2023 Food Delivery Is Not Short on Riders

A single bad review triggers a 500-yuan fine; lateness or early leave gets the same penalty. With virtually no regard for whether they stay or go, new labor force entrants have topped nearly 1 million annually over recent years, pushing the delivery rider pool to nearly 8 million this year. Referral bonuses for new hires have plummeted from 3,000 yuan to 1,000 yuan.

Average daily orders per rider have dropped from 40 to 20 as the workload gets spread thin. Commission per order has shrunk from 15 yuan to just 9 yuan.

Map out your exit strategy early—don’t trade your life away for dead-end grinds.

Delivery Riders: Crowded to the Brink