Even if you haven’t personally DoorDashed yourself into financial ruin, if you’re a young adult, chances are you at least know someone who has. Maybe it was your roommate who could never pay rent on time, but always had a bag of cold food at the doorstep. Or an ex who would happily spend twice the price from a restaurant just to avoid leaving the house on date night. For a generation raised with digital immediacy, food delivery apps feel less like a luxury and more like a harmless habit. At least until you check your bank account.

Of course young adults who might be juggling university level coursework, a job or two, and hopefully an internship at some point, might be relying heavily on food delivery. Especially when grocery store trips and meal prepping barely fit into the schedule. But how much is the convenience really costing us? 

Around the Covid-19 pandemic era, I had gotten myself into a terrible DoorDash rut. With nationwide partial shutdowns and social distancing regulations, I, like many other working Americans, relied on food delivery services to bring me dinner. As a part-time, minimum wage employee, the additional delivery fees and tips were so incredibly taxing on my already crippling wages. It wasn’t until after a few months, I realized that my savings growth was anemic. And that was it: I had to delete the DoorDash app from my life forever. 

A couple of years later, a coworker of mine divulged to me that her roommates weren’t paying rent. She explained to me that both roommates were somewhat physically disabled and would order DoorDash daily to avoid the physical limitations of going to the grocery store or needing to stand while cooking. Some days, they were ordering DoorDash for breakfast, lunch, and dinner from places like Waffle House or Zaxby’s. Soon, the food delivery fees slowly ate through their weekly earnings before they could even pay the due rent. 

And I’m certain almost everyone around my age has a similar story, or at least knows someone who does. Somehow, the DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub apps always seem to find their way into our lives when we’re at our lowest points. But when you look at the statistics, the story isn’t just anecdotal. According to a survey conducted by DoorDash, 50% of users have an annual household income of less than $75,000. 33% of DoorDash users have an annual household income of less than $35,000. 

So even though food delivery apps are considered “luxury” services, most users are middle to low income earners. 

DoorDash: Gen Z’s Avocado Toast

Over the years, there’s been a lot of discourse over Gen Z’s spending habits. Industry-fueled panic over Gen Z consumers refraining from buying houses or diamonds or luxury handbags has resulted in countless articles launched by publications like The Economist or the Wall Street Journal trying to answer one question: why can’t Gen Z afford anything? 

You’ll find example after example of journalists pointing their fingers at the frivolous purchases young adults are likely to make like Starbucks coffee and Chinese takeout, framing Gen Z’s economic situation as a poverty of choice. 

The accusation is intellectually dishonest. Gen Z has 86% less purchasing power than baby boomers did in their twenties. Adjusted for today’s dollar, the median home sale price has doubled since the 1970’s. College tuition has tripled. 

Out-of-touch political pundits love to blame Gen Z for the economic trap we face, but the problem with that argument is that it confuses symptoms with causes. Yes, young people spend irresponsibly. We buy overpriced coffee, order takeout, and make impulse purchases instead of saving for major expenses. But these habits didn’t create the conditions that made homeownership, education, and financial security increasingly inaccessible. “Doom spending”, the habit of spending on small, immediate gratification when long-term goals feel unattainable, is a symptom of that insecurity. When a down payment can take years to save, it’s easy to understand why young people prioritize small luxuries like DoorDash instead.

Is doom spending blow out of proportion, or is DoorDash and other apps to blame? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!