Derliveroo uses dark pattern to scam its users

You might be one of the folks who received the promotional offer from the online food ordering company, Deliveroo.

This is what you see when you open the app today (in the U.K.)

Its Whopper day! Yay! I’m working from home today so i thought rather than going out to burger king (which is only five minutes walking from me) lets order online and get a free whopper, what can go wrong?

They show my address in the app so they know my location so when i click on the banner i get to this page.

Oh look! they are saying it again, free whopper with EVERY ORDER.

I’ve ordered a Chicken Royale meal and i paid £10.58 for the meal + deliver free.

ah perfect! it confirms that I’ll get a free whopper in my order! awesome!

food arrives and i open it, there is no free whopper as promised clearly on the promo. hmm. could be a mistake, mistake happens right? we are all human.

lets contact customer service and explain the situation.

What? But you clearly advertised that i’ll get a free whopper with EVERY ORDER.

there was no small print, no alert, nothing saying that i MIGHT get a free whopper.

I’m not happy about this Deliveroo! so i try to explain this is clearly a scam and dark pattern,

I don’t want a £2.50 credit that expires in 90 days. I don’t want any credit in fact I want my money back because you just scammed me and a dozen of other people.

I freaking hate this growth hacking, dark pattern marketing that more and more company are using these days.

Its not about a whopper or even £10, Its the fact that i can’t buy anything anymore before doing some sort research online and spend half an hour chatting with customer services to understand that i’m not eligible for that offer.

You are ruining people’s trusts. shame on you.

Deliveroo, You lost my trust, I will never ever use your app again.