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How Much Do You Tip on Your Food Delivery App Orders?

Gill Holroyd

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I thought 20% was decent especially since now these apps have all these fees that can add up to a separate food item themselves. Also I never change the tip after delivery or not tip.

The girls on reddit (especially Ubereats) say that if you don’t tip them at least $6-8, then they aren’t picking up your food :unsure:

There’s a whole movement with drivers where now if the order is too low, then they are not taking it. I’ll post the article if I can find it.

So why aren’t they (the drivers) telling people this. If peoole don’t know that these food apps take a percentage of the cost of the order and sometimes the tip, then how are suppose to help y’all out?

***Also do not tell me to go get my own food because I have no problem tipping more
 

spoiledwater

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It's getting to be too much now. Especially since some states added an additional fee to food delivery in 2020.

Getting a $9 order of food is about $23 before tips where I live. With Tips, that's turning $9 in food to a $28-$30 order. It's really not sustainable.
 

BabbleQuinn

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I also tip 20%. If they don't want the money, they can ignore my order. Then, I'll cancel and keep my money in my pocket. I shouldn't be eating out frequently anyway.
 

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I don’t order food from restaurants anymore but for my grocery deliveries I tip $5 and my orders are usually $75 or less. lol
 

heybebe

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$6-10 if I’m ordering close by like a mile, $10-20 if it’s farther or a bigger order. I try to tip decently cuz I do appreciate the delivery but I’m not rich. I don’t go by percentage cuz sometimes I just order something like a $12 combo and a 20% tip feels bad lol so then I’d do a $6 which is 50%, so I don’t like doing it by percentage
 

Gill Holroyd

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Here is the article

DoorDash Drivers Game Algorithm to Increase Pay

DoorDash Drivers Game Algorithm to Increase Pay​


The #DeclineNow movement is testing whether workers can use a company’s software against it.
By
Brody Ford
April 6, 2021, 6:00 AM EDT
Dashers Dave Levy and Nikos Kanelopoulos at a pizza chain’s parking lot in Easton, Pa.

Dashers Dave Levy and Nikos Kanelopoulos at a pizza chain’s parking lot in Easton, Pa.
SOURCE: BRODY FORD

Dave Levy and Nikos Kanelopoulos are trying to beat the algorithm. The two DoorDash drivers—Dashers, as the company calls them—are trying to persuade their peers to turn down the lowest-paying deliveries so the automated system for matching jobs with drivers will respond by raising pay rates. “Every app-based on-demand company’s objective is to constantly shift profits from the driver back to the company,” Levy says. “Our objective is the reverse of that.”



ADVERTISING


Their main tool is #DeclineNow, a 40,000-person online forum that provides a view into a type of labor activism tailored for the gig economy. While there’s no reliable way to quantify its impact, #DeclineNow’s members say they’ve already increased pay for workers across the country, including in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, where Levy and Kanelopoulos live. But the effort raises difficult questions about the nature of collective action, and there are reasons to doubt whether using a company’s own software systems against it is a strategy that can prove effective for a sustained period of time.


relates to DoorDash Drivers Game Algorithm to Increase Pay

Levy declining a DoorDash order.
SOURCE: BRODY FORD
DoorDash Inc. isn’t Levy and Kanelopoulos’s first algorithmic boss. The men met in 2015 while waiting for Uber passengers in their local airport lot. “That’s when the rates were good,” says Kanelopoulos, whose name is still saved as “Nick Uber” in Levy’s phone. But their income from Uber Technologies Inc.dwindled as the company’s app slashed rates, pushing their pay down to barely livable levels. Levy and Kanelopoulos worked for multiple gig economy platforms, experimenting with strategies for squeezing the most income out of them and hosting get-togethers of gig workers at the Wind Creek Casino in Bethlehem, Pa., to compare notes.

The pair noticed that when one DoorDash driver declined a delivery, the platform would offer it to another for slightly more money. As independent contractors, there was nothing obliging them to take these orders, so they figured Dashers could band together to set a de facto minimum pay rate. In a relatively small market such as the Lehigh Valley, it didn’t take many people declining low-paying jobs to make a significant difference. “Then I said, ‘That’s it. That’s the name. Why don’t you just Decline Now?’ ” Levy says.



