Denver’s Last Mile: The People and Patterns of Third-Party Food Delivery in Denver, Colorado
Topics: Food Systems
, Digital Geographies
, Urban Geography
Keywords: food delivery, digital platforms, social justice, gig economy, urban geography
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Tuesday
Session Start / End Time: 3/1/2022 03:40 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 3/1/2022 05:00 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 19
Authors:
Hillary Quarles, University of Colorado Denver
Gregory Simon, University of Colorado Denver
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Abstract
The global online food delivery sector is staggering with over $70.7 billion orders and 704.7 million customers in 2020 (Ajot, 2021) and 13.9% revenue growth in 2021 alone (Statista, 2021). Yet, online food delivery from platforms, such as Uber Eats and Grubhub, focus on growth rather than profits, using revenue-generating mechanisms to acquire, retain, compel and control users in their pursuit of long-term profitability. This explosive growth in the last mile of the food supply chain affects real people making everyday decisions on what to eat for dinner, how to get it and where to eat it. It also affects the people in local stores and restaurants who provide the food, as well as people who pick up and deliver food to earn money. Understanding how food delivery platforms engage with and extract profit from each of these users is critical to understanding both how the platforms operate and how they influence our world. This research uses online surveys, semi-structured interviews and analysis of driving data to examine the strategies that platform participants use to resist algorithmic control, reduce vulnerability and increase earnings. We conclude that online food delivery is changing our relationship to food and altering urban geography, raising critical questions about social justice, food access, and the gig economy.
Denver’s Last Mile: The People and Patterns of Third-Party Food Delivery in Denver, Colorado
Category
Virtual Paper Abstract
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