Customer Experience
Forever 21 Accused of Fat-Shaming After Mailing Diet Bars with Orders
The retailer has been accused of lacking sensitivity to plus-size consumers. “Twitter users who ordered from the store, popular among teenage girls, shared pictures of the Atkins meal replacement bars that came with their clothes. Many of the women who thought the promotion was in bad taste said the bars were included with their order of plus-size items.”
Dunkin’ Is Launching a Breakfast Sandwich with Beyond Meat Sausage
The meatless trend continues. “Dunkin’ is the latest fast food chain to start selling meat substitutes. Others, like Burger King, Tim Hortons and Little Caesars, have also partnered with Beyond or Impossible Foods—Beyond’s main rival—to add plant-based foods to their menus.”
Cruise, GM’s Driverless-Car Unit, Delays Robot-Taxi Service
Automation for ride-hailing has been pushed back further. “General Motors Co.’s driverless-car business, Cruise, will delay the roll out of an autonomous ride-hailing service scheduled for late this year, underscoring the difficulty of safely deploying robotic vehicles on public roads.”
Coca-Cola Sales Boosted by Soda Gains, Coffee Push
The soft drink brand is seeing growth, driven both by its core product and new ones. Profits this quarter were “boosted by higher demand for its namesake soft drinks and the introduction of coffee, energy drinks, and other products.”
Employee Engagement
DoorDash Tips Will Now Go to Workers
In a major reversal, rider tips will now go directly to workers. Previously, the connection between good service and increased pay for drivers had been blurred. “Pressure had been mounting for months, beginning with extensive media coverage at the beginning of the year (including by Fast Company). DoorDash responded by conducting surveys and holding roundtables with dashers to air their grievances. Pay ‘transparency’ emerged as a major concern.”