Dr. Ethan Melillo (@millennialrx) was shocked to receive a shade-filled message from a DoorDash driver after they were dissatisfied with the amount of money the TikToker gave them as a tip—even though the amount was 30% of Melillo’s total order.
The popular pharmacist, who boasts over 275,000 followers, posted about the awkward text he received from the DoorDash delivery driver. The driver apparently thought that because the TikToker lived in a “nice house,” he should’ve tipped them more money for the order, citing they drove 20 minutes in order to bring their food to his house.
In a viral TikTok that’s accrued over 117,000 views, Melillo asks viewers if the tipping culture on DoorDash has gone “too far” or if he should’ve tipped the driver more.
“Has this ever happened to you with DoorDash? When you give someone a generous tip and they say, ‘Nice house thanks for the five dollars for a 20 minute ride,’” the doctor questions, sharing a screenshot of the messages. “And also, for reference, I live in Rhode Island, and a 10 to 20 minute ride is very common, because we probably have the slowest speed limits in the country.”
@millennialrx @DoorDash tipping going too far? #doordash #doordashdriver #tipculture #tipping #tip #tips #food #trending #fyp #millennialrx ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys – Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
In order to further demonstrate why he thinks the driver was in the wrong, Melillo shows his viewers what he ordered and says “the total cost of my meal came to $15.”
“So I thought a 30% tip was pretty generous. And I’m usually the type of person that tips even when I pick up food. So let me know how much should I be tipping on a DoorDash order?” Melillo asks.
Melillo seems to genuinely want to know how much he should’ve tipped the delivery driver, and there were many viewers who commented that he not only did he not do anything wrong but that he was pretty generous when it came to tipping.
“Wow… you’re better than me I would’ve called DoorDash to get my tip back,” one said.
“They are tripping! that is a good tip!” another exclaimed.
Melillo revealed in the comments section that prior to becoming a pharmacist, he worked in the food service industry. “I know how hard others work so I try to give more since I’ve been there,” he said.
A debate surrounding “pre-tipping”—promising a gratuity amount for drivers if they complete their orders before they’ve actually fulfilled them—for services like DoorDash was launched in the comments section by a user who wrote: “The system is flawed. Why should I tip before I receive my goods?”
Someone else countered that pre-tipping is a must, as they know the majority of folks who do not pre-tip usually don’t tip after the fact. “Because less than 1% tip after getting their food. I won’t take a job knowing there’s only 1% chance I might get paid for it,” they argued. This Uber Eat driver’s experiment backs that TikToker’s stance up.
According to Financial Partner, a “standard” tip on DoorDash consists of anywhere from 15-20% of a customer’s total order in order to help account for the gas and wear-and-tear dashers put on their vehicles while working.
Business Insider also spoke with several delivery drivers and asked them what they thought were suitable tips for their work. The article was written in response to a DoorDash driver’s claim that a $5 tip on a $20 order wasn’t enough.
The majority of drivers the outlet spoke to agreed that anywhere between 15-20% was considered a “good tip.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to DoorDash and Melillo via email.
