‘On what planet is a 50% plus tip a standard tip?’: UberEats customer leaves $4 tip on $17 order, and a driver still won’t pick it up

Daily Dot ^ | Oct 11, 2022 | Rebekah Harding

[where's_the_Outrage?]

A customer says that she tipped $4 on a $17 UberEats order and couldn't get a driver to pick it up in a now-viral TikTok, sparking debate about tipping expectations on delivery apps.

In the video posted by TikToker Syd (@stillpoorandhungry) on Oct. 10, she references the viral "table of shame" of UberEats orders that never get picked up due to a low or missing tip.

"I ordered my food a really long time ago, and it still doesn't have a driver, so I'm worried that it will end up on that shelf of bad tippers," she says in the clip.

She continues that her order total "with fees and taxes" was $17, saying that she even "rounded up" the tip to $4.

"I'm gathering on this app that that is a bad tip. The app was even suggesting that I tip $8 to $10," she says. "I was a server for like ten years. On what planet is a 50% plus tip like a standard tip? Why would I tip almost the equal cost of the entire meal?"

[mmichaels1970]

what the hell are all of the “delivery charge” “service fee” and “subscription charge” if not to offer a base level of compensation to the driver?

I would not know as I don’t use those kinds of services here.

Around here your basic delivery kid is working directly for the establishment.

If there is a delivery fee to those types of places, don’t order from them. My kids’ delivered from Dominos for a while and the delivery fee went right to the owners’ pocket.

They also deliver to some seedy areas like hotels that can make their jobs more dangerous than one might think.

[moovova]

“After getting a check for a meal, I noticed that the suggested calculated tip now starts at 18%.”

In a restaurant a few weeks back that “suggested” three different tips...20%, 22% and 25%. I calculated the usual 15% and wrote that in.

If you think about it, 15% of now HIGHER/INFLATED restaurant prices, provides a higher tip than the server would’ve received a year and a half ago at lower restaurant prices. That’s the beauty of “percentages”. An increased tip PERCENTAGE on the increased food price is ridiculous to expect.

[SamAdams76]

Even when I drive to the restaurant to go to pick orders up, they still have the tip jar out on the counter. Yes, even people ordering takeout and picking up their own orders are expected to tip. I usually won't go over 15% in those cases.

I pretty much do all my cooking at home so don't go out to eat nearly so much as I used to.

[dfwgator]

[mmichaels1970]

That doesn’t bother me as much as every damn store has some sort of donation crap going on.

How about running into Wal Mart to get propositioned by salesman wanting to know who your internet provider is? Ever happen to you?

[napscoordinator]

Sometimes I like it because the tip suggestion is less than what I would’ve given. I typically give more if the amount is less. So if somethings $17 at a restaurant, I tipped seven bucks. But the suggested tip is 425 so that’s what I leave. Sometimes those suggestions screw the restaurant.

[napscoordinator]

Oh yeah or window replacement. Drives me crazy.

[cyclotic]

I travel about 50-60% of the time for work. I’ve ordered pizza delivery a few times and it’s about the same cost a going to a decent restaurant, plus it takes an hour to get my food.

Sometimes I just got to a grocery store and get a sub or a roasted chicken.

I’m also really weird. Sometimes instead of hotels, I go to a state park and camp.

[who knows what evil?]

It’s easy to say no. It’s also easy to tell the cashier they are worse that panhandlers, hookers, and those *&#@!%$ that try to clean your windshields.

[SamAdams76]

A customer says that she tipped $4 on a $17 UberEats order

So let me get this straight. This woman places a $17 food order and she considers the $4 a "tip"?

This suggests that she is expecting this Uber Driver to go pick up this food order and deliver it to her for FREE!

The $4 she was offering to give him will probably not even cover the gas money.

[who knows what evil?]

Years ago, I would hit the local CCP outlet for take out. I put an end to that by purchasing a nice wok for my wife. (Thanks for the tip, Mr. Williams!) Keeps her busy at the local Asian markets, and the results are just as good. Save $$$$, folks.

[HamiltonJay]

Yes comp is not just the tip, but it’s a big part of what the driver actually makes.

Say on this $17 order grub hub or whatever offers them $2 for the order itself plus the 4 dollar tip.

That’s $6, not much when you figure that’s gross, not net pay. Cost of gas and time $6 isn’t much… if deliver 3 orders an hour at $6 gross each that’s $18 an hour… figure burning at least a gallon of gas (likely more) in that hour. That $4 so at $14 an hour.. then wear and tear on the car, insurance, taxes etc you are under $10 an hour…. Not with the effort.

[GingisK]

You explanation should be all that is needed.

[Bubba_Leroy]

I have never used them. Do the delivery drivers receive any payment or just tips?

[Romulus]

If you want to use a luxury service, prepare to pay luxury rates.

[Reno89519]

I have never ordered through UberEats or any delivery service that is not part of the company I am ordering from. Seems like a very unnecessary overhead and add-on cost. Besides, I am not rich and didn’t marry up.

[Sequoyah101]

Absolutely insane. Do these people realize they are already getting a bigger profit on what the restaurant sells than the owner? Does it matter to them? NO.

[deport]

I know someone that did this for a while sometime back. And
$40 - 50 dollars in tips a night was usual, often more. Now
with gasoline prices, etc it wouldn’t be worth it. jmo

[ronniesgal]

i went to Giant and they wanted me to round up for some obscure charity to help Wash DC.
No thanks, but the “no” button did not work.
Called cashier over to say I don’t want to donate and her response to me was “ it’s just 88 cents.” Which i thought was pretty ballsy, and i insisted she let me keep my change.

[Sequoyah101]

Inflation? The price of the meal went up by the cost of inflation. The tip as a percentage of the meal ALSO goes up with inflation even if the percentage remains the same as before.