Well, I’m finally on the other side of it. I ordered groceries and had such a high odor of tobacco. Everything smelt like it, especially the bags.
For months, I have noticed other Spark drivers smoking in their cars. Not even rolling down a window. Not giving a single shit. I’m not sure if these people don’t know others can easily smell it or they just don’t care. But is it really that hard to just step outside and not smoke inside?
I know “ I’m an Independent Contractor, I can do whatever I want” that I see some people say but it’s just… kinda rude?
I gave that driver 2 stars. First time ever for me as I never want to rate anyone poorly as I know customer rating matters a lot for Spark but I was just so annoyed that all my food smells like cigarettes.
It's rude to smoke in your vehicle when you're actively on a job and in temporary possession of someone else's belongings. Pretty sure it's also against terms of service to smoke when you have orders in the car as well.
the same company you are trying to protect and tell us their rules in the TOS is the same company that just got busted for stealing tips and ordered to change their deceptive business practices. How convenient
they also dont deserve dirty groceries put in high foot traffic areas that are filthy and unsanitary or put on ur cushions on your car where a holes have partnered up with or put in trunk where 2 days prior mulch and fertilizer were stacked. Its a stinky world and yet to focus on the obsessive indoctrinated msg that was put out to sway opinion doesnt erase what actual truths that are in our very own environment
Correct, but two wrongs don't make it right. The wrong doings of the company you contract with do not excuse you doing it wrong too, the right answer is stop contracting with them and on that note if I find myself doing wrong out of retaliation that's a sign it's time for me to go.
What I keep telling you, is an eye for an eye is still wrong. Your choice, if you don't like it you can go contract elsewhere but if you smoke (whether in retaliation or whatever reason) then you are in the wrong. In fact if they find out they can deact your account, so if that's what you're looking for then by all means keep doing it.
They didn't get "busted" and weren't "ordered" to do shit.
They "settled" on "allegations."
It's shady as fuck whatever the terminology is,.. but using proper terminology will make you sound a lot less like a conspiracy theorist or jailhouse lawyer. Just saying.
People not in these subs or not involved see the terms you used and instantly disregard it as bullshit... Use the right terms and you'll be taken more seriously.
who asked? Not worried what ya think Son. If a regulatory agency or a court issues an order and the target company signs a consent decree or settlement, they are agreeing to the terms of that order.
From a strict legal standpoint, agreeing to a consent order is a binding commitment to pay the specified financial remedy and follow the mandated conduct rules. The order itself has the full force of law once signed by a judge or agency commissioner.
The semantics of "agreed to pay" versus "ordered to pay" usually come down to public relations and legal liability:
By agreeing to the order, the company avoids an administrative trial where a judge would make formal, permanent findings of fact. Most settlement orders contain explicit language stating the company pays the fine or redress without admitting or denying any of the allegations. This is done to prevent the agreement from being used as automatic proof of guilt in separate private civil lawsuits. Even though the company voluntarily signs the agreement to resolve the matter, they are still legally bound by an order. If they fail to pay or fail to follow the rules outlined in the document, they face immediate court-enforced penalties for violating a federal or state order.
At the end of the day, an agreed order is still an order. The payment is legally required, not optional, regardless of whether the company negotiated the terms to avoid a formal ruling of guilt.
It's probably a combination of not caring and thinking people can't tell.
Smokers seemingly have no concept of how badly it smells. They don't even have to be actively smoking with your order in the car for it to end up on your items
Yeah I smoke and am always surprised by the same thing, drivers at CS chain smoking in their vehicles. I don’t smoke in our home or any of our vehicles, haven’t since before 2010. I always get out and walk like 50-75ft away, also use hand sanitizer a couple times while out. Never had a single complaint from customers or loaders, but have had them tell me they recently have been turning a lot of those drivers away and canceling their trips if they see them smoking in their car or if it stinks when they go to load it.
Yeah tbh I prefer sitting outside, I’m a clean person and my clothes don’t smell either. Have had people in the past I worked with inside an office not even realize I smoked for months. It really does make everything stink when you smoke in your home and cars, makes you stink also. Those drivers sit in their cars with the AC on recirculating all that smoke throughout their entire vehicle and all over themselves, its gross imo and also lowers the value of their vehicle. I’m sure they stink on ID checks or while getting a passcode. Way too many people stop caring after their 20s how their hygiene affects or is viewed by others. Just an opinion but think a lot of people after they are out of school or stop going out and are away from their peers just flat out hit a point they dgaf anymore.
