kindness to that person. I know how triggering someone with OCD can be to whomever is helping them, and it was really cool to see this post.”
Others were even inspired to start preparing for customers with these kinds of requests. Another user said, “I’m going to stash a pair of disposable gloves in my car’s first aid kit, just in case. Even if I never use them for delivery, it makes sense to add them, just in case of emergency.”
And while there’s no denying that this DoorDash driver was amazing and should be applauded for showing kindness to his customer, there’s still something that doesn’t sit quite right about the interaction. Mainly, DoorDash is not a specialty delivery service that pays its drivers extra for customers with extensive requirements due to a medical diagnosis. It’s like asking a driver to put the groceries away for an elderly or disabled individual. That extra care and time should be compensated and not left to a chance tip.
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On the other hand, other users pointed out that the driver did too much. One noted, “I would have just told them I went through the self checkout and stopped with all of the pics. Not only for quickness sake, but also not to agitate the customer.” Though it would’ve saved the driver a lot of time and effort, this might not have been the best approach.
The onus of finding a delivery service to provide the services requested was on the customer with the disability. Special instructions for DoorDash drivers should not actually put the service worker out and make it more difficult to do their job. If the customer has severe OCD and germophobia, it should not become something the DoorDash driver should accommodate. Instead, services for disabled adults are available in most communities, but even more importantly, this customer needs to prioritize seeking help.
fizkes | Shutterstock
Research from 2020 concluded that OCD affects about 2-3% of the general population. About 46% of those who have OCD experience severe contamination fears, often causing overwhelming stress and anxiety. Sometimes, OCD can become so extreme that people are unable to leave their houses. That kind of disability requires professional treatment and should not be ignored.
As one commenter wrote from experience, “I also have diagnosed OCD that is fairly severe and this dude needs to: Go and get some help with his contamination OCD Do [stuff] for himself if he is going to be that specific. This shouldn’t fall on either you or doordash.”
The driver’s kindness likely meant a lot to this customer, and there’s absolutely no doubt that he should be commended for going the extra mile. That doesn’t mean, however, that a driver who chooses not to is not a good person. This particular instance should only be viewed as an exception, not a rule. Unless you work for a service that has paid, trained drivers that specialize in grocery delivery for individuals with germophobia and OCD, a regular DoorDash driver does not get paid enough to follow these incredibly detailed and specific steps.
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Kayla Asbach is a writer currently working on her bachelor’s degree at the University of Central Florida. She covers relationships, psychology, self-help, pop culture, and human interest topics.
