DoorDash Honors 2 Lawmakers as Lobbying Spend Hits $2.4 Million
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · May 21
DoorDash Honors 2 Lawmakers as Lobbying Spend Hits $2.4 Million
1 articles · Updated · POLITICO · May 21
DoorDash gave its first Legislator of the Year awards to House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith and Rep. Adam Gray as it wrapped its second annual congressional lobby day in Washington.
Two dozen drivers and partner merchants met lawmakers while the company pushed legislation letting gig firms fund portable benefit accounts without triggering worker reclassification as employees.
DoorDash spent a record $2.4 million on in-house lobbying in 2025 and reported another $690,000 in early 2026, plus $350,000 for outside lobbyists.
The 13-year-old company says its broader push reflects expansion beyond restaurant delivery into reservations and retail, alongside priorities including small-business permitting and food-bank delivery grants.
Is DoorDash's push for portable benefits creating a better gig economy or just avoiding employee responsibilities?
Can multimillion-dollar lobbying redefine what it means to be a worker in the modern US economy?