The lack of tipping is disappointing. According to a Bankrate survey, Americans are increasingly tipping customer service workers less. In response, DoorDash is experimenting with a novel feature designed to encourage customers to tip their drivers in advance of their meal delivery.
When a customer places an order on DoorDash and leaves the tip amount as $0, a pop-up message will appear, suggesting that they add a tip to expedite the acceptance and delivery of their order. If a user still decides not to provide a tip, the food delivery app will issue a second warning, indicating that “Dashers can choose which orders to accept,” implying that their order may be rejected.
DoorDash spokesperson Jenn Rosenberg explained, “As independent contractors, Dashers have the freedom to accept or reject offers based on what they consider valuable and rewarding. While most customers do leave tips, orders without tips may be less appealing.”
The concept of pre-tipping may seem unusual. In the United States, people typically don’t tip a server as soon as they enter a restaurant. However, receiving a meal at your doorstep deserves gratuity, regardless of the food quality. It’s reasonable to assume that drivers would be more motivated to fulfill a delivery promptly if they knew they were tipped in advance (although some customers may choose to give a cash tip, which is not guaranteed).
DoorDash has been testing the tip reminder screen for a few months, randomly selecting customers in the United States and Canada. The company plans to implement the feature more widely if it proves successful. While there has been a “significant reduction in no-tip orders,” according to an official blog post, DoorDash did not disclose the exact percentage.
Rosenberg clarified, “The warning isn’t location-specific, so one customer may see it in their city while another may not. As with any pilot program, we are eager to carefully assess the results and feedback.”
The company also stated that this test will not affect “DoorDash’s commitment to quality or how orders are fulfilled,” and customers will always have the option not to tip.