In October 2019 they launched the #DeclineNow Facebook group. They urge members to reject any delivery that doesn’t pay at least $7, more than double the current floor of $3.

relates to DoorDash Drivers Game Algorithm to Increase Pay

“We study the algorithms from the street view,” Levy says.
SOURCE: BRODY FORD
In a statement, DoorDash said drivers are always free to reject orders but added that coordinated declining slows down the delivery process. The company encourages workers to accept at least 70% of deliveries offered, which awards them with “Top Dasher” status. On #DeclineNow, low acceptance rates are a badge of honor. Levy rejects about 99% of the jobs he’s offered, rapidly declining low-paying jobs to find enough lucrative ones to keep him busy.

Another tactic the company uses to discourage decliners is obscuring the full amount any job will pay by not disclosing the tip, making it harder for drivers to be picky. This and other nontransparent practices have led workers critical of the service to dub DoorDash’s app “Tony’s Casino,” a reference to Chief Executive Officer Tony Xu.

relates to DoorDash Drivers Game Algorithm to Increase Pay

Xu in 2018.
PHOTOGRAPHER: DAVID PAUL MORRIS/BLOOMBERG
#DeclineNow’s strategy of selectively declining orders is well-known among DoorDash workers—and not universally accepted. Some question the strict minimum fee rule, citing regional price differences. Others find #DeclineNow to be mean-spirited and toxic, a place where people try to ridicule and bully others into going along with their plan. “They put out information as facts without backing it up,” says Amy Lee, a DoorDash driver in the Dallas suburbs who runs the gig economy site PavementGrinders. “Then they publicly humiliate anyone who doesn’t understand or agree.”




#DeclineNow has little patience for such naysayers. Users who question the $7 minimum rule are punished with suspension from the group or, as the group’s moderators like to put it, “a trip to the dungeon.” One former moderator, Josie Lindström, claims to have personally suspended hundreds of people, saying the intolerance for dissent was necessary to keep the group moving in the right direction. “It has to be all of us, or it doesn’t work,” she says. But Lindström eventually quit, citing what she described as a toxic atmosphere.

relates to DoorDash Drivers Game Algorithm to Increase Pay

Kanelopoulos estimates he’s made more than 100,000 deliveries in the Lehigh Valley area.
SOURCE: BRODY FORD
Veena Dubal, a law professor at UC Hastings Law whose research focuses on worker experience in the gig economy, says the shaming may be part of whatever success #DeclineNow has in increasing pay. “It’s actually quite hard to get people to adhere to these types of collective actions if there’s not some kind of consequence,” she says.

But sustaining such collective action is complicated by the constant influx of new workers. The company will “give bonus incentives to a bunch of new drivers,” says Dubal. “And those drivers are not going to be a part of the club who know what to do. And then they’re like the scabs.” In trying to use algorithm-shifting strategies, she’s observed, drivers are “always really disappointed in the end.”

For all their critiques, Levy and Kanelopoulos say they like driving for DoorDash and are simply working to improve it without violating its terms of service. But they also wonder whether the company is listening. On a recent Wednesday afternoon, Levy was waiting for orders in the area where he generally works. A Chick-fil-A delivery paying $3.50, including tip, popped up on his phone. He reached to decline, which requires the driver to select from a list of reasons. “Notice how on there, there was no option that said ‘not enough money,’ ” he says.

Summary: If the order doesn’t come up around $6-8, they don’t want it. Which is fine, but the apps should start giving the drivers more money from the order instead of add more fees on the customers’ side.
Also I can see more people just using the pickup option and forging the delievery option on said apps making the movements fail and the food delivery apps continue to operate....
 

colgatesmile

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I think i've done maybe one or two food delivery orders in the panorama.

I don't like overpaying, especially when its only a minor convenience. I will order for pickup at a restaurant that's not too far away vs. paying double what the order is worth because of fees and tip (and that's with a discount code).

But I think if getting your food delivered means that much to you, then you should pay the going rate. If you don't like it, stop ordering delivery.
 

Gill Holroyd

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$6-10 if I’m ordering close by like a mile, $10-20 if it’s farther or a bigger order. I try to tip decently cuz I do appreciate the delivery but I’m not rich.

But that’s the thing. If the restaurant is too far, then it shouldn’t be an option for me on the app.

There’s no way, I’m going to pay $10 tip for a food delivery that’s not groceries just because it’s 5 miles or more away.

This food app service is going to bust because the app owners are greedy. I’m with the delivery guys getting more money but not at the customer’s expense.
 

spoiledwater

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I miss Publix. If they are in your area, you can order deli food + whatever else you need through Instacart.

