Key Points:
- Uber Eats and other food delivery services do deliver to private communities.
- Customers should provide information on how to access the community.
- Always stop at the entrance as they are considered private property.
As a food delivery driver, you likely drive through a diverse range of neighbourhoods. You may also occasionally receive delivery requests to addresses in gated communities.
So, can Uber Eats get into gated communities?
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Yes, Uber Eats drivers, and other delivery services can typically deliver to a gated community. Yet, each gated community has specific rules for dealing with deliveries and guests. Customers who use food delivery apps should inform drivers of the requirements for their community.
As a side-note, other controlled-access areas you might have to make deliveries to are military bases. See this article for tips for delivering to military bases.
Does Uber Eats Deliver to Gated Communities?
Gated communities use a variety of access control solutions. Access control refers to the steps used to regulate who can access a location.
The most common access control methods for gated communities include:
- Guard post
- Access PIN
- Intercom
- Mobile app
Some gated communities may use a combination of security solutions, such as an intercom and a keypad. No matter the methods in place, it is the customer’s responsibility to inform the driver of the community’s requirements.
Uber Eats allows customers to provide drop-off notes and requests, such as instructions for getting past the gate.
Delivering Food at a Guard Post for a Gated Community
Gated communities occasionally have a small post or hut manned by a security guard. The guard may monitor access to the community, such as preventing visitors from entering without permission. If you arrive at a gated community with a guard post, you will likely need to stop and talk to the guard.
The customer should notify the guard of your arrival. Do not attempt to follow another car past the gate. Wait for permission to enter or request the customer meet you at the gate.
Entering a Gated Community with an Access PIN
A keypad is one of the oldest methods for controlling access to gated communities. Communities that have guard posts or access control apps may still use a keypad to allow visitors inside outside of normal hours.
Residents and visitors can enter a four-digit access PIN into the keypad to open the gate. United States Postal Service (USPS) workers are often given the code to complete their deliveries. Customers who live inside gated communities that use keypads may text the code to delivery drivers.
However, some communities may not allow residents to share the code. If community guidelines prevent a customer from sharing an access PIN, the customer should wait for the delivery driver at the gate.
Delivering to a Gated Community Using an Intercom
Instead of a keypad or a guard post, some gated communities use a standard intercom system as you’d find at an apartment building.
You can press a button to communicate with a resident in a specific home and let them know that you have arrived. The customer may need to buzz you in.
Completing a Food Delivery with a Mobile App
Many gated communities are using the latest technologies to make life easier for their residents. Instead of using a callbox or a keypad, residents can use a mobile app to let guests through the gate.
Gated communities that use mobile apps typically include additional access control systems for visitors, such as a keypad or intercom. Depending on the systems used, you may need to message the customer for instructions.
How to Deal with a Food Delivery to a Gated Community
Many food delivery drivers avoid orders for addresses in gated communities since getting through the gate is not always straightforward. Some customers are courteous enough to message drivers with instructions on how to enter the community. Unfortunately, some customers leave the driver to figure it out.
If you arrive at a gated community, always stop at the gate. You should see one of the access control systems discussed, such as a guard hut, keypad, or intercom.
If the customer did not offer instructions on getting through the gate, send a message to the customer. Let the customer know that you have arrived.
They can either meet you at the gate or give you the details needed to pass the gate.
How to Cancel a Delivery Request to a Gated Community
Uber Eats has specific guidelines for cancelling delivery requests. If you have not yet picked up the order, you can cancel the request using your Uber Eats app. Drivers are not penalized for cancelling orders that they have not picked up.
If you have picked up the order and cannot get past the gate, you should first contact the customer using the Driver app. If the customer does not respond, cancel the request in the mobile app. After following the instructions to cancel a request, Uber Support will contact the customer.
Uber sets a timer, which may last about eight minutes. You cannot accept another request until the timer expires. After the timer expires, you should receive a notification telling you to dispose of the food.
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You do not return the food to the restaurant, as the customer has already been charged. You still get paid for the trip.
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