Existing law imposes various business practice restrictions on a food delivery platform, defined as an online business that acts as an intermediary between consumers and multiple food facilities to submit food and beverage orders from a consumer to a participating food facility, and to arrange for, or to complete, the delivery of the order, as prescribed. Existing law requires a food delivery platform to clearly and regularly disclose to the food facility and the customer the status of the order, including the method of delivery.
This bill would require a food delivery platform to include a clear and conspicuous customer service feature that allows a customer to contact a natural person. The bill would authorize the food delivery platform to use an automated system to address customer service concerns. However, if the automated system is unable to address the customer's concerns, the bill would require the food delivery platform to ensure that the customer is able to promptly connect with the natural person in order to address the concern.
The bill would further require a food delivery platform to provide a full refund to the customer if an order is not delivered or the wrong order is delivered. The bill would also require the food delivery platform, if a customer receives a partial order, to charge the customer only for the amount delivered and prorate all taxes, commissions, and fees so they are commensurate with the amount the customer pays for the partial order. The bill would additionally require the food delivery platform to provide a mechanism that allows the customer to adjust a gratuity that was included in the order prior to its delivery and request that the amount of the refund be returned to the original method of payment.

Statutes affected:
AB 578: 22599.1 BPC
02/12/25 - Introduced: 22599.1 BPC