1618004495045.png


I used to order from their deli with the Instacart app frequently. Being able to throw a sandwich or rotissserie chicken into a grocery order you are already placing is super convenient.

I think more grocery stores are going to start pushing their "ready to eat" stuff on Instacart, and this might create competition finally for restaurants.
 
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heybebe

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But that’s the thing. If the restaurant is too far, then it shouldn’t be an option for me on the app.

There’s no way, I’m going to pay $10 tip for a food delivery that’s not groceries just because it’s 5 miles or more away.

This food app service is going to bust because the app owners are greedy. I’m with the delivery guys getting more money but not at the customer’s expense.

That’s true and if they’re giving u 5miles on ur apps that’s far! that’s straight across town for me. Ours only lets 2-3miles radius.
I only order during the pandemic before this started I never use delivery apps. When things get back to normal I prob would not order much. So for now I am ok with paying a bigger tip for convenience cuz I don’t want to go out at all.
 

spoiledwater

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I think i've done maybe one or two food delivery orders in the panorama.

I don't like overpaying, especially when its only a minor convenience. I will order for pickup at a restaurant that's not too far away vs. paying double what the order is worth because of fees and tip (and that's with a discount code).

But I think if getting your food delivered means that much to you, then you should pay the going rate. If you don't like it, stop ordering delivery.
People say that, but there are degrees of unreasonableness.

Most people are willing to pay about 2.5 - 3 times more for a convenience service.

But when a $10 order of food becomes north of $36, it starts to become an issue. Breaking the rule of thirds and customers start grumbling/feeling taken advantage of.

When states stuck their hand into the food delivery piggy bank + tips + restaurants overcharging as well, it got too much.
 

SakuraCream

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honestly, i tip about 25-30% on the app. then i give them another 5-10 dollars in cash. but i also work food service and was told as a child that 20% is for bare minimum service
 

Brook360

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20% for restaurant and also for grocery delivery. We don’t have any problems with our orders not being delivered.
 

anaisnin

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I don’t do less than 25% and I’ll always add an extra $5 if the weather is bad but I rarely order when the weather sucks unless it’s an urgent need.

My app gives me options for the outer boroughs and NJ which is insane. I wish they fixed that because it’s not going to be fair to anyone involved except the app.
 

BodyOddy

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I don't order often but when I do it's 15-20% tip.

Is it just me, or have the fees been astronomical lately???? I went on UberEats last week because I was feeling lazy, and the delivery fees were more than the food. I'm talking $10+. Not even counting the several random fees thrown in the mix.
 

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Depends on the order and the distance. My Thai food came in 3-4 containers and the place is about 5 miles from where I live. The soul food place is a little closer but everything fits in one container. When I consider that parking is hell in my neighborhood and there are stairs to deal with, I'd rather take a dollar or two off of the suggested tip and just meet the driver out front.

Like another font said, the cost for a $9 meal runs $22+ once the fees are added. So for that reason, along with the fact that some drivers take forever, I'm doing more cooking at home.
 

LazyDaisy

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It's getting to be too much now. Especially since some states added an additional fee to food delivery in 2020.

Getting a $9 order of food is about $23 before tips where I live. With Tips, that's turning $9 in food to a $28-$30 order. It's really not sustainable.
This. I even noticed that the prices of the meal itself are marked up when you order via DoorDash. Your meal could be $8 at the restaurant but is automatically listed at $10 on DoorDash and UberEats and then they still tack on the delivery fee, the service fee, and default your tip to 20 or 25%. So your meal triples in price.
 

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I only spend about $12 on food just so I can get free delivery. I tip $3 because all my places are about 2 miles or less away.
 

PurpleGOLDNESS

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This. I even noticed that the prices of the meal itself are marked up when you order via DoorDash. Your meal could be $8 at the restaurant but is automatically listed at $10 on DoorDash and UberEats and then they still tack on the delivery fee, the service fee, and default your tip to 20 or 25%. So your meal triples in price.
Postmates jacks up the food prices like a mug and the restaurant doesn't actually pocket the overage/excess charge. I study my receipts and places like Bojangles will faithfully staple your order to your bag. Their receipt also gives you a breakdown of what each item costs and let's just say that Postmates often charges $2.00+ more on regular priced items. They have no shame!

