A new California law is changing the rules for food delivery apps. It will impact how they process refunds, assist customers, and show drivers how their pay is calculated.
Assembly Bill 578 sets new rules for popular food delivery apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Postmates. It aims to better protect customers if there are problems with their orders.
The new law now requires food delivery apps to give you a full refund if your order is never delivered, or if you receive the wrong items, with very few exceptions.
What AB 578 requires food delivery apps to do
California’s AB 578 law requires online platforms to give customers a complete refund – including taxes, fees, and tips – if their order isn’t delivered correctly. The only times a refund wouldn’t be issued is if the platform finds the customer caused the problem, or if the refund request is proven to be a scam.
If a tip was already added to the order, the platform needs to give that money back to the customer without taking it from the driver’s earnings. If the original payment method can’t be used for the refund, the platform must offer another way to return the tip.
Starting in 2026, California law requires food delivery apps to give full refunds if your order is wrong or items are missing. They also need to offer live customer support with a real person, not just automated systems.
— TopMob (@TopMob) December 30, 2025
The law also covers situations where orders aren’t fully completed. In these cases, platforms can only charge customers for the items they actually receive. Any taxes, fees, or tips related to items that weren’t delivered need to be corrected. Customers should also be able to change any tip they added before the delivery.
Food delivery apps will now need to offer a way to speak with a real customer service representative. Companies can still use automated systems first, but they must quickly connect customers to a person if the automated system can’t fix the problem.
New transparency rules for delivery driver pay
California’s AB 578 requires delivery platforms to give drivers a clear accounting of their earnings for each delivery. This breakdown must show the base pay, tips received, and any bonuses earned.
The law prevents delivery platforms from using customer tips to cover a driver’s regular wages. Tips must go directly to the driver and can’t be used as part of how the platform calculates pay.
Platforms also need to keep giving customers and restaurants clear breakdowns of all costs, showing the price of the food, any fees, commissions, and tips for each order.
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2025-12-30 22:19