Delivery apps externalize downturns onto drivers

Delivery platforms keep orders flowing in lean times by using algorithmic tiers that require drivers to accept many low‑ or no‑tip jobs to retain access to better‑paid ones. This design makes the service feel 'affordable' to consumers while pushing the recession’s pain onto gig workers, masking true demand softness. — It challenges headline readings of consumer resilience and inflation by revealing a hidden labor subsidy embedded in platform incentives.