# What do you do when riders bring food in the car?



## atl2nyc (May 20, 2016)

When I pick up outside of the downtown, midtown, buckhead area ( I work in Atlanta), I've found that about 1/3 of my rides are at a restaurant picking up food (these are areas not served by UberEats). I take pride in keeping my car clean and smelling good, but sometimes people hop in the car with some pretty strong smelling items. And in worst case scenarios, they start eating.

I'm curious how you all have handled such situations and if it has effected your ratings. I have told people they can't smoke or vape in my car when they've asked, and they have been very deferential. But when it comes to food, it seems to be a different story. I can't tell who rates me what, but given the timing, I am pretty sure the people who I ask not to eat in my car or to place their food in the trunk (even when I offer to help them out placing it there) are rating me poorly.

Yes, I am very polite about it. Yes, if they insist on keeping it in the main cabin, I let them.

Just curious how you all have handled the situation effectively without getting a ding in your ratings....


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## Fireguy50 (Nov 23, 2015)

Some people have no food drink policy.

I'm a little accepting as long as it's not messy or going to stink up the vehicle.

I'll probably be more strict now that Uber changed the cleaning fee's recently. Uber is sticking with the "typical wear & tear, easily cleaned" no cleaning fee awarded to the Driver's.


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## Hunt to Eat (Nov 19, 2015)

This is a pretty easy situation.
If they're eating when I arrive, I start the trip and have them finish their food and dispose of packaging before entering the car.
If they have food to go, I jump out, open the hatch, and request that food goes in back. If asked why, I tell them that it'll stay hot as the trunk isn't air conditioned. They always thank me.


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## atl2nyc (May 20, 2016)

Fireguy50 said:


> Some people have no food drink policy.
> 
> I'm a little accepting as long as it's not messy or going to stink up the vehicle.
> 
> I'll probably be more strict now that Uber changed the cleaning fee's recently. Uber is sticking with the "typical wear & tear, easily cleaned" no cleaning fee awarded to the Driver's.





Hunt to Eat said:


> This is a pretty easy situation.
> If they're eating wgen I arrive, I start the trip and have them finish their food and dispose of packaging before entering the car.
> If they have food to go, I jump out, open the hatch, and request that food goes in back. If asked why, I tell them that it'll stay hot as the trunk isn't air conditioned. They always thank me.


Thanks for the comments. I'll try the "it stays warmer" in the trunk approach and see if that helps, as people don't seem to sensitive to wanting my car to continue smelling fresh. Now that I have an Uber Eats bag, perhaps it will lend more credence to the "warmer in the trunk" angle....


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## Squirming Like A Toad (Apr 7, 2016)

A lot of my riders are waiters/chefs coming home from work and they usually bring some dinner home. Never had a problem, my van has power fly windows in the back and odors are gone within a minute when I'm driving. The rest of my riders are drunk, and that's very helpful because I don't want the next passenger coming in, smelling alcohol and thinking I'm drunk.

Never had anyone eat in the vehicle, I guess that would be situational. If they spill it, they're paying. I don't react to soft drinks or water, but no alcohol. Open container is legal in CT but if the cops see it they have reasonable suspicion to pull me over to card everyone in the van and also make me blow. Of course I would blow a zero when driving but I'd rather that never happen.


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## lyft_audi (Mar 3, 2016)

I had one guy ask if he could eat a chipolte burrito, I told him I'd rather he didn't and he said ok, no problem.

Still got a good rating from the guy too...

Then once, I picked up, what I like to call, a "drive thru round tripper" who wanted me to take them to wendys drive thru and back home...

The lady handed the kid his bag and I didn't realize until he got out that he was eating greasy ass fries and wiping his hands on my seats... Luckily I have leather seats. The little sh1t even left a couple back there... Grrr

Since then, I have a no eating sign posted in my car


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## Hunt to Eat (Nov 19, 2015)

lyft_audi said:


> I had one guy ask if he could eat a chipolte burrito, I told him I'd rather he didn't and he said ok, no problem.
> 
> Still got a good rating from the guy too...
> 
> ...


Your story should stand as a warning to all who may be inclined to accommodate the bong hit munchies crowd.


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## haveus33nm3 (May 5, 2016)

I picked up a car full of hungry high schoolers one day and they wanted to go to chicfila off Roswell Rd on a 2x surge. Traffic was so bad getting them home I told them it was okay to eat as long as they didn't leave crumbs. They were careful and considerate (raised well). Other than that, hell no to eating on my leather seats.

