Blacklisted by ezCater — Not for Doing Something Wrong, But for Exposing It

What would you do if a company that covered a significant portion of your income blacklisted you — not because you broke any rules, but because you exposed someone else’s misconduct?

That’s exactly what happened to me. This is the story of how JackRabbit Deliveries’ behavior, combined with a lack of transparency from ezCater, led to my network-wide blacklist, how RMDA politics are playing into it, and why this situation exposes a bigger problem for every gig worker in the industry.

So in this video, We are talking about:

• What happened to where I was Blacklisted

• What I was told vs How it ACTUALLY is

• Everything in between!

Disclaimer: The content of this video does not contain and is never intended to be legal, business, financial, tax, or health advice of any kind, This video is for entertainment purposes only. It is advised that you conduct your own research and consult with qualified professionals before applying anything you find online. 

I also want to be clear that everything we are going to go over is very market dependent, and what applies to me and my market may not apply to you.

DrivenWyld/YouTube

How It Started: JackRabbit Deliveries and Retaliation

Earlier this year, I was working with JackRabbit Deliveries, one of the dispatch companies connected through the Restaurant Marketing & Delivery Association (RMDA).

Turns out... no they can't

During one of my ezCater orders, I was threatened by JackRabbit that they would cut my pay in half if I finished the delivery early. That kind of behavior immediately raised red flags. I also brought up the issue of Tip Fraud, questioning how payouts were being handled and whether drivers were receiving the full amount owed.

After raising these concerns, my access to their platform was cut off not long after. While I can’t confirm that JackRabbit directly initiated what later became the ezCater blacklist — especially since they were expelled from RMDA before that happened — the timing and circumstances were significant. It set off a sequence of events that ultimately led to much larger consequences for my work.

Fast forward, and JackRabbit’s misconduct was eventually recognized. They were expelled from the RMDA, which validated many of the issues I and others had raised. It later came to my attention that they had also been engaging in questionable insurance practices, including adding companies under themselves to get around insurance requirements, which was a direct violation of RMDA’s standards. This behavior ultimately became the final nail in the coffin for their membership.

Unfortunately, even after their expulsion, the consequences of that period continued to ripple outward.

A Fresh Start… Or So I Thought

Recently, I signed up with Red Wagon Deliveries, another RMDA-affiliated dispatch service. For about a week, everything ran smoothly. Then, out of nowhere, I logged in to find my account suddenly labeled “invalid.” No warning. No explanation. Nothing.

The phone call was made through Red Wagons Dispatch Number as Heather has made it clear that she doesn't provider her personal number to anyone.

I called dispatch to find out what was going on, and that’s when I spoke with Heather, who also happens to be the Secretary of the RMDA Board. She was straightforward and professional:

“You’re blacklisted by ezCater.”

Heather Rideaux, owner of Red Wagon Deliveries and Secretary of the RMDA, made it clear that this was ezCater’s decision, not Red Wagon’s.

She wasn’t given a reason for the blacklist, because ezCater is the RMDA’s client, and Red Wagon wasn’t going to turn it into a fight with them. She was transparent about the situation and clear that this was not a behavioral deactivation, but rather a circumstantial one.

Heather also explained that she doesn’t have other business in South Florida beyond ezCater, meaning this effectively forced the deactivation, not due to anything I did wrong, but because of how their business relationship is structured.

Importantly, this isn’t limited to Red Wagon. The blacklist applies across every platform I’ve worked on that receives ezCater orders — including both RMDA and non-RMDA dispatch companies. As a result, I’ve been completely removed from receiving ezCater orders network-wide, including through Jeff’s company, Foodfetched.

Based on the context she and Jeff shared, it appears likely that this stems from that earlier period, but ezCater has not communicated their reasoning to me directly, and the exact internal process behind the blacklist remains unclear.

Confirmation from the Inside

To make sure I understood the full picture, I spoke with Jeffery Lago, a Member of RMDA and the owner of Foodfetched (I thought he was a Board Member but I guess not) — he’s also one of my current business partners. He confirmed the blacklist and recommended that I reach out to Paul Birrell, RMDA’s President, to ask for his support in resolving the issue.

This call was made through Jeffery Lago's personal line

Jeff was realistic with me, though: I shouldn’t expect too much. Historically, Paul tends to prioritize ezCater’s interests as a client and doesn’t typically challenge their decisions. RMDA leadership has even removed board members in the past for pushing back too hard.

Because of that, while I may reach out, I know that relying on Paul as my primary advocate isn’t a strong strategy on its own.

Why This Matters: Systemic Retaliation in Gig Work

Let’s be clear: this isn’t just my problem.

This is a structural vulnerability in the gig logistics ecosystem:

• One DSP (JackRabbit) can act in bad faith.

• Their actions can trigger a network-wide blacklist through ezCater.

• Drivers get no notice, no appeals process, and no due process - and in my case, the only reason I found out was because Heather was willing to be a straight shooter and Jeff is my business partner. Most drivers would never receive that level of transparency.

