Posted on 11/02/2023 7:49:14 AM PDT by Morgana
Food delivery service DoorDash has warned its customers that not tipping their drivers may lead to delayed deliveries.
The largest food delivery company in the United States warned in a since-deleted post to X that because its drivers can see which orders carry tips, and are free to take the jobs they want to, they may not be incentivized to take lower-value gigs.
DoorDash, which currently holds 65% of the online meal delivery market in the US, said that it was testing out a new pop-up warning that encouraged its users to leave a tip.
The Verge reported that adding a $0 tip to an order results in a pop-up window that reads:
'Orders with no tip might take longer to get delivered — are you sure you want to continue? Orders that take longer to be accepted by Dashers tend to result in slower delivery.'
The outlet reported that the new pop-up warning doesn't appear to have been pushed across the US.
One Verge reporter in New Jersey reportedly received the pop-up, while another in South Carolina didn't
It insists on its website that DoorDash drivers earn between $2 and $10 per delivery, depending on the 'distance and desirability of the order', and added that drivers take in 100% of tips given by customers.
A DoorDash spokesperson told the Verge: 'Everyday, Dashers go the extra mile to help connect consumers with the best of their local communities. That’s why we encourage customers to show their appreciation by tipping.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Some college students on late night deliveries are continuously, repeatedly, tipping $0 for orders, which because drivers can’t wander up into dorms, come with the instruction: “Hand it to me.”
Then they rate the driver 1 out of 5.
Humiliating?
> Seems reasonable… <
Yes. The customer doesn’t have to tip. And the driver doesn’t have to take the run. I don’t see what the problem is here.
Just let the customer know up-front. If he’s on the “no tip” list, tell him that his order might be delayed or not even filled.
I am a Doordash driver, dedicated to my job and my clients. I care about what I do. That having been said, clients know that drivers are independents. DD doesn’t pay us more than $2.50 a delivery, and gas, mileage, and car repair are on us. We really CAN’T take orders 15 miles away without a tip or with a $1.00 tip. The rule of thumb is at least a dollar a mile. It’s a necessity for drivers. Many clients think we are paid by the stores...we are not. We’re totally independent, just like Uber or Lyft. So, my advice to those who don’t like tipping the driver is to get it yourself or make sure the restaurant has a delivery service in house.
I agree, although it could be cheaper after consuming adult beverages..
I cook my own too, but my husband loves fast food, and he loves Doordash. We are way out in the country, so the tip is worth it. I always tip the recommended amount. The same people deliver and have been very nice. He’s more or less house bound and it’s hard for me to leave for very long at a time, so Doordash has been great. Maybe they are better in a rural community. We have a lot of retiree age delivery people that are supplementing their SS income as delivery people.
The IRS allows a deduction of 65 1/2 cents per mile driven for business purposes.
Those who can’t afford $1/mile on longer deliveries might at least consider tipping $.655/mile so that the work done in delivering their order has a chance of yielding reportable income.
This all started with great lunchtime delivery from restaurants. Now, kids use it as a means to feed themselves every meal. Cold, nasty, food delivered by unknown creeps who steal as much as they deliver.
I think life is less expensive, more healthy and safer if you buy your own food and prepare it yourself. Plus, we see friends at the grocery store. Society seems to be heading in the direction of some old science fiction books where people just recline in a tiny apt 24/7 watching “pleasure screens” and having food appear at mealtimes. No actual contact with anyone, just voyeurism watching each other on the screens.
Pay your people enough and they’ll stay and do a good job. By definition if they aren’t motivated you aren’t paying enough (to say nothing of if they are leaving). If you can’t make a profit while paying people enough (by the obvious definition of staying and performing satisfactorily) then just quit bitching and go out of business. I wouldn’t take that job for under $25 an hour, and I could not care less what happens to an employer who can’t get enough people because they don’t pay enough.
America is the only place that tips. Yes there is a little tipping for very small amounts in some European countries. But its pocket change not 20% of a bill. Tipping is not for the person who is giving you good service. Its a corporate strategy to pay employees less. Don’t pay tips. Especially not electronic tips. I tip my barber, a bellman (i very rarely use a bellman unless I have lots of luggage), and a waitress. Thats it. If I don’t get table service, I am not tipping. If my table service is bad, I am not tipping. If these people don’t like it, they can get a better job. Maybe if that happens employers will pay better. Tipping is an American scam.
Understood. It’s probably a good option for some.
I’m, luckily, healthy and have numerous options nearby.
Hopefully college kids use it instead of drunk driving for Taco Bell.
yikes dystopian
The deduction is great...at the end of the year. It doesn’t do much for gas day to day. I understand the people who are complaining here, I genuinely do. But I don’t think most people realize we are really being paid by them. Why do we do it? I have great dashers in my area, really good people. I did it because my mom was 100 years old and I needed to be able to make my own shift, whether that was an hour or a half day, depending on where she was at the time. Some do it because they are retired and enjoy planning out their own schedules after a lifetime of work. Some can’t stand on their feet for long shifts, or even sit for a long period of time at a desk. Some are students who need time for their studies, but also need some work on the side. The reasons vary. I DO wish DD was more selective with their drivers, but in my area, the dashers are really great people.
you’re a pip, you are
Yeah, tipping in advance isn’t tipping, it’s just voluntarily paying a higher price.
Which is why there either shouldn’t be an option to tip in advance, or the drivers should not be able to see how much a customer tipped.
I don’t expect this will work out well for DoorDash, now that the public knows about it, since they have several competitors that offer the exact same service, but without this nonsense.
Catering to sloth has become an industry. I walk by Starbucks on my way to work and am always amused by long lines of cars at the drive through. As a people, we are very hard on ourselves psychologically but baby ourselves physically. Here’s a thought- get out of bed at 4:30 am. Exercise then take a cold shower. Fast, and control unhealthy impulses. When you’re are uncomfortable, ask yourself if you really should avoid the source of your discomfort or are you just wussing out? Your physical and psychological health will improve, and you just might be a man, my son.
LOL, agree! If I’m already in town for something else, I will go through a drive-thru for him and bring it home. We are so far out that until Doordash, nobody would deliver anything out here. He’s 85 and doesn’t worry about eating right. I guess if fast food was going to kill him he wouldn’t be 85. :-)
I’m much younger than he is and I want to stay healthy. I rarely eat any fast food unless it’s half a Sub from Firehouse.
I hope it work for you, but it sounds like such deliveries are a losing proposition when you take wear and tear on the car into consideration, just like Uber/Lyft look like money sinks to me also. Never done either, I have a friend who does Uber and claims he makes $25 an hour but I know he’s talking gross. Plus, he’s in Orange County/LA so he’s taking his life in hands every day. I know a DoorDash guy here but this is a small and safe area with nice people so it may work out better for him. He’s a Tru-Green lawn service guy in the summer and DoorDash in the winter. He likes doing both. We slip him a piece of cake or fruit if we are home when he does the lawn treaatment.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.