Dinner Now, Debt Later: Why Afterpay on Uber Eats Is a Red Flag

When Afterpay announced their latest feature - the ability to split your Uber and Uber Eats payments into four - they framed it as putting consumers “in the driver’s seat."

But who’s really driving here? And where is this heading?

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Let’s be clear: this is not just about dinner. This is about normalising debt for daily essentials. It’s about selling a short-term solution that leads to long-term consequences.

The Real Cost of That $24 Burger

BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later) services like Afterpay often don’t feel like debt. That’s intentional. They’re marketed as interest-free, flexible, empowering.

But miss a payment, and the numbers stack up fast:

• A $24 burger with a late fee of $10? That’s a 41% increase.
• Add a dishonour fee from your bank? You could be paying $35-$40+.
• And if you're already juggling repayments? It's another stressor in an already stretched budget.

This isn’t budgeting help. It’s a debt trap disguised as convenience.

Who Does This Hurt Most?

Right now, over 478,000 Kiwis are behind on at least one loan repayment. We’re living at 169% of our household income. For many, it’s not about overspending - it’s:

• Job loss.
• Sickness.
• Reduced hours.
• No access to sick leave.

Afterpay isn’t targeting people with disposable income. It’s targeting people looking for breathing room. For one more week of grace. For a dinner they can afford... later.

Let’s Not Pretend This Is Harmless

There’s no affordability check when you Afterpay a burger. No financial counselling. No check-in on whether this is your third BNPL purchase today. Because BNPL isn’t treated like credit. But when it walks like debt and talks like debt - it’s debt.

There Is a Better Way

At Money Sweetspot, we help people reset their finances. That means:

• No predatory interest or hidden fees.
• Financial education that earns you real rewards.
• Support, even when we have to say no.

We see hundreds of applications every month where BNPL is stacked up in layers. Some people have 200+ BNPL transactions on record! The pattern is clear. It starts small. Then it snowballs.

We’re not against spending. We’re against spending traps.

What Now?

• If you or someone you know is feeling the pressure - there are safer ways to stay on track.
• If you’re an employer - you can help your people avoid these traps.
• If you’re in finance - it’s time to raise the bar on what responsible lending looks like.

Because paying off a burger in four installments isn’t empowerment. It’s exploitation disguised as convenience.

Join the movement to build a better off-ramp. So together, we can create the best place in the world for Kiwis to get out of debt.

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