I had to put a drunk lady out one night because she kept trying to light a cig in my car. I stopped ride, told her to exit car, and emailed support. Uber never did respond.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

I have the spray for the pungent carryout. They do not eat in the car. That goes double for the children.


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## Tool727 (May 18, 2016)

Another Uber Driver said:


> I have the spray for the pungent carryout. They do not eat in the car. That goes double for the children.


Do you use Febreze or an ozone type spray or something else completely?


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

atl2nyc said:


> When I pick up outside of the downtown, midtown, buckhead area ( I work in Atlanta), I've found that about 1/3 of my rides are at a restaurant picking up food (these are areas not served by UberEats). I take pride in keeping my car clean and smelling good, but sometimes people hop in the car with some pretty strong smelling items. And in worst case scenarios, they start eating.
> 
> I'm curious how you all have handled such situations and if it has effected your ratings. I have told people they can't smoke or vape in my car when they've asked, and they have been very deferential. But when it comes to food, it seems to be a different story. I can't tell who rates me what, but given the timing, I am pretty sure the people who I ask not to eat in my car or to place their food in the trunk (even when I offer to help them out placing it there) are rating me poorly.
> 
> ...


Lot of really nice restaurants in New Orleans.
They bring a to go box or bag ,I don't say anything.
If I can smell a lot of garlic butter,I may ask them to be carefull.
I take them to drive through,on the way home on the way to hotels.
Every now and then I may let them eat if they are going from one tourist spot to another.

I had one ride one night,a couple from a pizza restaurant.
They came out with a whole pizza.
We made a side trip to deliver it to his relatives house on their way home.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Tool727 said:


> Do you use Febreze or an ozone type spray or something else completely?


I try to smoke a cigarette right after,then fabreeze and ozium.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

Tool727 said:


> Do you use Febreze or an ozone type spray or something else completely?


Usually, I use Glade(@). I have heard many sing the praises of Ozium, but have yet to try it.


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## Fireguy50 (Nov 23, 2015)

Best stuff I've found that doesn't upset any sensitive riders.


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## Hunt to Eat (Nov 19, 2015)

This is my go-to destinkifier. Several weeks ago a woman commented that she hoped she smelled as nice as my car when she got out.


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## Michael Sotomayor (Feb 11, 2016)

tohunt4me said:


> I try to smoke a cigarette right after,then fabreeze and ozium.


ozium has very harsh chemicals.. hopefully you don't use it while driving since it can be bad for your riders as well. Limo companies spray this only when the car is going to be in the garage for a few hours. Yes it completely kills any odor but don't use it.. it's harmful. (plus it takes a few hours for ozium to work well)


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## Hunt to Eat (Nov 19, 2015)

Michael Sotomayor said:


> ozium has very harsh chemicals.. hopefully you don't use it while driving since it can be bad for your riders as well. Limo companies spray this only when the car is going to be in the garage for a few hours. Yes it completely kills any odor but don't use it.. it's harmful. (plus it takes a few hours for ozium to work well)


Certain phthalates are noted by the State of California, Enviromental Protection Agency to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.They claim that 310ppm of Di-ethyl Phthalate in a day is considered harmful. The NRDC study does not say conclusively that the amount of phthalates within Ozium is enough to injure a person, but they say their findings to show that further study is needed and it is best for consumers to refrain from using such products until more definite proof can be arrived at.


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## ChortlingCrison (Mar 30, 2016)

atl2nyc said:


> When I pick up outside of the downtown, midtown, buckhead area ( I work in Atlanta), I've found that about 1/3 of my rides are at a restaurant picking up food (these are areas not served by UberEats). I take pride in keeping my car clean and smelling good, but sometimes people hop in the car with some pretty strong smelling items. And in worst case scenarios, they start eating.
> 
> I'm curious how you all have handled such situations and if it has effected your ratings. I have told people they can't smoke or vape in my car when they've asked, and they have been very deferential. But when it comes to food, it seems to be a different story. I can't tell who rates me what, but given the timing, I am pretty sure the people who I ask not to eat in my car or to place their food in the trunk (even when I offer to help them out placing it there) are rating me poorly.
> 
> ...


Good question! I would ask them to share it with the driver!


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