DoorDash, You're a Loser

Turns out if you’re a major corporation dumping millions of dollars behind a candidate, that doesn’t automatically guarantee they’ll win a primary election. That’s what DoorDash found out last night, when disgraced former governor Andrew Cuomo, the mayoral candidate that the food delivery service put their money behind, was crushed by Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani in a historic victory within the Democratic Party.

Mamdani had received the approval of Los Deliveristas Unidos, a group organizing the some 65,000 app-based delivery workers who “transport billions of dollars of goods each year yet do not benefit from minimum wage or workplace safety protections because they are classified as independent contractors,” according to their website.

In addition to advocating for the minimum wage to increase to $30 per hour by 2030, another one of Mamdani’s campaign promises was to regulate delivery apps: “Traveling around the city at breakneck speeds, app-based delivery workers now hold the most dangerous job in NYC. Despite the immense risks these workers face every day, deliveristas — 80,000 Black, brown, and immigrant workers — are exploited by the app companies who demand they complete deliveries at a dangerous pace,” Mamdani stated as part of his platform. His campaign put forth policy solutions such as “licensure requirements for delivery apps, expand capacity and resources to support deliveristas, and improve street infrastructure including expanding Department of Transportation e-bike programs and investing in deliverista hubs.”

By contrast, earlier this year, Politico reported that DoorDash had given $1 million — then “the single largest donation in the race” — to a Super PAC, Fix the City, backing Cuomo. It’s part of a larger, expensive spending spree the company has gone on to lobby councilmembers. DoorDash had also reportedly paid its staff to lobby, according to the publication. At the time of the donation, Cuomo was expected to be the frontrunner in the primary race.

“In recent years, we’ve seen a wave of policies emerge from New York City that, while well-intentioned, have often had unintended consequences,” John Horton, DoorDash’s head of public policy for North America, said in a statement to Politico at the time. “These policies have made it harder for local businesses, Dashers, and consumers to thrive. We’re committed to supporting leaders who prioritize practical, pro-local economy solutions that encourage growth and innovation. In New York’s mayoral race, we believe Governor Cuomo represents the kind of leadership that can deliver on those goals.”

In 2024, a bill — which was sponsored by Mamdani’s cross-endorsed candidate, Comptroller Brad Lander — was passed and became a law to raise the minimum wage for New York delivery drivers. Uber, GrubHub, and DoorDash sued over it, claiming they would have to have to raise the fees they charge consumers and limit the number of workers who can work on their apps to offset the higher minimum wage, the suit argued. While the minimum wage is now indeed higher for such workers, apps have made it harder to tip, obscuring its location on-site, which was perceived as “retaliation” by app critics. In 2020, DoorDash added a $1.50 “Chicago Fee” in response to the Midwest city’s fee caps that the delivery service could charge restaurants. In 2021, the major delivery app players sued over delivery fee caps in New York.

In a statement to Eater, Antonio Solis, a Los Deliveristas Unidos organizing leader from Astoria said: “We are so encouraged to see that the majority of New Yorkers are focused on policies that will address the working class people of our city and their needs instead of prioritizing the interests of exploitative corporations that steal wages and use those funds to support campaigns in the hopes of protecting their ability to prey on workers. When the working class unites in solidarity for its own interests, it is an unstoppable power for change.”

Horton, via a DoorDash spokesperson, said in a follow-up to Eater: “We believe strongly in supporting policies that help our community of merchants, Dashers, and consumers thrive, including in New York City. That’s why we supported a slate of pro-local economy candidates in the June primary and are glad to see the majority of them currently winning their races. We are committed to working with New York City’s new leaders to find pragmatic solutions to the problems facing the city.” DoorDash also clarified that it put its money behind several other key races in New York, according to a Crain’s report. A spokesperson for the food delivery company added that the candidates they’ve supported span across the “ideological spectrum in municipal races in NYC this cycle” — most of whom are leading in the first round of voting.

Mamdani hasn’t won officially yet, though: While ranked-choice ballots are tabulated for the Democratic primary mayoral hopeful, Cuomo conceded, but his campaign is weighing whether he may run as an independent in November — as Mayor Eric Adams plans to do as well.

This post has been updated with a statement from DoorDash.