On the internet, delivery drivers have a mantra: no tip, no trip.
The explanation for this saying is simple. As delivery apps can offer incredibly low sums for large orders with long drives, it’s no surprise that drivers will frequently forgo orders with no tip in favor of orders that do.
That said, some drivers and customers claim that this mentality can lead to issues. Numerous delivery drivers and customers allege that some orders without tips can go undelivered for hours, leading to large stacks of unfulfilled orders piling up at restaurants.
Delivery apps have implemented ways to combat this. For example, if no one immediately accepts the order, the app may up their payment, continuing to do so until someone is incentivized to complete the order.
Such a case was recently documented by TikTok user and Instacart shopper @carrot_chaos. In a video with over 40,000 views, the TikToker claims to document the same order over the course of several hours. By the time the video has concluded, Instacart’s offered payout increased by about $10.
@carrot_chaos Staight up disrespectful #instacartshopper #badbatch #instacarttips ♬ Mischievous Prankster – Bernd Schoenhart
“I got to watch this terrible order rot,” the TikToker says in the video. “They just kept boosting it, because nobody’s going to shop for over 100 items for no tip. I don’t care how close you live.”
In the comments section, users shared their own tales of unreasonable delivery offers.
“One time I saw someone order ONE THING and they lived over 1 hr away w/ no tip and it was only $15,” recalled a user.
“Once there was an order for 123 items and no tip,” offered another.
A few users noted that tipping was essential for good service on delivery apps.
“I think of my tip as my bid for your service,” explained a commenter. “I want people to jump to accept my order asap cause the tip is so high.”
“As someone who uses Instacart I always tip at least $30,” claimed a second. “I’ve honestly never ordered more than 45 items.”
Some alleged that Instacart’s ability to increase their payout was a sign that they could pay drivers more.
As one user put it, “It goes to show you that instacart is more than capable of paying us more but they don’t.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Instacart via email and @carrot_chaos via TikTok comment.
