Food delivery platforms are pushed to improve timer systems for delivers’ benefits

Eleme and Meituan, two major players in the food delivery field, were recently accused of deploying shortened delivery time limits to maximise orders and reap profits by risking couriers’ safety. Both companies quickly responded to the criticism by rolling out an option for users to extend the delivery time by an extra five or ten minutes so that deliverers won’t be fined for not strictly complying with the constraints. However the countermeasure received a backlash as unsatisfactory customers denouncing the system as being designed for the company benefits at a cost to both users and couriers.