If one thing is certain in our small little town, the people of Marion County love their food. It’s one of the most common topics on conversation in any workplace, at the store or at the ballpark. However, for the longest time, the only food that could be delivered was pizza. That’s no longer the case with Waitr and DoorDash now in town.
For those unfamiliar with the premise of the food delivery services, Waitr and DoorDash are app-based companies that work as a third-party to deliver food from restaurants that don’t have delivery drivers themselves. So now when Marion Countians want to order from their favorite eatery and don’t want to sit in the restaurant, go through a drive-through or wait outside for curbside pickup, they can now use Waitr or DoorDash and have their favorite meals delivered directly to their front door.
“You go onto the app, order it, pay for it and the restaurant gets the order and calls out one of the drivers,” Dawn Pursell Gonzalez, who delivers for both Waitr and DoorDash, said. “We get the order on our (phone) and can either accept it or deny it. If we accept it, we go to the restaurant and bring (the food) to you.”
But there are some things customers need to know. Because most of the people in the county live in rural areas and it can be difficult to navigate simply to an address, it’s advised that customers write in some distinctive directions or tips for the delivery drivers, according to Sidney Martin, who works with both companies.
“We need to know which house is yours,” she said. “I don’t like delivering stuff to the wrong house. I’m having to spend time calling and asking ‘Which one is yours? Where am I supposed to go?’ I like getting my stuff delivered and being done with it because I know people like their food hot. Just give us some little unique description of your house so I know I’m going to the right one.”
Within both apps, there’s a place to write in specific instructions to tell the driver which house it is, what door to go to, whether to knock or ring the doorbell, etc.
Gonzalez said it’s important for customers to know that the service fees don’t go to the delivery driver. The drivers make their money on tips, just like servers. Oftentimes customers get confused, believing the fees are the tip, when it reality the majority of that money goes to the company.
Gonzalez’s daughter, Haley, also drives for Waitr. Haley said it’s important for customers to know that the wait time isn’t always accurate. Sometimes it will say 40 minutes, but it will only take 20 minutes if the driver is fast. Others it will say the wait time is 40 minutes and it could take an hour if the restaurant is backed up.
“Right now restaurants are understaffed,” Dawn Pursell Gonzalez said. “It’s a nationwide problem, and wait times can take a little longer.”
While the delivery services are new to the immediate area, Gonzalez has been delivering for them for two years. She started in McComb when McComb first got it, then started delivering part time in Hattiesburg during her two days off from work at a gas station. Last year, she quit her job at the gas station and started delivering full time because she loves it.
“I love not being in the same place all day long. You’re seeing different people, seeing different restaurants,” she said. “I love driving, so it’s not really a job to me.”
DoorDash delivers for Osaka Japanese Express, Subway, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Walgreen’s, Wendy’s and more, while Waitr delivers for Broad Street Restaurant, Second Street Bean, Popeye’s, Angel’s Sugar Shack, Debbie’s Sandwich Shop, Southern Fried Rabbit, Azteca, Bogie’s, Los Reyes and more.
DoorDash started delivering in the county April 27, with Waitr soon following in May. There is also UberEats, which came to the area in February, available as well.
