DoorDash Announces New Partnership With Klarna

Klarna, the buy now, pay later lender, signed on with DoorDash as a partner allowing customers a new way to checkout on the app. Customers will be able to pay in full, split payments into four equal interest-free installments, or defer to later dates, per NBC News. 

“This installation would not be beneficial to me because I was raised not to make plans with money I do not have,” said Tamea Sayles, a second-year cybersecurity major.

The lender will allow for payments to be made at “a more convenient time, such as a date that aligns with their paycheck,” said DoorDash last Thursday in a news release. 

Some say DoorDash users could potentially be negatively impacted by the new deal because it targets those without funds and can make people reliant on the feature. 

“Personally, I would not for the simple fact that I do not really see a point of making payments on food,” said Taylor McCollum, a third-year journalism major, who believes the new update could make people more addicted to using DoorDash.

Under the eat now, pay later plan, students say Klarna may have its perks for some customers and pitfalls for others. 

“The pro to this new installation is people do not have to go hungry if they have a couple dollars and a con is this will just be another bill to add on to people who are already struggling,” said Sayles. 

Deferring payments as a service for food purchases is becoming increasingly widespread, and is already being offered by DoorDash’s rival Grubhub, per ABC News.

“Our partnership with DoorDash marks an important milestone in Klarna’s expansion into everyday spending categories,” said David Sykes, Klarna’s chief commercial officer, in last Thursday’s news release.

Students who have used Klarna in the past say they have mixed emotions about the lender and whether it is beneficial.

“I have used Klarna for SHEIN, but that is when I realized I rather just not because I just like to pay everything up front instead of forgetting I’m making payments, and then I spent that money on something else,” said McCollum.

Other students are partially in agreement with the new Klarna feature, but still believe more can be done. 

“This could be an option for college students but I don’t think it should be a prime solution,” said Sayles.