The PRICE Act: Bipartisan Federal Bill Named to Outlaw App Surveillance Pricing
The curtain has officially been pulled back on the federal legislation threatening to dismantle Big Tech's food delivery cartels.
As the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reviews a massive wave of evidence regarding predatory "drip pricing" and algorithmic exploitation, lawmakers in Washington have officially attached a name and a hard-line strategy to their legislative offensive. Introduced by U.S. Representative Dan Goldman (NY-10) and Senator Ben Ray Lujaˇn (NM), the Promoting Real-time Information on Cost Expenditure (PRICE) Act has officially landed on the floors of Congress.
What the PRICE Act Automatically Mandates
The PRICE Act is engineered to completely eliminate the digital bait-and-switch tactics that third-party apps use to manipulate consumers and squeeze local restaurant ecosystems. The federal bill introduces two strict nationwide mandates:
- Mandatory "All-In" Running Totals: Platforms will be legally required to display the absolute, total, all-in price of an order in real-time *as items are added to the cart*. No more hiding a wave of mystery platform fees until the final click of checkout. \r\n
- A Flat Ban on Surveillance Pricing: The bill strictly outlaws the exploitative practice of tracking personal consumer data including location, device type, browsing history, and shopping habits to generate individualized, inflated food prices.
"Americans deserve to know what they're paying for and shouldn't be surprised by hidden fees. The PRICE Act would ensure that delivery apps disclose all costs up front... so that consumers can shop confidently.\"
The Tech Lobby Panics: "It Stifles Innovation"
The threat of real accountability has sent shockwaves through Silicon Valley. Investigative reports revealed today that multi-billion-dollar delivery corporations and tech lobbying arms, like TechNet, are actively deploying massive legal defense squads to fight both the FTC and the PRICE Act. In their formal oppositions, tech executives are bizarrely claiming that forcing platforms to show the real price upfront will 'stifle delivery innovations' and 'confuse consumers.'
The United Drivers & Restaurants Perspective
At United Drivers & Restaurants, we find the corporate excuse absolutely hollow. Since when did honesty and basic math 'stifle innovation'? The corporate delivery platforms are panic-spending millions on lobbyists because they know an undeniable truth: their business model cannot survive on a transparent, level playing field.
The PRICE Act proves that our collective advocacy is working. When federal lawmakers step in to protect independent kitchens, frontline drivers, and everyday consumers from algorithmic profiling, the days of corporate 'shadow math' are officially numbered. We will continue to support these federal hammers until the keys to local commerce are firmly back in local hands.
The corporate giants are fighting to keep the math hidden, but the truth is winning. Stand with us.
United Drivers & Restaurant Alliance