I don't think the backlash is against saving time FWIW (although I get you, time is precious especially with kids around!!). It's more something like -- is this an investment society would bother to make without loads of cheap VC money?

I view it as an unstable equilibrium -- something's gotta give sooner or later, these businesses are barely sustainable. Is the convenience ultimately worth it in the aggregate, if Uber needs to embrace tactics like these just to survive?

(I admit I have a bias here, I think the gig economy sucks.)