Entitled shopper demands Instacart driver carry 22 packs of water up 17 flights of stairs for $8 tip, harangues him when he refuses: 'Do you think it's legal?'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Jul 9, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

We live in a time when you can get anything delivered to you at any time. It's an amazing feat of engineering. But, crucially, we don't often ask how that stuff gets to us. We don't tend to question the behind-the-scenes labor it takes to provide the level of convenience we're so used to. Sure, technology has made life easier for some workers, but there is still a lot of manpower required to make things fast and easy. Instacart is a great example of this. 

It seems like a great idea, and in many ways it is, to be able to hire someone to deliver your groceries. If you're feeling under the weather and live alone, it can be a lifesaver. But we have to be careful about what we're asking these gig workers to do for us, especially considering how much money they make (not nearly enough). 

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    Cheezburger Image 10527163904
    via Unsplash+ (Josué Sánchez)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Like in this story, where a man was a little too comfortable with what he was asking his shopper to do, and tried to farm out some manual labor without the right safety protocols or pay. And when the driver rightfully refused the order, he wouldn't let it slide. Read on to see what happened in the exchange. 

  • 02

    An entitled man asks a delivery driver to risk his life for his order...

    4:44 PM Hey, how are you? My lift is not working and just letting you know, in advance. You have to deliver at my doorstep, i lived 17 floor room 1720 ???? 4:45 PM Sure Not available
    via u/Aggressive_Candy_345
  • 03
    Yes 4:46 PM 4:47 PM 17 floor? Delivered I might have to cancel it's 22 water bottles and 17 floors Delivered
    via u/Aggressive_Candy_345
  • 04
    Is there no other lift? It's your choice, but I want that it will be delivered at my doorstep that's why I let you know in your advance Delivered No
    via u/Aggressive_Candy_345
  • 05
    You have to use stairs 4:49 PM I want all the water bottles So please don't cancel my water bottles, otherwise I have to complaints against you
    via u/Aggressive_Candy_345
  • 06
    complaints against you 4:50 PM Ok one second let me contact Instacart support 4:52 PM Otherwise cancel the order, so any other driver can do the order. Delivered
    via u/Aggressive_Candy_345
  • 07
    Are you indirectly asking for tip? Do you think it's legal? That's fine if you can't, other drivers can do it I am not asking for a tip sir. My apologies if that is what you think. I am just saying it is very difficult for a driver to complete this order but I am on the phone with
    via u/Aggressive_Candy_345
  • 08
    That's fine if you can't, other drivers can do it I am not asking for a tip sir. My apologies if that is what you think. I am just saying it is very difficult for a driver to complete this order but I am on the phone with support I will try my best to cancel so other drivers can take it on
    via u/Aggressive_Candy_345
  • 09
    The nerve of this guy, the whole order paid only 8 dollars. Had to contact support and they didn't pay me and they added it to my cancellation rate. Whole time I was getting harassed by this guy in chat 4x 24 packs of water 6x 12 packs of water 7x 4L distilled water 7x 4L Mineral Water
    via u/Aggressive_Candy_345
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    41
    via Paul Hanaoka

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 11

    Commenters commiserated about this customer's behavior.

    SeriesPrestigious 978 Not just no.....H L NO. What are people thinking???
    via u/SeriesPrestigious978
  • 12
    Aggressive_Candy_345 OP 2d ago • And him causally saying he's gonna complain on me if I can't get the water, I've been to this Walmart so many times they're always low on water. Saved myself a bad review
    via u/Aggressive_Candy_345
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    Chaosrealm69 · 1d ago • That is quite a few kg's of weight to try and carry up 17 flights of stairs for a pathetic small payment. Quick calculation about 150+ kgs of water. I would have refused it as well.
    via u/Chaosrealm69
  • 14
    the_pressman • 23h ago He's thinking "Holy Sh, I don't want to carry water all the way up to my apartment. I bet I can make the doordash guy do it instead. Only $8? Awesome, I'm so smart."
    via u/the_pressman
  • 15
    Specialist_Egg_7480 2d ago Dude needs to order a Brita
    via u/Specialist_Egg_7480
  • 16
    Aggressive_Can... OP.2d ago Edit: NO HEAVY BATCH PAY EITHER
    via u/Aggressive_Candy_345
  • 17
    GirlULove2Love · 2d ago • I wouldn't climb 17 flights for a frickin' doordash order This guy is a pile of crop and devil. I'm sorry you instacart is the had to deal with that. Feel horrible for the next shopper.
    via u/GirlULove2Love
  • 18
    . Best-Lychee-1668 · 2d ago I'm not walking up 17 floors even if the order is 1 bag of chips
    via u/Best-Lychee-1668
  • 19
    kstrawb94 · 2d ago lift or not he sounds like a customer
    via u/kstrawb94
  • 20
    Aspence22 · 2d ago Somebody needs to just let him know he's not getting that water until the lift is fixed
    via u/Aspence22
  • 21
    Chero44 2d ago CANCEL! I'd also put in the chat "Next shopper this customer lives on the 17th floor, has 22 bottles of water, and you have to take the stairs! That order probably be cancelled each time. The nerve of that guy smh. Let him go get that sh** himself!
    via u/Chero44
  • 22
    • Triggered-cupcake · 2d ago Not even worth it for a 50.00 tip
    via u/Triggered-cupcake
  • 23
    xjeanie 2d ago Ok I'm just going to say it that! outright, F There's no way anyone with even a single functioning brain cell is carrying up all that water 17 flights of stairs. That's multiple trips up 17 flights of
    via u/xjeanie
  • 24
    stairs. And NO other person should ever ask nor expect that. It would take an insane amount of money to even consider such nonsense. Obviously a literally insane. person.
    via u/xjeanie
  • 25
    Peachcream69 · 2d ago You're nice enough to do the back and forth
    via u/Peachcream69
  • 26
    hissyfit30 2d ago Ew I can't even believe you kept talking to him, an absolute bottom of the barrel scumbag. Right when he said 17th floor I would've said that I will not be doing that. Let him mention canceling and then contact support. I hope he never gets his water. 17th floor and no elevator sounds like the fire department should be called. Is that even legal?
    via u/hissyfit30
  • 27
    PogoGent .2d ago This order could literally kill some shoppers. This whole situation breaks me heart for what the gig economy has done to us.
    via u/PogoGent
  • 28
    OntariOso325 • 2d ago In my PRIME I went up 19 flights of stairs to get to the top. I WAS WINDED. that was 21 years ago. Add in crazy amounts of water and no one will be able to accommodate.
    via u/OntariOso325
  • 29
    hyperdikmcdallas • 2d ago I wouldn't even deliver one bottle of water 17 flights of stairs
    via u/hyperdikmcdallas
  • 30
    serviver73 · 2d ago • Even with the lift working, it's still a bad order. But at least he did one thing most customers don't - he told you BEFORE you shopped it and paid. I find so many customers don't bother letting us know about stuff like this
    via u/serviver73
  • 31
    lightcolorsfly • 2d ago i don't understand why people are buying this much bottle watered in the first place?! it's SO wasteful.
    via u/lightcolorsfly
  • 32
    mousedeer_78 • 2d ago I'm not taking 17 flights of stairs for a loaf of bread. Forget a bunch of water.
    via u/mousedeer_78

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gig worker gigs customer service delivery drivers workplace-stories doordash instacart horrors work apps reddit story food delivery karens in the wild workplace instacart reddit thread Reddit gig economy karen
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