Change demanded from SkipTheDishes, Uber Eats

Ride-share, delivery companies pushed to improve Some Edmonton restaurants are calling for improvements from services like SkipTheDishes and Uber Eats. CTV Edmonton’s Regan Hasegawa reports.

Some local Edmonton eateries are demanding improvements from food courier services like Uber Eats and SkipTheDishes.

Concerns relayed to CTV News fell in two categories: impact on businesses, and fair working conditions.

About 10 per cent of Prairie Noodle Shop’s business comes from Uber Eats, equalling between 30 and 40 orders every day.

But owner Eric Hanson estimates one in 10 delivery orders has an issue: “When maps don't work. When numbers get crossed and the food goes to the wrong person and somebody who has an allergy end up with the food.  They can't eat it they're frustrated they're call us.”

Northern Chicken’s Andrew Cowan had a similar story, but with a different service.

“SkipTheDishes has been a little bit of a nightmare on our end,” he said. “I've actually driven orders out to people for SkipTheDishes on numerous occasions because they couldn't get drivers here for hours.”

He believes the company lists too many restaurants without hiring enough workers.

Eventually, the restaurant removed itself from the service altogether, only appearing on Uber Eats.

Of the two services, only SkipTheDishes provided comment to CTV News.

A spokesperson called restaurant partners Skip’s “number one priority.”

“We work directly with hundreds of Edmonton restaurants on the Skip network every day to unlock how we can best support and grow their businesses,” a statement from the company read.

The company said it is continuously working to improve the network, but that delivery times in the Edmonton region average 34 minutes.

Cowan also told CTV News he shares concerns with those expressed by ride-share service drivers in the U.S., who have gone on strike over compensation.

Food couriers through Uber Eats and drivers do not make an hourly wage; they collect through delivery fees and customer tips.

Some Edmonton businesses have joined companies and customers in the U.S. in a boycott of ride-share companies like Uber and Lyft to show solidarity with striking employees.

Northern Chicken’s owner said he hopes the issues with the services can be resolved.

“There is a lot of good to it, but it's a new thing we're still working the kinks out,” Cowan said.

With files from Regan Hasegawa