What Happened
Restaurants across Panama are feeling the impact of a work stoppage by motorcyclists affiliated with PedidosYa Panamá, with daily orders down by an estimated 80%, according to Domingo De Obaldía, former president of the Asociación de Restaurantes y Afines de Panamá (ARAP).
The disruption has led to slower business, more canceled orders and mounting pressure on restaurants that depend heavily on delivery apps to reach customers. Some businesses have tried to shift orders to other platforms, but those efforts have not produced reliable results.
Why Restaurants Are Struggling
De Obaldía said some restaurants attempted to keep service moving by using alternative delivery options or by asking customers to pick up their meals directly. Even so, he described those measures as limited and insufficient for the volume of sales that delivery apps normally generate.
He also noted that some restaurants have their own delivery motorcyclists, but that model is not practical for many smaller businesses. Running in-house delivery requires a broader operating structure, including multiple branches and higher logistics costs, making it difficult for many establishments to adopt quickly.
Background to the Stoppage
The temporary work stoppage began on Monday, April 13, after PedidosYa-affiliated motorcyclists suspended services to demand better rates and working conditions. The shutdown has affected both merchants and customers who rely on home delivery for everyday meals and business operations.
PedidosYa Panamá has about 3,500 affiliated businesses and more than 4,100 motorcyclists, underscoring the scale of the interruption for Panama’s restaurant sector. For many restaurants, the platform has become a key sales channel, particularly for fast-service and delivery-driven businesses.
What This Means for the Sector
The situation highlights how dependent parts of Panama’s food industry have become on third-party delivery services. When the delivery chain slows, restaurants can lose sales quickly, while customers face delays or canceled orders.
For now, the stoppage is creating operational strain across the sector, forcing businesses to improvise as they try to protect revenue and maintain customer service. The fallout also shows how labor disputes inside digital platforms can have immediate effects far beyond the riders themselves.