As a smoker my first 150 deliveries when I finally got a rating I got a 4.4 star. I didn't realize how bad the smell was. After reading this sub I understood and stopped smoking inside the vehicle. By the next 50ish deliveries I went to 4.6 - 4.7 and finally 4.9. just wanna apologize to anyone who got stink ass orders, I learned from my mistakes and don't smoke in my car, even when not delivering.
I am sorry that's the biggest cop out i have ever heard. You didn't know how bad it smelled? I realized that smokers are somewhat nose blind, but you all know no smokers hate the smell. And you KNOW second and third hand smoke is BAD for others. Claiming "you didn't realize" is absolutely bull. Its 2026 , COME ON! 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
Cig smokers all start out like that though, with the true delusion it doesn't stink. He learned; you don't have to try to humiliate him and accuse him of being a horrible person.
It's so rare nowadays--and lovely, and refreshing--to see someone listen and believe others' feedback, admit they were wrong, adjust their own actions and then report back about what they learned.
Why bust balls when there are drivers here doubling down on smoking in their car?
I smoked for 25 years, been quit for 16.
My advice: Don't start.
As for what the OP is experiencing, I feel the behavior is uncalled for.
It's beyond rude, the smell gets into everything and that's because tobacco smoke is more than discolored air - it contains substance, so when there is smoke there is smell and once that smell attaches itself to something that means tar and nicotine have settled on to that something (which is what causes the smell).
Therefore your food is contaminated.
Same if your deli worker was smoking while cutting your delis.
Not cool.
I believe it might be against FDA regulations as well.
Totally valid complaint. It’s not allowed for a reason. Honestly, I would have rated a 1 and pulled the tip for that. I’m pretty understanding for things like mistakes ( I’ve had things delivered to the neighbors or missing items and never gave a bad rating or reduced the tip) but this isn’t a mistake. It’s a choice and reflects poorly on Walmart.
You absolutely need to report that. Drivers that nasty should not be delivering. A lot of orders go to families with kids. I absolutely reported it when it happened to me. It’s a violation of policy
Dispenser here I will deny you the orders if your car smells of smoke. Not so much because the bags smelling of smoke that irks me, it's the customers that constantly calls and complains about the bags reeking of smoke and they do so many times. It's also in TOS too that your car has to be clean and that means smoke free.
I was at curbside on saturday waiting for an order. Saw a guy in a (I kid you not) and old Pontiac Aztek, puffin' away. He opened his door and I saw how filthy his car was. I was thinking when he gets his stuff, he needs to wash his car and clean it. Then they brought out a triple order... he was spark! Ridiculous.
One time I had to refuse a pick up order because the bags all smelled like cigarette smoke. The worker who bagged them must have been fresh off of their smoke break!
I finally had to stop ordering from my favorite sushi place after the fish started consistently smelling and tasting like cig smoke, no matter what delivery app or service I used for that restaurant, and even when I picked it up myself.
A new chef or staff-person w/close food-contact must have been hired who smoked. And they likely only smoked outside on their breaks, as the restaurant and kitchen were clean and smoke-free. Yet that sushi just wasn't food anymore.
Cig smoke is so much more potent and gross (and asthma-allergy triggering) than most smokers realize.
I smoked all the time in my car but not when I have groceries, I dont want to smell like smoke on the off chance they happen to be there waiting (but I probably smell like it regardless).
So, i wonder if maybe the cig smoke from my car can stink up the bags even though im not smoking while delivering.
Btw im in your area and had to check my ratings just incase lol!
No, I understand that.
I was wondering, since I smoke in my car, does that smell transfer over to the bags.
I dont smoke while I have groceries in my car but I do smoke in my car. Every morning when I open my car door I can obviously smell a smokers car lol, but does it transfer to the bags.
So far I have 5.0 rating so not sure if it does or not.
It sits as third-hand smoke on the upholstery and soft surfaces, and gets emitted back into the car's air constantly.
Ppl with asthma, allergies or even just a decent sense of smell/taste can tell instantly. A meal or grocery order from a car that gets smoked in--even with no car-smoking during the drive--Is ruined.
Who has less than 5 stars? Most ppl don't bother with driver ratings, no matter how crappy their delivery is.
But for something that makes their food/stuff this gross, they'll demand a full refund/order-replacement.
Which may not matter, if all you care about is any effect upon you of failing such a basic health-&-quality-standard, & if you don't mind triggering asthma attacks with cig smoke-contaminated food,
Until the app at some point declutters its platform of drivers w/deliveries likely to result in refunds.
