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Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

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Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#281

Post by nickjarboe »

Many cultures and sub-cultures don't believe in tipping for many different reasons. These cultures exist all over the globe and in the US. When tipping is needed to provide a decent wage for a service, people from these 'no tipping' cultures will tend to get bad to no service. Taxi services are heavily criticized for this behavior. I think it is great at least one of the two major smartphone hailed car services has a default culture of not tipping. Drivers can choose which they like better.

Uber rides are very cheap at the moment, especially when you get an Uber Pool and no one joins. I hope they up the fares some and pass them on to drivers and keep tipping for special extra-ordinary service. Uber is so much more convenient than conventional taxi service and I sure hope it or some similar service continues into the future.

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#282

Post by wwalser »

calc_exe wrote: post #201
fletchowns wrote: post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I still tip the normal amount when I get takeout from a restaurant that has tables.

Is this normal? I never tip for takeout..

This was my understanding as well. If they just ring up the total and pass you food, there's no expectation of a tip.

I do tip from time to time at places where I'm a regular customer. If I get takeout somewhere near work of home ~4 times a month I'll drop a dollar in once every couple of trips.

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#283

Post by blahedo »

iLoch wrote: post #207
arebop wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is universal agreement about tipping at restaurants. Tips of 15% (or 20%?) are definitely customary, expected, priced-in. People who don't leave tips after experiencing decent service are definitely not paying their fair share. Uber traditionally operates on the service-included model. That was very well established before some drivers agitated for a change. Since then, Uber has adopted an inconsistent policy […

> There is universal agreement about tipping at restaurants. Tips of 15% (or 20%?) are definitely customary, expected, priced-in. People who don't leave tips after experiencing decent service are definitely not paying their fair share. Is this a joke? Not only is it not universal, it's not even customary. The agreement you have with the restaurant is this: you sit down, are served, eat food, and pay. Baseline service…

> it's not even customary

This is thoroughly false. It is so customary in the US that it has been baked into the minimum wage laws: in general, the federal minimum wage is $7.25, but for waitstaff and some other "tipped" jobs, the minimum wage is less than a third of that, at $2.13. The whole system is completely appalling, but that doesn't change the fact that in a lot of places the waitstaff is effectively subcontracted out and paid for by the patrons rather than by the nominal employer.

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#284

Post by twelve40 »

Gorbzel wrote: post #244
pmorici wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I stopped using Uber and switched to lyft exactly because Uber doesn't allow in app tipping. The problem is you aren't paying more for each fare to avoid tipping Uber is just using it's duoploy pricing power to put the squeeze on drivers.

I try to upvote rather than +1, but chiming in to point out how wrong the parent comment is assuming they shouldn't tip. Of course, scrolling down the thread just shows that waaay too many HNers live in their own bubble pretending to be Mr. Pink with their mightier-than-thousplaining that justifies their miserliness. No matter how disruptive moving livery to cashless may have been, the truth remains: Uber's current b…

> how wrong the parent comment is assuming they shouldn't tip

Wait, so you are saying I should start a charity compensating those poor souls who are getting tortured by Kalanick out of my own pocket? The contract for _this_ service is literally "no tip expected or required". We're not in Roman slavery times, if the drivers can't sustain working for Uber, maybe they can find something else to do in this currently great economy of ours - most of those who I talked to are new to Ubering anyway. They are not like, say, teachers who get career training to do specialized and meaningful work, the drivers utilize the most common skill to take advantage of a commercial opportunity. If this commercial opportunity is not viable in their situation, how is that my fault?

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#285

Post by stbtrax »

fletchowns wrote: post #189
mikepurvis wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't mind tipping in principle, but I really hate the payment terminals that are preconfigured with outrageous options, so it prompts you to pick 20%, 25%, 30%, "other", so you feel like a total sleaze giving a normal 10-15% tip. It's the worst when I'm picking up takeout from a restaurant that also has tables. Like, am I supposed to tip in this scenario? Do I have to go into "other" to tip less than 20% for being…

I still tip the normal amount when I get takeout from a restaurant that has tables.

I feel like there's a certain segment of people that would probably tip if there was a tip prompt at the grocery store, or at the gas station.

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#286

Post by jachee »

iopq wrote: post #121
cortesoft wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So you are saying it is worth it for you? So that is good?

I haven't done it in months now, I just don't feel like it anymore considering how little I make.

So you're saying it's not worth it for you? So that is bad?

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#287

Post by bbcbasic »

AtheistOfFail wrote: post #82
mattnewton wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It sounds like the current rates aren't sustainable and uber needs to charge more.

But how are they going to get that 50b valuation if they don't squeeze their drivers?

Self driving cars

Homosapeanless Carrigages

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#288

Post by jachee »

walru wrote: post #96
ryandvm wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know. Maybe Uber should just pay you more and we can not encourage the antiquated custom of tipping.

Is good service and hospitably an antiquated notion? I'll happily give a bartender, server or a driver an extra buck or two when they make the experience pleasant/informative/friendly because, far too many people treat their jobs not as a privileged but a chore. Without tipping far too many would take your money for granted and the quality of service would decline across the board because there is zero incentive to p…

> Is good service and hospitably an antiquated notion?

No, good service and hospitality are literally what your base wage should cover.

If your service job doesn't pay well enough to for you to provide good service and/or be a decent human being, perhaps you should seek out a less service-oriented job.

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#289

Post by r00fus »

wpietri wrote: post #276
buu700 wrote: post #246

Earlier quoted context omitted.

+1. I use Uber over Lyft right now because I prefer a UX as close to "type destination, arrive, done" as possible, which Lyft's whole tipping deal needlessly impairs. If Uber is going to implicitly make tipping a requirement to not feel like a jerk (as with Lyft), but without copying Lyft's ability to tip from the app, suddenly Lyft looks a lot less unattractive by comparison. Now that I know this is starting to beco…

Huh. I use Flywheel, and it has tipping with a default tip. You can change it during or at the end of the ride if you want, but if you do nothing, it sticks with whatever you picked as the default. I'm surprised Lyft doesn't do that.

I'm always a little miffed at "default" tipping (e.g. Doordash). I feel that if I don't tip, my driver may be less than courteous. I have no idea if they know they're being tipped or not.

I like Lyft's model where the driver doesn't know how much you tipped, but knows how much in tips he gets at the end of the day in aggregate... it reinforces positive service while removing any friction to tip or not.

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#290

Post by r00fus »

dorfsmay wrote: post #86
taneq wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're not taking advantage of the driver. Uber is. It's the same thing with restaurants - you're letting yourself be guilted into subsidizing a corporation's business strategy, with the justification that it's either you that gets screwed, or their employees.

That's why I always pay 15% tip at restaurants regardless of the service. I disagree with tipping (an after-the-fact unilateral contract), but we know that restaurants don't pay fair wages. EDIT: Following some comments here, I feel I need to add that I'm in Canada where 15% is considered "normal".

This. I feel compelled in restaurants to provide a 15%+ unless I got bad service. With kids (and fewer restaurant visits) it's easier to justify a substantive tip - the table is usually a mess at the end and we do request more attention from the wait staff.
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