Derek Johnson, who delivers for DoorDash, leaves the downtown Qdoba with a customer's order March 27.
Lincoln City Council members, seeking to help restaurants withstand the financial pressures inflicted by the pandemic, passed a cap on the fees delivery companies can charge to bring orders to customers.
On a 5-2 vote along party lines late Monday, the council passed a tweaked version of Councilwoman Tammy Ward's ordinance that limits the fees that third-party delivery companies such as DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats charge restaurants to no more than 15% of the purchase price.
Councilmen Roy Christensen and Richard Meginnis, the council's only Republicans, opposed the measure.
"During an emergency, I feel like we certainly need to do everything we can to support small businesses," Councilwoman Sändra Washington said before the vote.
The ordinance would only apply while the city's pandemic emergency lasts, Ward said.
It would also ban third-party delivery companies from charging customers a higher price for items than listed on the restaurant menu.
A Haymarket restaurant owner asked Ward and the council to pursue the ordinance, which mirrors one passed in Chicago last year, because pandemic restrictions on dining made his business increasingly reliant on delivery services.
In response to Chicago's law, DoorDash implemented a $1.50 Chicago fee charged to customers there, the Chicago Tribune reported in December.
Councilwoman Jane Raybould and Washington said they believe delivery customers should bear the cost of their food being delivered.
Christensen said he opposed the measure because it could prompt the companies to make up the money lost by reducing the wages or gratuities for their delivery drivers.
But Ward said her ordinance already considered and prevents that.
Meginnis said the city could pursue other routes, such as waiving fees associated with food handler permits or temporarily suspending property tax payments if it wanted to drive economic recovery for the industry.
He said he philosophically opposes the city inserting itself in the private agreements between restaurants and delivery companies.
"I'm just having a hard time putting more regulations on private businesses and how they interact with each other," he said.
BEST DRIVE-THRUS IN LINCOLN
Chick-fil-A fans defend their chicken
Vehicles go through the drive-thru of the Chick-fil-A at 6810 S. 27th St. in October 2019. Research by SeeLevel HX said the time spent this summer in the chain's drive-thrus increased half a minute over last year's 5 minutes, 57 seconds. The chain's fans don't seem to mind. "They are slow because the food is high quality and the staff is awesome and well trained. They are popular!!" said Liz Sanders Koop in a post to the Journal Star Facebook page.
Who says it's slow?
Cars line up during the lunch rush in August 2019 at Chick-fil-A on the corner of 48th and O streets. The mystery shoppers for SeeLevel HX gave the chain the top ratings for order accuracy, customer service and taste, which its fans say make up for any extra waiting — if there is any. Some supporters say it's quick. "I think "Chick-fil-A is the fastest in town lol," said Zach Jennings in a Facebook post.
Fans praising Raising Cane's
Diners fill the dining room at the Raising Cane's location near 56th Street and Old Cheney Road in 2015. Cane's also had supporters in the Facebook thread. "Raising Cane has better chicken and isn’t as pricy … had Chick-fil-a and was not impressed, their chicken tenders are a quarter of the size of Cane's," Terre Stickney said in a post.
Support for Slim Chickens
The conversation about drive-thrus quickly turned to other options, including Slim Chickens, which got a vote from Jo Thomas on Facebook. The chain opened this store, its first in Nebraska, in 2015 at 5805 S. 85th St.
High on Hog Wild
While the SeeLevel HX research focused on national chains, the Facebook discussion included shoutouts for regional ones, including the Hog Wild Pit Bar-B-Q shop at 3210 Cornhusker Highway.
More regional flavor for Culver's
Dana and Cindy Rose sit outside their Culver's at 1500 Old Cheney Road, the first one in Lincoln, shortly after it opened in 2000. Its drive-thru also received a vote.
A vote for Amigos
Drivers wait their turn in the drive-thru at the Amigos/Kings Classic restaurant at the corner of South 27th Street and Capitol Parkway on Friday. The Nebraska chain received a vote.
The drive-thru may be fast, but how's their chicken?
While the SeeLevel HX survey looked at the speed for fast-food restaurant drive-thrus, the conversation on the Journal Star's Facebook page was a little broader. David Ben Fischer gave a vote to Union Bank. Perhaps the other banks in Lincoln need to up their game.
Reach the writer at 402-473-2657 or rjohnson@journalstar.com.
On Twitter @LJSRileyJohnson.