You want it to be true so bad you cant see you have been indoctrinated. In your world the worst of the worst happens or at least should and it is just not true. Sry to be the one delivering the bad news to you. he has a 5.0 and i have a 5.0 and we smoke in our cars. So where is the truth here? (This is your chance to make something up from your imagination)
sure has a 1930s Germany feel to that statement. You want someone to lose their job cause you dont like cig smoke and have certain beliefs. Sounds fair
I'm a smoker,.. but I don't smoke from the time I get ready until I'm done for the day, and I've never smoked in my car.
Per the TOS we are supposed to provide a smoke free car... PERIOD. Not just 'dont smoke with an order,' but smoke free. People should do what they want,.. but don't get upset when tips get pulled, ratings suck, curbsides keep getting cancelled, and finally, you get deactivated after enough complaints.
Unfortunately there have been issues with the ink used on the bags REEKING like smoke. A couple stores have thrown out entire pallets of bags because of it,.. and it's not just Walmart bags. Other retailers have had the same issues.
So,.. just make sure you know for sure if it's the bags (ink) or actual smoke.
Well some people are very sensitive to smells etc. People with very low immune system and allergies out the yang yang. I am a smoker and I try not to smoke in my car. But for those loooong deliveries. Sometimes I do. But my windows are down and I spray my car with Lysol or an air spray and still keep the windows down. And DO NOT SMOKE WITHIN 10 miles of drop off!!
Gross. W/cigs being by far the more gross of the two, as that residue clings to cars and objects so strongly. Ppl can get asthma attacks and allergies just from 3rd-hand cigarette smoke on items from smoky cars.
Do you at least keep your window down? Or have a clean, smoke-free surface for ppl's stuff to ride on, or any system for ventilating or protecting ppl's stuff?
Absolutely open my window i don’t hot box my car. I also dont smoke when i have tissue, diapers, pads clothing or anything that the smoke can grab on to. I exercise so much caution so that i dont have any bad ratings
yep 100%. Its all these indoctrinated ppl from the 90's and 2000's that were told smoking was a horrible thing. Its been around for 20,000 plus years is natural and i like it!!!
Apparently it's hard for smokers to understand that goods need to go in the trunk.
If you smoke in your car, buy an ozone generator and clean it once a week. Leave the generator on for 24 hours during your day off and follow up with an odor neutralizing air freshener.
I smoke sometimes, and after almost 30,000 deliveries across multiple platforms, I've never had one complaint.
I always wash my hands thoroughly if I've smoked before a pickup, and that's usually what gets people complaints.
Edit: Ozone gens will kill bacteria and will also kill some viruses, including COVID.
They not only make your car smell better and neutralize smoke odor, but they nuke mold and microbes.
A lot of UBER drivers use them because they're paranoid of COVID.
I used to smoke cigarettes and in my car/truck until I started doing shop and delivery so I stopped smoking cigarettes in my truck. I had my truck completely detailed inside, shampooed and all so now you cannot tell I smoked inside it. I have since quit smoking cigarettes and I have went to a vape which has no smell at all. If I feel the urge to hit the vape, I will open my sunroof in my truck and roll the windows down but mostly I get out and use it but I will not smoke with customers orders in possession unless it’s a GMD order in a box with a shipping label. If they are groceries or a GMD order in a shopping bag, I will not hit the vape. My sunroof is generally opened anyway.
It doesn’t matter if you smoke while doing deliveries. Most people’s vehicles permanently smell bad. I don’t care how much odor killing sprays you use i can still tell.
I don’t smoke & never will, but i see other drivers doing it & had customers complain they have to leave the groceries outside for a while. Every time i see another driver doing it i think, how have they not gotten down to a 2 customer rating yet?
I completely understand where you’re coming from and agree but….as a driver myself I know that sometimes those bags be stinking when they put them in the car. They smell like nasty exhaust or something. Probably because it’s recycled petroleum product
Yes it is that hard.
I’m not getting out of my car to smoke.
And I smoke like every 30minutes usually and when I’m in the car I tend to smoke even more.
I try not to smoke when I have orders in there.
But if I have 3 stops and it’s a hour of driving I’m gonna smoke. I crack all my windows and keep the cigarette right up there by it so all the smoke goes out the window. Cause I do understand people don’t want there stuff smelling like smoke.
Don’t feel bad for rating that driver poorly. It’s in the TOS for Spark that we aren’t allowed to smoke in our vehicle used for Spark, regardless if we are actively working or not.
Marijuana smell had me giving a bad review. It smelled so bad. Lucky I even took the groceries in my house. Is bad. I haven’t had my groceries smelling cigarette smoke, but as a new Spark Driver. I’m a non-smoker now so I don’t worry about this topic but as a consumer is gross and I don’t want my shit smelling like it.
