A DoorDash driver is getting mixed reactions on TikTok after encouraging people to tip when they order food for delivery.
In the video, Dan (@doordashdan1) explains that he got two orders from Cracker Barrel that live within about .2 miles of each other and about 5 miles from the restaurant.
Dan says that the way they each handled the delivery showed him the two different types of people that use DoorDash.
“And almost basically the two different kinds of people in life,” he says.
Person A tipped him $8.50, while Person B did not tip at all.
“I drove all the way for their order, and they tipped me nothing, and the only thing I got was the base pay that DoorDash paid me,” Dan says.
He said it got him to thinking about whether others want to be more like Person A or Person B. “I don’t want to be friends with you if you’re Person B.”
In his caption, Dan said that “generosity goes a long way.”
@doordashdan1 Generosity goes a long way. Be a better person. #doordash #tip #driver #bekind #generous ♬ original sound – Dan
The video has nearly 25,000 views and hundreds of comments.
In a follow-up video, Dan explained that DoorDash’s base pay is $2. If the order keeps getting rejected, the base pay will increase incrementally.
If he took an order that only paid base pay and had no tip, he’d be spending about 20 minutes of his time —five driving to the restaurant, five waiting for the order, and 10 driving to the customer’s home—for $2. In an hour, that ends up being $6 an hour, a pay rate below the $7.25 federal minimum wage.
“That’s why it doesn’t work if you don’t tip. So just be a good person and tip,” Dan says.
Dan agreed with a commenter who said he should be more upset with DoorDash “for paying starvation wages than at customers declining an ‘optional’ fee.” Adding that in a perfect world, his frustration could be directed at the food delivery company, “but they want to make money, and I have no way to change their base pay.”
Commenters were split about Dan’s original video. Some said they always make an effort to tip delivery drivers well.
“I will always be person A. If I can’t afford to give a good tip, I can’t afford to use DoorDash,” one person said.
“I tip the amount what I think someone would have to pay me to do it.. I’m lazy so I always tip at least 10 and if it’s raining or snowing at least 20,” another wrote.
“I always tip more I’m very lazy and thankful someone can do it for me,” a commenter wrote.
Others expressed that they think delivery fees combined with tipping expectations have “gotten out of control.”
“I stopped using doordash because the menu prices are super high and there are so many fees. Then when you get to the tip you’ve paid a million dollar,” a person said.
“The delivery cost to much. Complain to the company not it’s customers,” another wrote.
“I barely have enough for the food sorry can’t tip,” a commenter shared.
The Daily Dot reached out to Dan for comment via TikTok DM and to DoorDash via email.