Meanwhile, the company that actually caused the issue — JackRabbit — gets expelled before or outside of the blacklist decision, and drivers like me are left to pick up the pieces.

This is exactly why I’ve been working closely with RMDA’s executive team to build compliance systems and tip verification tools. We’re trying to bring transparency to a space that desperately needs it. And this situation proves why those systems are essential.

What I’m Doing About It

I’m not just sitting back and hoping this resolves itself. I’ve already put a structured plan into motion:

Step 1 — Professional Outreach to ezCater

I’ve sent a clear, respectful, fact-based request to ezCater asking them to review and remove the blacklist. This isn’t about apologizing or playing the victim — it’s about ensuring that drivers who raise legitimate issues aren’t penalized. I’m not just raising concerns; I’ve been actively working with RMDA executives to build compliance and tip-verification systems that strengthen the industry as a whole. I’m giving ezCater every opportunity to correct this quietly and professionally.

This is the email I had sent in good faith to ezCater in regards to the blacklist.

Step 2 — Strategic RMDA Engagement

Heather made it clear that ezCater holds the client relationship, and her advice was to apologize profusely and keep the peace, since Red Wagon isn’t in a position to challenge ezCater directly. Jeff, on the other hand, recommended that I reach out to Paul, RMDA’s President, to ask for his support.

I intend to follow through on that, but I’m also realistic: I don’t expect much. I respect that Paul’s priority is to put the RMDA’s relationship with ezCater first, and historically, he hasn’t challenged their decisions. Because of that, I’m treating this as one piece of the strategy, not the entire solution.

Update - I have reached out to Paul and he said he is going to discuss what to say to ezCater and confirmed that Jackrabit is no longer a part of the RMDA

Step 3 — Legal Positioning

I’ve documented the full timeline, collected evidence, and prepared a legal positioning memo. A lot of this is already public through videos on my channel, where I’ve been transparent about what’s happened so far.

I want to be clear: I don’t want to take this that far if I don’t have to. The companies and individuals involved — especially within RMDA — have historically treated me well, and it’s not right that I’d have to involve them in something they didn’t cause.

But I also have to put my financial positioning first, and if ezCater doesn’t address this, I will escalate as needed. During our conversation, Heather said it had been recommended to leave it to GigSafe’s legal team, and mentioned the idea that “you can’t sue them.” To me, that signals RMDA’s broader concern about legal exposure and their preference to keep these matters contained within GigSafe’s legal framework rather than having individual drivers pursue action independently.

If necessary, I’ll involve my own counsel to explore claims such as tortious interference or defamation, depending on what evidence shows about JackRabbit’s role in the blacklist decision.

Step 4 — Ongoing Public Transparency & Escalation

Much of this situation is already documented publicly through my channel and now this blog. Transparency has always been a core part of how I advocate for drivers and push for accountability. If ezCater ignores or refuses to act, I’ll continue to use these public platforms to keep the community informed, while also pursuing any necessary regulatory or legal avenues to protect my business and income.

The Bigger Picture

Drivers shouldn’t lose income because they spoke up about retaliation or fraud.

Heather made an important point during our conversation: “ezCater doesn’t want to hear from us DSPs.” And to Jeff’s point, “There’s no way for a driver to know that.” That communication gap is exactly why what I’m fighting for — a transparent, fair process — is so vital.

There should be a clear appeals process when something like this happens. Blacklists should be reviewable, not permanent sentences based on the actions of a bad actor. And platforms like ezCater shouldn’t rely on retaliation reports from DSPs without verifying the facts.

My case highlights a gap that hurts every gig worker in the network. If it can happen to me — someone actively working with RMDA on compliance — it can happen to anyone.

Update — October 22, 2025: Following communication with RMDA leadership, I’ve received confirmation from the RMDA President that the board reviewed my case and discussed it directly with ezCater.

ezCater has agreed not to interfere with any DSP that chooses to work with me, effectively removing the restrictions that were previously reported.The RMDA will also notify its member DSPs of this clarification.

This marks an important turning point — not just for me personally, but for transparency and fairness across the DSP and catering delivery ecosystem. It shows that open communication between drivers, DSPs, and partners can prevent misunderstandings from turning into blacklists.

Final Thoughts

I’m not looking to pick a fight with ezCater. I’m looking for fairness and working to make the industry better.

My hope is that ezCater does the right thing and quietly corrects this. But if they don’t, I’m prepared to escalate through legal, regulatory, and public channels.

If you’re a driver or DSP who’s faced similar issues, start documenting everything. Blacklists shouldn’t be a silent weapon against those who speak up.

This situation isn’t over — and I’ll keep you updated every step of the way.

If you would like to add some other perspective to getting blacklisted on ezCater, feel free to email me: drivenwyld@gmail.com and who knows? Maybe your email or perspective and be featured in a post as well!