DoorDash and Postmates are two private San Francisco-based delivery companies with an intense rivalry. However, that didn’t prevent the two companies from floating the idea of a merger in 2018. The merger, which never materialized, was meant to make the two companies a united front that could take on industry leaders GrubHub, UberEats, and Amazon. That’s an understandable goal, considering that analysts recently predicted that by 2022, 11% of all restaurant sales will be delivery orders, up from 6% in 2018.
Postmates, which has been hinting at an IPO, advertises that it will deliver anything but generally leans on delivering restaurant orders. DoorDash is all about delivering food, but is said to be exploring “more options.”
What’s it like to work for DoorDash or Postmates? And how does DoorDash’s company culture compare to Postmates’ company culture? Below we dive into anonymous responses from employees at both companies to paint a picture of employee sentiment – positive and negative.
OVERALL CULTURE
Neither company has a particularly high culture score, which is something we’ve seen before with businesses that revolve around independent contractors and the gig economy. DoorDash workers criticize “the morals and the ethics of the company.” One says, “Working here is depressing, I feel like a robot and a broken record because I literally do the same thing every day.”
Of Postmates’ culture, employees say, “It’s a very laidback atmosphere, which makes coming to work much more enjoyable.” One worker complains, however, that “we don’t have any support system that helps.” It’s worth noting here that women alone rate Postmates’ culture five points lower at 59.
CEO
About DoorDash’s leadership, one employee writes, “Leadership team needs to care about the staff as well as the drivers. So many people are fed up with DoorDash’s antics.”
Postmates’ Bastian Lehmann “can be funny and motivational when things are going well, and he has the long-term vision necessary to drive the company forward.”
COMPENSATION
Neither company rated particuarly high for compensation, a common complaint among similar “gig” businesses, like Uber and Lyft.
About DoorDash, one employee writes simply, “Pay needs to be better.” Another says, “Dashers who work full time should have bonsuses, or some other form of incentive.”
Of Postmates’ pay, an ex-employee writes that they were “working long hours and making very little.” Another writes, “They pay slave wages. They make record profits.”
PERKS AND BENEFITS
One DoorDash employee appreciates that workers get stock options: ‘I feel ownership in my company, and am excited that I have a connection to the growth/success of the company.”
An employee of Postmates writes, “They provide a free membership to health coverage through Blue Cross of California. They also give three weeks PTO, but they don’t provide great job security. Proceed at your own risk.”
Women at both companies rank their perks and benefits scores lower. Female employees gave DoorDash’s perks and benefits program a 57 (8 points below the average) and Postmates’ package a 35 (7 points lower than the average.)
GENDER
DIVERSITY
DoorDash employees say they have a “very diverse workplace envinronment.” Women rate DoorDash’s diversity higher by 5 points, at 72.
Of Postmates, one writes, “It’s a mostly white staff.” Women rate Postmates’ gender score a full 10 points lower at 59. They also rate the company’s diversity score a full 12 points lower at 50.
