DoorDash is taking matters into its own hands to resolve the poor tipping culture by testing a few new features to encourage customers to tip drivers.
In August, Locate2u reported on a woman who a DoorDash delivery driver cursed after she gave a $5 tip on a $20 order. The DoorDash driver was allegedly fired.
The US delivery culture has been a bone of contention for years, but it has been pushed into the spotlight in recent months. The question that begs is, what is an appropriate tip for delivery drivers?
According to GrubHub, a 20% tip is standard for delivering a meal to your door. If the weather is terrible, that tip should increase.
Non-tippers will have to wait
DoorDash is hoping to change the way customers think about tipping a driver by making them feel more conscious about their decisions. When a customer orders from a restaurant using DoorDash with no tip added to the bill, a pop-up will appear to remind them that if they give a tip, their order will be delivered faster.
If there is still no change in the customer’s decision, there will be a second warning. A message will appear on the screen that reads: “Dashers can pick and choose which orders they want to do.” The decision is ultimately the customers’ choice, but it could take longer before any driver accepts an order with no tip.
TechCrunch is quoting DoorDash spokesperson Jenn Rosenberg, saying: “As independent contractors, Dashers have full freedom to accept or reject offers based on what they view as valuable and rewarding.”
The company is piloting the features at this stage. Once it’s given the green light, it will be rolled out to other countries.
Americans are tipping less
According to Bankrate’s tipping survey, Americans are tipping less. Only 50% of people who order food to be delivered, pay gratuity to their drivers. “These are all situations in which I think people should tip every single time. Generally speaking, I believe 20% is an appropriate tip,” says Ted Rossman, an industry analyst at Bankrate.
He says it’s “shocking” to see how many people are not tipping, especially young adults. “Only 35% of Gen Zers and 50% of millennials always give a gratuity at sit-down restaurants. [This is in comparison to] 80% of Gen Xers and 83% of baby boomers.”
On the other hand, some customers are opposed to what’s being called “tip creep.” That’s when customers are asked for a tip, often by an automated prompt on the payment terminal or in a mobile app. This while no one rendered a service to the customer.
Rossman says there seems to be a “social justice viewpoint” toward tipping, especially young adults. “Efforts to charge higher prices in lieu of tips have not been greeted warmly, so we’re stuck with tipping. If anything, tip creep is growing. Technology is making it easier than ever to request a tip. Also because inflation is squeezing companies along with consumers.”
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Mia is a multi-award-winning journalist. She has more than 14 years of experience in mainstream media. She's covered many historic moments that happened in Africa and internationally. She has a strong focus on human interest stories, to bring her readers and viewers closer to the topics at hand.
