If you’ve ever ordered a cheeky kebab or a piping hot burger through Uber Eats, you probably expect your meal to arrive quickly, safely, and at your front door.

Yet, a troubling trend is emerging, frustrating Aussie customers and hurting small business owners.

And the worst part? It’s unfolding right under our noses.


John tried to contact the driver, who simply replied, ‘I’m coming,’ but continued to dawdle.

For a busy small business, every minute counts—especially when hungry customers are waiting.

‘Mate, you don’t like it? Cancel the job. Give it to someone who’s close by,’ John vented.


‘You cannot. This is not fair.’

But the problem doesn’t end with late pickups. John explained that if he gives the driver a negative rating for the delay, there’s a real risk the driver could retaliate by leaving a bad review for his business on Google.

‘Is this fair? Is this justice?’ he asked, echoing the concerns of countless other small business owners who feel trapped by a system that can punish them for speaking up.


And it’s not just kebab shops feeling the heat. Social media is awash with stories from frustrated customers and business owners alike.

One user shared, ‘I had one say they had picked it up, but the store rang me to say they hadn’t. I told them I’d pick it up, and in the meantime, the driver cancelled the order. I got a refund and the food. Some drivers are very dodgy.’

Another added, ‘Lately my Uber orders are cold. The problem is they are multi-lapping and have three or four orders at the same time.’

This practice, known as ‘stacking’ or ‘multi-lapping’, means drivers accept multiple orders at once, often leading to delays and cold food for everyone involved.

But the dodgy behaviour doesn’t stop there. In a particularly brazen case, Corey Davis, a retail worker in Adelaide, ordered a feast for himself and his colleagues.

CCTV footage showed the Uber Eats driver taking a photo of the food on the kerb to ‘prove’ delivery, only to pick it up again and drive off with the meal!

After lodging a complaint, Corey was offered a flat $25 refund—hardly compensation for a stolen lunch and a ruined workday.

So, what’s going on here? The Uber Eats rating system is supposed to keep everyone honest, allowing both customers and drivers to leave feedback.

But for small businesses, the threat of ‘revenge reviews’—where a driver retaliates with a bad public review—can be devastating.

A single negative review can hurt a business’s reputation and bottom line, making some owners reluctant to report poor service.

John Jenkins and others are calling on Uber to fix the system. ‘This is causing businesses big problems. If you don’t fix it, you will lose a lot of customers,’ John warned.

And he’s not wrong—trust is everything in the world of food delivery.
Have you had a dodgy delivery experience? Have you ever received cold food, or worse, had your meal go missing? We’d love to hear your stories—share your experiences in the comments below.

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