
Not having enough cash to eat food until your next payday is dystopian no matter how it’s done. I think this is more to hide the fact that Door Dash is charging way too much for their service. I’ve never used it but I’ve had friends quit using the app because of the realization that they’re paying $50 for McDonalds. Turning the checkout price into $12.50, that you’ll be paying four times over, reduces the sticker shock and avoids people getting a reality check.
Economics Explained has an interesting video on the topic. After WWII, Japan became the first country in Asia to undergo an industrial revolution and soon became the second largest economy after the US and was by many accounts set to match or even overtake the US. They then suffered an economic collapse due to unchecked growth and speculative markets and decided to never again speculate on the future and just stick to tried and true methods.
Since the 1990s, Japan’s economy has barely changed while other nations have seen huge growth. You’d assume that would mean Japan is now far behind, but they aren’t. They seem to have mastered keeping everything the same for decades without the normal decline that comes with it.