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- EATING 🍕 IN RIDESHARE VEHICLE?
EATING 🍕 IN RIDESHARE VEHICLE?
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— By Chuck Driver —
As a rideshare driver, each day brings a new set of challenges and surprises.
While many of us start this journey with a positive outlook—eager to provide great service and make a decent living— reality frequently throws some uncomfortable scenarios our way.
One of the most challenging situations? When passengers choose to eat during their ride.
Imagine this scenario: you pick up a lively group of women who are having a fun night out, hopping from one bar to another. They’ve just picked up a pizza before calling their Uber, and as soon as they jump into your vehicle, they eagerly open the pizza box and start digging in.
Now you find yourself in a bit of a dilemma.
What’s the right move?
You want to keep your vehicle clean, but you also don’t want to come across as rude to your passengers.
While many drivers understand that people lead busy lives and sometimes need to eat on the go, it can create an awkward dynamic. As the smell of greasy pizza permeates your vehicle, you can't help but think about greasy fingerprints on your seats and door handles, along with crumbs scattered across the floor.
It’s frustrating, and you can’t help but wonder: how is this even fair?
It can feel awkward to say no to a rider who insists on eating during the trip. After all, who wants to seem rude? But if you assert your boundaries, you risk a retaliatory bad rating or a false safety complaint.
It’s a delicate balance between keeping your car clean and ensuring a pleasant experience for your riders. And let’s be honest—you might as well kiss that tip goodbye once you assert your “no eating” policy.
And what happens when you establish your boundaries by telling the rider they can’t eat, yet they proceed to munch away in your car anyway?
They have not only shown a lack of respect by starting to eat without your approval, but they also carry on as if they’re entitled to do so—insisting, “I can eat in here.” As frustration sets in, your thoughts start to race, and your heart begins to pound as you wonder, “How can someone be so disrespectful?”
Passengers Get Kicked Out For Eating Pizza
This scenario unfolded recently in a viral Instagram video featuring a rideshare driver who was likely dealing with intoxicated passengers, unaware of how disrespectful they were being by ignoring his “no eating” request and continuing to snack.
It’s clear that they were confused and possibly slurring their words. However, it’s important to remember that behavior while intoxicated often reflects your true self when sober. As a result, drivers may encounter entitled passengers, as demonstrated by their dismissive “I can eat!” response to repeated requests to stop.
So, what are the driver’s next steps?
He has a few choices:
Do nothing and let them continue eating, resulting in him spending the rest of the ride grumbling as his car becomes greasy and smelly. This not only shows a lack of respect for the driver but also encourages entitled behavior without any repercussions, enabling these riders to repeat the same disrespectful actions with other rideshare drivers.
Stand his ground by canceling the ride and telling them to leave his vehicle, clearly stating that inappropriate behavior has consequences. However, this approach carries the risk of account suspension or deactivation if they decide to submit a retaliatory false complaint.
This driver opted for the second option by standing his ground and asking the two women to exit his vehicle. After being patient and offering them multiple gentle reminders, he reached his breaking point. “I told you that you can’t eat in here…I’m going to cancel, you can find another Uber or Lyft.”
As the driver began to pull over and come to a stop, both women appeared taken aback and startled by his actions. One woman seemed completely unaware and even more confused, while the other, who was more confrontational, shifted from shock to agitation.
Once she realized that their pizza-eating trip was coming to an end, she began to unleash a barrage of insults for asking them to leave the car.
Then it appeared that she was about to threaten the driver by saying she would report him to the rideshare company, likely planning to make a false accusation of misconduct that could result in his account being temporarily suspended while they investigated it—or, even worse, lead to permanent deactivation.
“I’ll make sure that you…” This was how she started her threat before the driver interrupted her, informing her that he had a dash camera and that the entire encounter was being recorded.
Remarkably, the driver managed to keep his composure at first. Reiterating that he had politely asked them multiple times not to eat in his vehicle and directly called out her behavior, stating that it was “very disrespectful.”
However, the women weren’t finished—they argued that eating in his vehicle was acceptable if they “weren’t making a mess.” He responded with reason, pointing out that there was a sign indicating that eating was not allowed and that they should adhere to the rules of his vehicle out of “respect for other people’s property.”
Passengers might believe that eating in a rideshare vehicle is no big deal or that it’s part of the service they’re paying for. However, it is a big deal, and it’s not what they’re actually paying for. Drivers are responsible for getting riders safely from one location to another, not to act as their maid—cleaning up crumbs or babysitting overly intoxicated drunks.
As the rideshare driver in the viral video rightfully pointed out: “This isn’t public transportation.” Rideshare drivers use their personal vehicles, which they want their riders to respect.
Although the majority of rideshare passengers are friendly and most trips run smoothly, there are instances like this that can put drivers in uncomfortable situations.
You might feel uncomfortable saying no to a rider who insists they need to eat during the ride. It’s a challenging balance to strike between keeping your vehicle clean and providing an enjoyable experience for your passengers.
So, what can drivers do to navigate these awkward situations?
Establish Clear Boundaries: Set your rules at the start of the ride. Politely communicate your preferences about food and drinks. A simple acknowledgment like, “Your pizza smells delicious, but I have a no-eating policy in my car,” can make a significant difference by politely setting the tone.
Utilize App Features: Take advantage of the tools provided by the rideshare app to report any issues right after the trip. And be honest when rating your passengers. You’re not being petty—you're helping future drivers by providing valuable feedback.
Stay Professional: Keeping your composure and professionalism in uncomfortable situations can be challenging, but it often helps to ease any tension. If a rider puts you in an uncomfortable spot, maintaining a friendly attitude can help keep the ride enjoyable, even in awkward situations.
Know When to Walk Away: If a rider’s demands become unreasonable or the situation feels unsafe, don’t hesitate to cancel the ride. Your safety and comfort should always be your top priority.
Never Escalate a Situation: It’s crucial to avoid escalating any conflicts. If a rider becomes confrontational or disrespectful, try to remain calm and redirect the conversation. Engaging in arguments can lead to an unsafe environment for all parties.
Whether it’s about allowing food or drinks, tolerating unruly behavior, or dealing with unwanted conversations, it’s vital for drivers to assert their boundaries in a respectful manner.
This not only helps maintain a positive experience but also protects their access to rideshare platforms.
Unfortunately, drivers often feel silenced by the “customer is always right” mantra, making it challenging to stand up for themselves in these situations.
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