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Instacart and DoorDash’s Tip Policies Are Delivering Outrage

nytimes.com

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Re: Instacart and DoorDash’s Tip Policies Are Delivering Outrage

#331

Post by ForHackernews »

sevenf0ur wrote: post #194
ForHackernews wrote: post #5

Always tip cash to service people. http://tipthepizzaguy.com/

> Always tip cash to service people. It's more nuanced than that. Do you tip pest control, plumbers, locksmiths, that guy that fixes the spring in your garage opener? As a consumer, I'd rather pay a fixed price and not worry about carrying enough cash to supplement their income.

I would say pest control, plumbers and locksmiths are skilled professional craftsmen who command a high market rate for their labour. I don't consider those "service" jobs.

At any rate, yes, the tipping system is stupid, but you're not taking a bold stand against it by stiffing some poor chumps making less than minimum wage.

Re: Instacart and DoorDash’s Tip Policies Are Delivering Outrage

#333

Post by clhodapp »

cialowicz wrote: post #256
geoelectric wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I quit tipping on DD as soon as I found this out about a month ago because it'd almost always be less than $4.50, so wouldn't affect the dasher's bottom line anyway. If I start again it'll be cash, but I don't typically carry that in small bills. But I'm pissed . I've been a heavy DD customer for years and I'm an excellent tipper. Apparently I've been offsetting DD's costs for quite awhile now thinking "100% goes to…

You quit tipping, but you haven't stopped using the service?

One reaction to discovering that a company you do business with has been exploiting you or its workers is to come up with a strategy for exploiting the company back (within the bounds of the law), ideally without hurting the individual employees.

Re: Instacart and DoorDash’s Tip Policies Are Delivering Outrage

#334

Post by clhodapp »

chrischen wrote: post #275
general8bitso wrote: post #269

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Waiters and waitresses don’t use their own vehicle amd gas to bring me my food, though.

That's not really part of this problem though, as even if they were compensated for gas and insurance for the car, this still applies. Fundamentally, people are outraged because essentially tipping is subsidizing the wages the employer should be paying, and that's the case even with a restaurant. The issue is the tipping system. It's counterintuitive but your "generosity" with a tip, once it becomes standard cultural…

There is absolutely way to prevent this. We could enact laws to clarify that tips are between the customer and the employee and have no effect on the company's legal obligation to pay minimum wage. That is how the law actually is written in a number of states.

Re: Instacart and DoorDash’s Tip Policies Are Delivering Outrage

#335

Post by vinay427 »

lovich wrote: post #263
vinay427 wrote: post #248

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can't even count the number of people I meet that think waiters (in the state I most recently lived in) get paid less than minimum wage if they don't tip, when that's just not in compliance with the law. You raise a good point, anyway, because this happens all the time in restaurants in addition to DoorDash.

>when that's just not in compliance with the law The law doesn't magically make it happen without enforcement. People think that waiters get paid less than minimum wage because they've never met a restaurant where a boss actually follows the law and pays out minimum wage if the tips don't cover it

Source? This seems like a pretty clear-cut lawsuit waiting to happen. I'm aware that not everyone can afford to take on legal action, but I'm skeptical that it's widespread.

Re: Instacart and DoorDash’s Tip Policies Are Delivering Outrage

#336

Post by tpxl »

duderific wrote: post #281
sl1ck731 wrote: post #231

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder if they use it to indicate the quality of the customer.

Yep, I often wonder if the driver sees the tip amount before they deliver, and puts less importance on your order if the tip is considered low.

Other comments state that they do see the tip amounts before they deliver.

Re: Instacart and DoorDash’s Tip Policies Are Delivering Outrage

#337

Post by O_H_E »

paulgb wrote: post #191
koolba wrote: post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Per https://www.doordash.com/terms/#section12 you have to send them an email with your account info within 30 days of signing up: > (f) Opt Out. You may opt out of this Arbitration Agreement. If you do so, neither you nor the Company can force the other to arbitrate as a result of this Agreement. To opt out, you must notify the Company in writing no later than 30 days after first becoming subject to this Arbitration…

Free idea: browser extension that lights up when you visit a site with an arbitration clause and tells you how to opt out.

Nice one. Will save that to when I have time.

Re: Instacart and DoorDash’s Tip Policies Are Delivering Outrage

#338

Post by ionised »

Benjammer wrote: post #316
AndrewKemendo wrote: post #292

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm increasingly convinced that there is no non-coercive way to do it, hence the question: Can anyone think of another way to align incentives other than legislating ethics? I think the current state was inevitable, assuming there wasn't some coercive legislation preventing it. Even then, would people just go do business somewhere else and continue what they are doing because the new system is just viewed as a cost?…

Definitely agree with you that we need legislation. >"Just following orders" isn't an acceptable excuse. >You either quit or you're complicit. It's pretty straightforward actually. I meant that I don't really agree with this part of your rhetoric where you are trying to shame people into behaving ethically in business or quit their job. What happens if everyone capable of thinking about morals quits? Do the companies…

How does them staying with the company fix anything?

It's naive to believe that 'if the good one stay it is better than if they leave' as if they could change the company from within.

A company is not a democracy. They won't change shit.

Re: Instacart and DoorDash’s Tip Policies Are Delivering Outrage

#339

Post by code_sloth »

rconti wrote: post #104

I've never used Instacart, but I've used GrubHub and DoorDash and the like a couple of times -- I can never remember which one I have an account for, or which one has the restaurant I want, so it's always a hodgepodge. But one thing is clear as day. When I use DoorDash, the tip box says "100% of tip goes to Dasher". Look, I know all of these places either charge me a service fee, or if I'm not being charged a service…

I grew up in Asia, and never quite understood the tipping culture. Because employers aren't paying their staff a living wage, they ask their customers to tip. It all seems completely backwards to me.

These scumbag startups are taking it 1 step further by taking the tips away.

If you can't afford to pay your staff a living wage, your business shouldn't exist.

Re: Instacart and DoorDash’s Tip Policies Are Delivering Outrage

#340

Post by ionised »

chaboud wrote: post #6

I have a simple answer: I will never use Instacart or Doordash again, ever. Even if they change their policy, they are dead to me as companies, and any company that acquires them is similarly dead to me. If you're out there, upstart disruptors, know that pulling stuff like this will cost you at least one customer for life. I'm sure that there are more people like me.

This is the correct approach.

Vote with youir wallet, and stop giving money to companies that don't deserve to exist.

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