Uber Eats users listen up: TikToker Alberta (@alberta.nyc) has stirred up quite the conversation after sharing her discovery of the food delivery platform’s new tipping option—or lack thereof.
“This really sent me into a tailspin,” she wrote in the caption of the video, which has raked in over 185,000 views as of Tuesday morning.
As Alberta shares, Uber Eats and DoorDash have quietly tweaked their tipping policy in New York. Now, you can only tip after your food has been delivered, and a lot of folks who responded to her video who prefer this new gratuity structure over the apps’ previous payment models.
Alberta divulged how she came to learn about this development in her clip, stating that a chill evening took a turn when she ordered pizza and stumbled upon the missing tip option.
“I also ordered food delivery off of like Uber Eats or DoorDash this week and realized that in New York they removed the tip option…” she explains. “So I went to go add it manually because, you know, I’m already being lazy… But it was giving me an error message.”
Alberta’s scramble for cash to tip her delivery person in person added a layer of frustration to her experience. She even admits she went on a Google frenzy, only to discover that tipping is now a post-delivery affair. Users in New York must tip after confirmation of delivery.
In the comments section, viewers shared their opinions on the change.
One user was all for this change: “I love this! Tipping BEFORE getting a service is absurd!”
Another chimed in, saying it’s a smarter system, giving drivers a steadier income over the unpredictability of tips: “It’s a better system. The delivery drivers have just a regular salary instead of the uncertainty of tips.”
There’s also this nugget of info: “Uber Eats delivery folks are now paid $30 for every hour of activity.”
As of Dec. 4, New York City’s shaken things up for Uber Eats. Drivers are now pocketing at least $29.93 for every active hour. That’s a big deal, considering how tough this gig can be; Delivery drivers aren’t just subjected to the elements and New York City traffic, but there have been reports of Dashers and Uber Eats drivers being attacked, mugged, and robbed while on the job.
Alberta is all for drivers getting a wage bump, but she’s got a bone to pick with the parent companies. She’s worried folks might skip tipping since they have to go back into the app after they’ve received their orders. And once you’re in that pizza coma, you might just forget.
Her take? This might not be about helping drivers, but more about keeping food prices from looking steep. She also raises another question in her video: Are Uber Eats and other food delivery applications engaging in this practice to curb tips for its drivers since they’re now getting a flat wage for their services?
@alberta.nyc This really sent me into a tailspin #ubereats #nycubereats ♬ original sound – alberta 🤠
This move kind of mirrors how things work across the pond in Europe, where service workers rely less on tips and more on a decent hourly wage.
There’s no shortage of clips on social media posted by food delivery customers who’ve hotly debated whether or not they should be expected to tip on a meal they’re getting delivered, especially with the upcharges delivery apps often place on dishes and the service charges added to these orders. These result in a significant bump to someone’s meal compared to what it would’ve cost if they simply bought the food at the restaurant and picked it up themselves.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Uber Eats and Alberta via email for comment.
