A Bengaluru-based food delivery agent has sparked a debate online after sharing a video highlighting the difficulties of doorstep delivery inside large residential complexes. The delivery agent, Arjun Sethi, posted the clip on Instagram, showing the long walking route he had to take inside a villa community after a customer refused to come downstairs to collect the order.

In the clip, Sethi explains that he was forced to walk several hundred metres to deliver an order because guards did not allow him to enter the residential area with his vehicle, leaving him with no choice but to walk the distance. When he requested the customer to meet halfway, he said that the customer insisted that the delivery be made at the doorstep, despite the considerable distance from the entry point.

The delivery agent further expresses disappointment over what he describes as a lack of basic courtesy, noting that the customer neither acknowledged the effort involved nor showed concern for his well-being after the long walk. He underlines the physical strain of such deliveries and questions the dignity afforded to delivery workers. He also highlights the platform policies, which, according to him, often prioritise customer instructions, leaving delivery agents with limited room to negotiate or refuse.

In the caption accompanying the post, Sethi urged people to respect delivery workers, stating that delivery jobs are far more physically demanding than they appear and involve significant effort beyond what customers often see.

The video has since drawn mixed reactions online. Some users argued that doorstep delivery is part of a delivery agent’s responsibility and that customers pay additional charges precisely for that convenience. Others countered that the issue was not about job requirements but about empathy and humane treatment.

One user argued, “Doorstep delivery is literally your job… if customers have to come down, why are handling and delivery charges taken?” Another countered this view, saying, “All he was asking for was basic human decency. If that needs to be demanded, we have already failed as a society.”

Some commenters struck a middle ground, stressing empathy. “It is his job, but empathy matters. If I knew someone had to walk that far, I would feel bad asking them to come all the way,” a user wrote.