My Taco Bell order was wrong and crappy tonight. Paid more for extra cheese on 4 Tacos (2 crunchy, 1 soft, and a Chalupa with chicken). Those boneheads hardly put the normal portion of cheese on any of the tacos and then they gave me 3 crunchy Supreme tacos, which I didn't order. I complained/dispute to Postmates and they only offered me a $5.00 refund and I actually paid just that alone for the Chalupa. But this Pandemic has taught me to play hardball with them. I responded that I would just dispute the full order with my bank. This tactic usually works but they haven't replied yet. I tipped the driver $5.00 anyway because I understand it's rarely ever the driver's fault unless it's an order-at-restaurant delivery, which it rarely is at major chain restaurants. Plus, I appreciate that whenever my order is delivered, the restaurants take this pandemic pretty seriously and they will tape, seal, Gorilla glue your bag and that makes me feel better knowing the driver can't/hasn't rifled around in my bag.

I eff with Grubhub the hardest but their delivery fees tend to be higher; however, 9/10, if your order is wrong, they won't even haggle with you about teeny details like Postmates, they'll simply refund the whole order back to your card. Postmates tries to bully you into ordering from them again by offering a raggedy ass Postmates credit that may be 20% more than the debit refund they're offering you.

SMFH....I just typed a Bible about food delivery services. This pandemic done made me lazy and privileged like my first name is Karen frfr!!
 

LazyDaisy

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Postmates jacks up the food prices like a mug and the restaurant doesn't actually pocket the overage/excess charge. I study my receipts and places like Bojangles will faithfully staple your order to your bag. Their receipt also gives you a breakdown of what each item costs and let's just say that Postmates often charges $2.00+ more on regular priced items. They have no shame!

My Taco Bell order was wrong and crappy tonight. Paid more for extra cheese on 4 Tacos (2 crunchy, 1 soft, and a Chalupa with chicken). Those boneheads hardly put the normal portion of cheese on any of the tacos and then they gave me 3 crunchy Supreme tacos, which I didn't order. I complained/dispute to Postmates and they only offered me a $5.00 refund and I actually paid just that alone for the Chalupa. But this Pandemic has taught me to play hardball with them. I responded that I would just dispute the full order with my bank. This tactic usually works but they haven't replied yet. I tipped the driver $5.00 anyway because I understand it's rarely ever the driver's fault unless it's an order-at-restaurant delivery, which it rarely is at major chain restaurants. Plus, I appreciate that whenever my order is delivered, the restaurants take this pandemic pretty seriously and they will tape, seal, Gorilla glue your bag and that makes me feel better knowing the driver can't/hasn't rifled around in my bag.

I eff with Grubhub the hardest but their delivery fees tend to be higher; however, 9/10, if your order is wrong, they won't even haggle with you about teeny details like Postmates, they'll simply refund the whole order back to your card. Postmates tries to bully you into ordering from them again by offering a raggedy ass Postmates credit that may be 20% more than the debit refund they're offering you.

SMFH....I just typed a Bible about food delivery services. This pandemic done made me lazy and privileged like my first name is Karen frfr!!
Girl, no complaints here because same. DoorDash has been pissing me off because the app hasn't been loading properly and my orders have continuously come back wrong. The only good thing is they immediately credit my account without hesitation. UberEats lets me switch redtaurant locations which I appreciate but they make it hard to get your money back and require pictures and sh!t. Then someone told me to try Grubhub which has actually been going well so far. Only problem like you said is the delivery fees. Everything is like $3.99 except large chains like McDonalds and Wendy's. I ended up uninstalling DoorDash.
 

Coco K. Flo

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This. I even noticed that the prices of the meal itself are marked up when you order via DoorDash. Your meal could be $8 at the restaurant but is automatically listed at $10 on DoorDash and UberEats and then they still tack on the delivery fee, the service fee, and default your tip to 20 or 25%. So your meal triples in price.
It does and still that markup doesn’t go to the driver and I think that’s what irritates me the most. I also read that restaurants pay to be listed for delivery, so the fact that consumers are also paying an additional service fee on each item, and some even opting to the premium plans? It’s robbery.

As for tips, if the delivery was around $10 (no more than $15) probably $4 or $5. If the order was more than that, I’d go up to $10, but am likely to pick up and tip on carry out. When I got a delivery from Panera and the driver was a Black woman, I did $6. I hate ordering delivery though, so I don’t do it often.

The pandemic has me over tipping for sure, but it’s convenience.
 

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