Doordash charges Fresno customers an extra fee

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Ordering food on DoorDash will cost you a bit more if you order from a Fresno restaurant.

"We were a little disappointed when we saw the Fresno fee," said Mike Karbassi, Fresno City Councilmember.

Karbassi says restaurants reached out to the council concerned about transparency with third-party delivery apps. So they decided to take action.

"We created a temporary emergency order that would even the playing field so one, restaurants would have a cap on the fees that could be charged. Two, the drivers who you tip, get 100 percent of the tip," Karbassi said.

"Unfortunately as a response to that, they decided to create a Fresno fee. The problem with the Fresno fee is our city gets zero dollars out of that."

We reached out to DoorDash.

In a statement, they said, "We understand the challenges restaurants are facing and are committed to supporting them while providing the best possible experience for our entire community. Operating our platform, paying and insuring Dashers, and ensuring high-quality service can be expensive, which is why in many markets, where local governments have passed pricing regulations, we have begun charging customers a small additional fee."

Many local restaurants are doing whatever they can to get their products out.

The owner of Vino Grille & Spirits, Chuck Van Fleet, explains why you will see higher prices on the app than in the restaurant.

"Because they charge 20 percent, we have to raise our prices 20 percent in order to cover the fees. Now they just charge the consumer more fees," he said.

He hopes restaurants can resume indoor dining soon so they can survive.

As for the city's temporary emergency order, it expires 90 days after the state of emergency ends.

Leaders are hopeful that the Fresno fee will be dropped.

While restaurant owners are thankful to have some business through these apps, they say the best way to help restaurants is to order directly through them.