Pre-tipping on DoorDash is a hot topic of conversation, with both drivers and customers carrying some very strong opinions on the matter.
Numerous delivery drivers have argued that they will never take an order that doesn’t come with a tip as the overwhelming majority of customers who don’t pre-tip rarely tip after the fact.
On the other hand, some customers say that they only wait to tip until after their order is received in a timely fashion.
TikToker Jessica Golich (@jessicagolich) recently went viral after posting about some DoorDash news that’s sure to cause yet another stir in the great “tip or no tip” debate.
@jessicagolich #greenscreen I always personally tip really well wby? 👀 #doordashtip #doordashtipwarning #doordashdriver #doordashlife #deliveryfoodtok #deliveryfood #deliveryservice #deliverybelike ♬ IT GIRL – Sped up Version – Aliyah's Interlude
In her video, Golich shows off several screenshots that appear to be from the DoorDash application that alerts customers their orders may be delayed if they do not add a gratuity to their order.
She says in the video, “DoorDash now has a built-in warning that if you don’t tip your delivery could take longer. Here’s the warning it stops you and it asks you if you want to add a tip, what do you guys say?”
The Verge reported that it confirmed receiving this same message while attempting to place an order without pre-tipping, writing that the following copy popped up in the application upon failing to tip: “Orders with no tip might take longer to get delivered — are you sure you want to continue? Dashers can pick and choose which orders they want to do. Orders that take longer to be accepted by Dashers tend to result in slower delivery.”
CBS MoneyWatch spoke with a representative from DoorDash who confirmed that the popular food delivery service is testing the messaging on its application. They stated that the company’s decision to do so was to improve the user experience for both customers and delivery drivers. “This reminder screen is something that we’re currently testing to help create the best possible experience for all members of our community,” they said.
The move could be spurred on by the outpour of negative complaints drivers have made about no-tip orders, and customers who have purportedly seen stacks of meals not assigned to delivery drivers because users didn’t add a tip beforehand.
Many drivers have repeated the chorus of delivery driving “no tip, no trip.” However, in the comments section of Golich’s video, a familiar debate unfurled.
Some users expressed that the thought of tipping before their food arrived was nonsensical, as gratuities are dictated by the quality of service received. “Tbh it should be the norm to only tip once your food gets delivered,” one person wrote.
Someone else penned, “I tip AFTER. why would someone tip before service is provided?”
One TikToker joked that even when they pre-tip on their orders their food still doesn’t arrive in a timely fashion, writing, “I tip and it still comes late.”
This person argued that they would give higher tip amounts if DoorDash gave up a bigger share of its cut of orders. “I would tip better if I didn’t get charged $10 in fees by DoorDash,” they said, which was a sentiment echoed by another TikToker who wrote, “Why don’t drivers get the delivery fee if they are the ones delivering?”
For some, the end-user experience of ordering food via DoorDash just wasn’t worth it. “Honestly, that’s why I stopped ordering DoorDash. Too many instances where my food arrived cold and only received 20% back in a refund,” another user wrote.
There was one viewer who argued that the tip on orders isn’t for a job well done anymore, but rather a form of auctioning. “It’s no longer a tip.. it’s a bidding war with other orders,” they said.
The Daily Dot has reached out to DoorDash and Golich via email for further comment.