Food Delivery Apps and Financial Literacy: The Hidden Costs of Convenience
Blog > Food Delivery Apps and Financial Literacy: The Hidden Costs of Convenience
In our MONEY EDU program, where we've worked with over 50,000 beauty students across the country, one spending habit comes up in conversation more than any other: food delivery services. As convenient as these platforms may be, they're quickly becoming a significant financial drain for many young adults—especially with new payment options that make overspending even easier.
The New Danger: Buy Now, Pay Later for Food Delivery
DoorDash's recent introduction of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options raises a few concerns.
1. Psychological Spending Triggers
BNPL reduces the immediate "pain of purchase," making it psychologically easier to overspend. When users don't have to face the full cost upfront, the natural financial guardrails that might otherwise prevent impulse purchases are removed. The mindset becomes "I don't have to worry about this right now," which can be devastating for long-term financial health.
2. Debt Cycles
Research consistently shows that BNPL arrangements are most frequently used by individuals who are already carrying debt. Adding food delivery—an inherently consumable product with no residual value—to a debt load can create a dangerous financial spiral. Unlike financing a laptop or appliance that retains some utility over time, yesterday's delivery meal holds no value today, yet the payments continue.
Turn Delivery Apps Into Teachable Moments
For beauty school educators and financial literacy advocates, DoorDash's BNPL option creates a perfect real-world case study. Here are three interactive activities that will get your students thinking critically about their delivery habits.
1. The "Real Cost" Receipt Challenge
Have students bring in their recent delivery app receipts (or screenshots) for a one-time analysis. Calculate the complete markup by comparing the base food cost to the final price after delivery fees, service charges, tips, and taxes. Then, have them research what those same ingredients would cost at a grocery store (e.g., "This $22 burrito delivery equals a week's worth of breakfast ingredients"). Students are often genuinely shocked to discover they're paying 40-50% more than the menu price while missing opportunities to build long-term cooking skills!
2. "Feed Your Future Self" Calculator
Create a simple calculation showing how much $200/month in delivery spending would grow if invested with compound interest over 10 years. Then ask: "Would your future self rather have had those deliveries or that down payment fund for your first house?"
3. "Spot the Spending Triggers" Game
Have students open their favorite delivery app and identify five specific design elements intended to increase spending (one-click ordering, strategically placed "add-on" suggestions, limited-time offers, etc.). This transforms them from passive consumers to critical analysts of the technology they use daily.
The Bottom Line
This is pretty simple. In almost all cases, food delivery services are a WANT and a CHOICE. We all need to eat, but there's more cost effective ways to do so. If you can't afford to pay for DoorDash now, don't defer the payment—delete the app until you can.
Food delivery should be an occasional convenience, not a lifestyle financed through debt. By helping students understand the true costs behind these convenient services, we can empower them to make financial choices that support their long-term goals rather than their immediate cravings (literally!)
What current financial literacy topics are you discussing in your classroom? How are your students responding to conversations about everyday spending habits? Share your experiences in the comments below.
This article is part of our ongoing MONEY EDU series, designed to help educators integrate practical financial literacy into their curriculum. For more resources, check out this page.