[TeMPOraL]

If we could only isolate these companies in a small geographical sub-segment and let them duke it out there, and then maybe rescue whoever emerges victorious, but otherwise declare the whole thing a Superfund site...

What I mean is: you're neglecting the collateral damage. These companies, fighting tooth and claw to win the prize (whether imaginary or real), are destroying the business space in which they operate, and adding to misery of the local communities.

> Is DoorDash extracting money from its users, the restaurants and the delivery drivers? Or is it actually providing something of value?

The way I see it, they provide a big value to its users - convenience and decent ordering experience. At the same time, they also take away a different value - consistency of quality in delivery (and make you think it's the restaurant's fault). The users are probably net ahead, but there's no free lunch (pun intended)! DoorDash & Uber Eats are providing this value by burning through the supply restaurants and abusing delivery workers. They're strip-mining the industry.

(Personally, I'm surprised it's DoorDash that's winning. I was always betting on Uber Eats - because Uber has abuse and sociopathy deep in its corporate DNA, as they did all these things and more while building their international rideshare empire.)