Deliveroo's UK MD came out to face an angry mob of food delivery couriers - here's what happened

Deliveroo's UK managing director stepped out of his office to address an angry mob of Deliveroo couriers on Thursday as they protested over the company's decision to change the way it pays its riders.

The startup, which has raised $475 million (£367 million) from investors, currently pays its fleet of cyclists and moped riders £7/hour + £1/delivery. But as of next week, Deliveroo plans to abandon the hourly rate and move to a per delivery payment structure, where drivers would earn £3.75/delivery.

Deliveroo couriers are unhappy about this move and some of them are claiming that they'll end up being paid less than minimum wage, which currently sits at £7.20 in the UK.

In an effort to get Deliveroo to rethink its new payment plan, around 50 uniformed riders gathered outside Deliveroo's head office near London's Tottenham Court Road on Thursday with megaphones and signs that read "Slaveroo."

Deliveroo UK MD Dan Warne came out to talk to them, saying he would speak with them all individually but he struggled to make his voice heard amongst the jeering of the riders. "We're happy to speak with each and every one of you," he said."We have a team upstairs that do that."

Unfortunately for Warne, the offer was loudly rejected by the workers who are demanding collective bargaining. They're planning to protest outside the company's headquarters again at 5pm on Friday.

A journalist at The Huffington Post caught the whole event on camera: