DoorDash CEO Tony Xu has strongly denied explosive Reddit claims suggesting the food delivery app uses a “desperation score” to calculate driver pay.
The Reddit post, which went viral over the weekend, alleged that DoorDash tracks how urgently drivers need cash and adjusts their earnings accordingly.
The anonymous poster, claiming to be a developer for a major delivery platform, wrote that drivers are treated as “human assets” and that internal systems are designed to maximize company profits at their expense.
They also claimed that “priority delivery” features are a scam and that tips from generous customers are used to reduce driver pay.
According to the NYPost, Xu, co-founder and CEO of DoorDash, responded on X with an expletive-filled post: “Holy f—king s—it is right! This is not DoorDash, and I would fire anyone who promoted or tolerated the kind of culture described in this Reddit post. There’s so much wrong with this post.”
In a company blog post, DoorDash reiterated its denial, saying, “We do not—and would never—use something like a ‘Desperation Score.’ Period. This is a horrific term, and an even more horrific concept. We are not tracking how much cash Dashers have and determining pay based on that. This is not what we do, or even how we think about how Dashers earn.”
DoorDash CEO responds to Reddit post claiming app uses ‘desperation score’ to set driver pay: ‘Holy f–king s–t’ https://t.co/sRfQlhWUMR pic.twitter.com/7cBqCojbLG
— NY Post Business (@nypostbiz) January 5, 2026
DoorDash Denies Viral Reddit Claims
The post also addressed other allegations, clarifying that DoorDash has never referred to drivers as “human assets,” does not scam users with priority delivery, and does not funnel fees from customers to lobby against driver unions, Yahoo reported.
“What’s described here is appalling, and if true, whoever is operating in this manner should be ashamed,” Xu added.
The Reddit claims, though unverified and possibly even AI-generated, spread rapidly on social media, prompting debate among drivers and consumers about algorithmic management practices.
DoorDash’s spokesperson emphasized that the company “does not use and has not used these features, including the desperation score, and our comments are about our company and our company alone.”
The controversy emerges amid growing scrutiny over algorithmic practices in the gig economy.
Last month, a report revealed that Instacart charged different prices to customers at major retailers depending on location, sparking discussions in Congress about regulating algorithms and their effects on workers.
For now, DoorDash insists that its pay structure for drivers, known as Dashers, is transparent and fair.
“We are committed to providing Dashers with reliable pay and opportunities, and these claims do not reflect how we operate,” the company wrote.
Originally published on vcpost.com