DoorDash driver says requests at Fairfax County schools raise security concerns

A man who works full-time as a DoorDash driver says he often gets requests from Fairfax County high school students to leave orders at side doors of schools, posing security concerns and making him fear for his job.

DoorDash driver Steven Walters said he receives lunch orders every day from Fairfax County high school students. Students often ask him to take the food to side doors, not the front office, he said.

”They’re having me deliver to door No. 12, door No. 15, 20,” he said. “So I have to ride around the school to find each door.”

Walters said the deliveries could raise concerns, because random people should not walk around school grounds.

“I’ve been stopped by school security before, asking me what I’m doing. They had me take it back to door No. 1,” he said.

Walters explained why he has followed the requests.

”I have to do it because they give us ratings. So, if I don’t deliver to the door they want and I have to take it to door 1, more than likely they’re going to give me a bad rating because I didn’t follow their directions. If I get enough bad ratings, then DoorDash will deactivate me and I can’t do this job anymore,” he said.

Here's what school districts in the DC area said about food deliveries to schools

Fairfax County school officials said: “Students may not have food delivered to schools by delivery drivers. Students and parents receive regular reminders that this is not permitted. Students will often have a delivery driver come to an entrance other than Door 1, which compromises the safety of the entire school.”

Montgomery County Public Schools also said no food deliveries to schools are allowed. DC Public Schools said no policy is in place. Prince George’s County Public Schools did not immediately respond to an inquiry.

Walters said he’s not the only delivery driver getting the types of requests he receives, so a broader message may need to be delivered.