DoorDash has warned users who don't tip that they may have to wait longer for their food order to be delivered to them.
Tipping can be a divisive subject, as some believe it should only be reserved for truly exceptional service, while many workers in the service industry rely on tips to make ends meet due to low hourly wages.
Therefore, being asked to tip before your order has even been delivered can be a pretty bold ask, as the customer is tipping for a service before it has even been provided.
DoorDash has revealed it is trialing letting customers know that if they enter "zero" in the tip amount while making an order on the app, their delivery may take longer to arrive as drivers - known as Dashers - are less likely to prioritize those who don't tip.
Users who now enter "zero" in the tip amount will receive a pop-up notification explaining that it is up to Dashers which orders they want to deliver as they are given discretion on which orders they accept, and therefore are more likely to prioritize those that tip ahead of delivery.
According to The Verge, people are receiving a message telling them: "Orders with no tip might take longer to get delivered — are you sure you want to continue? Orders that take longer to be accepted by Dashers tend to result in slower delivery."
A DoorDash spokesperson told CBS MoneyWatch: "This reminder screen is something that we're currently testing to help create the best possible experience for all members of our community."
They added that DoorDash will be analyzing customer feedback in the wake of the changes.
DoorDash also noted that it had already seen a marked reduction in no-tip orders since it started sending out the message.
As its drivers are independent contractors, the spokesperson added that they are able to "accept or reject offers based on what they view as valuable and rewarding."
They added: "While the vast majority of customers do leave a tip, offers that don't include a tip can be seen as less desirable — this impacts our entire community, leading to longer wait times for customers, orders sitting longer at merchants, and less value for Dashers."
DoorDash has continued to evolve in recent years after it came under fire for a previous policy of not passing on customers' tips to drivers in favor of offering them a guaranteed base salary for each delivery instead.
This initiative, which was in place around four years ago and which has long since been abandoned, meant that most tips paid through the DoorDash app would go to supplement the company's contributions toward the et amounts the drivers would receive for each delivery rather than boosting the Dasher's pay.
Tony Xu, the company's CEO, addressed the issue on social media at the time, writing: "We thought we were doing the right thing by making Dashers whole when a customer left no tip.
"What we missed was that some customers who did tip would feel like their tip didn't matter."
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