Will gas prices affect my food delivery order on the Coast? Here’s what an expert says.

Who doesn’t want a delicious piece of fried cheese delivered to their door?

So far, the spike in gas prices has had little to no effect on getting an order of Woody’s Roadside cheese bombs delivered on the Coast. DoorDash says the fried pieces of perfection from the Biloxi restaurant can still make it to your dinner table in 30 minutes.

But that may soon change.

As the average price for fuel continues to rise across the U.S. and Mississippi, you will likely see higher delivery fees and longer wait times from your favorite food delivery service, according to EntreCourier.com.

“When it’s only 20 cents a delivery more because gas just went up a dollar, that’s not that drastic,” said Ron Walter, owner of EntreCourier.com. “But, I think drivers will think it is. I think what’s going to happen is you’ll have a lot of drivers drop out and a lot of customers will stop ordering.”

Walter’s website helps delivery drivers navigate their business, from tax advice to tips and tricks to operational strategy.

If gas prices continue to rise, companies like UberEats, DoorDash and GrubHub may increase their fees as well. In California, Walter said he witnessed companies increase their fees but hid it to diners by suggesting lower tips on the app after the state passed a law providing drivers with higher base pay.

Smaller tips could mean fewer drivers willing to fill the order and longer wait times to find a driver who will accept the order. Walter said the increased fees do not go to the drivers.

“Understand that on most of these deliveries, the most we’re getting is 3 or 4 dollars,” Walter said. “The tip is a big part of what a driver makes.”

Food delivery drivers in other parts of the U.S. are already feeling the rise in gas prices, and it’s cutting into profits.

Gary Logan, an Uber Eats and DoorDash driver in Virginia, told WTKR-TV in northeastern North Carolina that a majority of his funds have gone straight buying gas, adding that tips aren’t increasing as fuel costs rise.

“If I was going to hire you to run an errand that is going to take a half an hour, what would you want to be paid?” Walter said. “Consider that when you tip.”