Tip shaming and nudging: the growing controversy surrounding online food delivery services...

[midian182]

A hot potato: Online food ordering and delivery service Doordash is the latest company to face criticism over a "tip-nudging" feature that lets customers increase their tip for a driver up to 30 days after an order has been delivered. Those who don't tip will be sent notifications suggesting they show their appreciation.

The subject of tipping has become more controversial than ever in recent times. With the cost of living so high, workers who rely on tips say they need them more than ever, but many customers claim they can't afford to pay extra for goods and services.

As reported by Insider, DoorDash introduced the ability to edit tips after a delivery was complete in June. Company execs said at the time it was a way to reward drivers who offer above-and-beyond service. However, confirmation that customers who don't tip will receive new nudges and reminders to encourage them to do so didn't go down too well, though it's something Uber Eats, Instacart, and Starbucks also do.

DoorDash has confirmed that only customers who have not tipped anything will receive the nudges, and there will be a maximum of one nudge per order.

The subject of tipping is becoming increasingly controversial. Last month brought news of customers who were being shamed for not leaving large enough tips. One person received a text from their DoorDash driver that read: "Nice house. Thanks for the $5 for 20 min ride." Another driver said something similar to a customer in-person and then swore at her. He was fired for his behavior.

Tipping culture has been the subject of many heated debates this year. One of the most shocking reports came in May when we heard that self-checkout machines were requesting that customers tip even though they'd had little to no interaction with human workers. There was also a report that unionized Apple store employees were asking that customers be allowed to tip them.

The obvious answer might be for companies to pay workers better wages and put less focus on ways of making customers tip more. DoorDash said its drivers' pay ranges from as little as $2 per order to $10.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/99768-tip-shaming-nudging-growing-controversy-surrounding-online-food.html

 

[yRaz]

So here's a thought, we have constant staffing problems in all of our trades because there is a shortage of people who can do the work. Why not get a 4 year paid apprenticeship that starts at $25/hr with benefits? Unemployment is very low with the last I saw, it being around 3%. Why not get another job?

Also, a story about tipping is not tech news even if you mix in stuff about Apple, DoorDash and Kiosks.

 

[Uncle Al]

The entire idea of tipping a person more than the actual bill is absurd and not reasonable. Tipping a person $3 to $5 used to be very generous but now days they expect $20 or they won't deliver to you. I've run into a few situations where they expected the tip UP FRONT before they would deliver. Bottom line, this is a dying market that won't survive. There are plenty of unemployed people out there, but they simply won't work. The Govt. needs to show the real, total numbers and cut off the bums that won't try to work.

Businesses are just as bad. They won't train and won't pay a wage that will retain workers. At 67 I tried to get a job just to have something to do and businesses won't even give me a chance despite being under staffed by more than 30%.

All in all, they economy won't make a full turn around until employer's and employee's do so first .....

 

[Neatfeatguy]

Only delivery I tip is pizza and even then the pizza joints are close enough to my place that it's just easier to waive the delivery fee (usually around $3) and save that money and the money I would have added for a driver tip by picking up my order myself.

I don't trust people enough to utilize services such as Doordash. I've heard enough stories about food not getting delivered to the right places or food showing up and appears to have been mishandled (touched/eaten). Yeah, no thanks. Gross. I'm not saying these things can't happen to pizza that gets delivered, but removing a pizza from the insulated bag, opening the box in a confined car space to do something to the pizza and then put it back.....that seems like a big pain in the ***. So I'm not really concerned about pizza being tampered with.

I don't tip at places that quickly make your food and toss it to you - like Jimmy John's or Chipotle. I hate those checkout screens that ask for a tip from nearly every place you go no. F off, people. I'm not here to tip you for doing your job unless you're actually waiting on me at a restaurant.

 

[yRaz]

The entire idea of tipping a person more than the actual bill is absurd and not reasonable. Tipping a person $3 to $5 used to be very generous but now days they expect $20 or they won't deliver to you. I've run into a few situations where they expected the tip UP FRONT before they would deliver. Bottom line, this is a dying market that won't survive. There are plenty of unemployed people out there, but they simply won't work. The Govt. needs to show the real, total numbers and cut off the bums that won't try to work.

Businesses are just as bad. They won't train and won't pay a wage that will retain workers. At 67 I tried to get a job just to have something to do and businesses won't even give me a chance despite being under staffed by more than 30%.

All in all, they economy won't make a full turn around until employer's and employee's do so first .....

I'm fairly confident that the employees and consumers are pushing back.

"This is what I'm willing to for a delivery fee"
"I'm not willing to deliver for that much money"
Business: "I don't understand why our business is failing"
*posts record profits anyway*

Their greed will be the end of them

 

[Kam7r]

I'm fairly confident that the employees and consumers are pushing back.

"This is what I'm willing to for a delivery fee"
"I'm not willing to deliver for that much money"
Business: "I don't understand why our business is failing"
*posts record profits anyway*

Their greed will be the end of them

not only ... Greed will end humanity as a race...

 

[captaincranky]

Well, my question is, "if everybody's so damned broke, and inflation is so bad,, where the hell are they getting the money for takeout in the first place"?

Greed and laziness will end humanity as a race..

FIXED..!
.

 

[redgarl]

I don't tip for any takeout, I don't use Delivery services and I don't feel sorry one bit for them.

Tips are discretionary unless, like here, your job definition is including tips as a revenue, meaning waitress and such. If you earn the standard salary and not the tip salary, which is lower, then you are not entitle to tips, they are donations...

 

[bviktor]

Just say no to tipping. You have a problem with your salary - go talk to your manager. None of my freakin business.

 

[AlexIL]

I do work at similar company. When I started the pay was good and people tipped just fine.

Nowadays the company went through all kinds of improvements to pay less than it was obviously cutting costs attempting not to fire people out and I think they attempt to do a good thing.

Customers tipping went to nearly nonexistant while it is important part of payroll. Prices are rising inflation beyond the horizon and expenses rise as well. So I just work more and more sometimes thinking to drop it all off go sit on the beach as life became work only.

When I order myself I used to leave at least 5$ tip regardless but now I only leave 2$ as can't afford giving more. I was rised in a society where tipping goes without saying you tip or you don't order. Now people attempt to cut costs in everything. Delivery orders not only because you like a fancy food. Nowadays orders because people don't have the time to cook anything. Work around the clock for many as in tech as in deliveries.

One day I was tipped 50c and you know what? That is money as well I was happy to get the tip at all. Other day I gave 50c to a beggar (really had no more on me). Beggar left it at a bench thinking I insulted him.

How do you see things makes all the difference in the world. Let's try to be kind to each other. We are just people after all.

Cheers.