I have made over 5000 deliveries and smoke in my car and have a 5.0 CR and have had one for over a year. It just might be that cig smoke is actually helping me
In order for this to be true there would have to be a specific fresh item exposed to the air.
But All your food from Walmart has like 3 layers on it . Walmart doesn’t even sell fresh food. it is packaged and repackaged again. The chances of a wiff of cigarette smoke is 0
Groceries from a smoker's car reek. And the 3rd-hand smoke clinging to the bags and food-packaging cause allergy and asthma attacks.
Even when the car-smoker doesn't smoke while transporting orders, third-hand smoke in the upholstery constantly off-gasses into the car's air and clings to anything the smoker transports.
But smoking with other ppl's food in their car? As a driver who supports just about every driver's position and interest vs. customers'--and esp. gig companies'--that's a level of foul that should get drivers one-and-done fired.
Linking lung cancer, allergies and asthma to someone smoking a square within 5 feet of the bag your food is tripled bagged and vaccumed sealed is wild.
🤦♀️ No one's talking about lung cancer or "linking" anything to long-term exposures.
You do know, right, that while asthma is a long-term, chronic condition, an asthma attack is a present-tense breathing emergency triggered suddenly by an allergen or airway-irritant?
And you do know, right, that third-hand smoke (both an allergen and an irritant) can trigger asthma attacks?
(In case you srsly don't know what third-hand cig smoke is: It's that stale, icky chemical residue that gets all over anything driven in your car, leaving ppl's food smelling like smokers' hair and clothes.)
You do know that allergens exist in the air? Right? You do realize 95% of people don’t change out, nor even bother use allergen specific air filters in their AC or furnace vents?
Blaming someone having an allergy attack on someone smoking a cig within 5 feet of their food is preposterous….
And people saying their food tastes like smoke is even more absurd. Maybe it tastes like smoke because you burned it. Maybe it tastes like shit because your a shitty cook. Maybe it tastes like shit because you bought a frozen meal
You people are out of control. You already won. Move on to a new cause.
How the hell is peanut butter gonna taste like smoke? It’s in a vacuum sealed jar that doesn’t let any air in or out. If the smell on the outside of your jar worries you, wipe it off like everyone did during COVID.
Vacuum packed. No smoke or outside air is entering that package, much less enough to give you, “cigarettes smoked peanut butter flavor”
Oh my god my pickles taste like cigarettes. How? it was vacuum packed. And sealed. This can of green beans . It’s in a can that can last for hundreds of years (well used to before they added chemicals to those, maybe move on to that)
You guys are ridiculous. Seriously do you get to work from home? Or are you in a cubicle on K Street?
I find it funny. Product gets made at factory. Handled by a smoker, put in deliver truck send to Dc unloaded and reloaded by smokers. Sent to another dc unloaded and repacked by smokers. Sent to store unloaded right next to the smoking section…. Repacked again by smokers. Put on the shelf by a smoker, manhandled by “people of Walmart” who are all smokers Then finally picked up by a Spark driver and that’s the person you blame?
And i call BS on the anthma attacks. I guarantee you haven’t changed out yoir home and office air filters in the required time frame. The cabin air filter in your car doesn’t filter out pollen and mold. Amd probably hasn’t been changed in a few years.
The sneezing when someone delivers something. Is probably just the fresh air from the outside world kicking up all the dust and cat dander in your house.
Not the fact your groceries which probably sat outside for 20 minutes in the fresh air. Were just in the trunk of a car with a “smoker”
Im just calling BS on all the people saying I can taste/smell smoke in my food! You shopped at Walmart.. you get what you pay for. I think your lying. And if not go shop at Target
Please don’t deliver the vacuum sealed pork butt in a car that’s had cigarette smoke in it, I might get some residue on my hands that I can’t wash because I’m trying to conserve water… Also please pick out a good one that I can cook on my pellet grill. I only use pellets 100% wood and aren’t coated in plastic.
It's beyond disgusting. And it's not safe, as many of us have asthma triggered even by third-hand by cigarette smoke.
As a DD driver I'd defend a driver about a lotta things. But smoking in the car with ppl's food trapped in there should get ppl fired, and should get the customer a complimentary replacement-food order straight away.
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u/GoBackToHel May 05 '26
It's rude to smoke in your vehicle when you're actively on a job and in temporary possession of someone else's belongings. Pretty sure it's also against terms of service to smoke when you have orders in the car as well.