Hacker News Reader

Comment by pfarnsworth | Hacker News Reader

There's still no obligation to tip whatsoever. After your ride, when you next open the app (which could be days later) you are presented with a screen asking you to rate your driver (this already occurs). I think if you give a 5 star, then the option to give a "compliment" is given, which is similar to a badge or a Facebook like. As well, now, a tip button is also presented. You don't have to click on it if you don't want to.

I will never tip with zero guilt.

View on HN

> I will never tip with zero guilt.

I suspect you're in the minority. Most people (in the US, anyway), when presented with an explicit option to tip, will do so out of a sense of obligation, or out of a desire not to be seen as a cheapskate -- even if the decision whether or not to tip is anonymous! Unfortunately that's how ingrained tipping culture is here.

This 'feeling' doesn't exist in Europe or a big part of Asia.

I'm well aware of that and acknowledged I was only talking about the US, which is where Uber is (at least initially) rolling out this mis-feature.

Won't Uber reduce payments to drivers if most people tip?

Yes, but they were going to reduce those payments anyway.

The difference is, when those cuts happen, they'll just focus their blame and discontent on "those cheapos" who aren't tipping instead of Uber itself. The service industry has already perfected this tactic.

This seems a bit of a stretch. Plenty of industries have tipping, but I haven't heard of a company leader blaming low pay to lack of tips. Do you have any sources to back this statement?

You see this sentiment ALL the time in food services. Wait staff or pizza delivery guys always bitch about "cheap" customers instead of the reality that their boss lies about prices and then skims it out of their paychecks when people don't pay the "real price" of the food.

Potentially still an issue if drivers can see if you tip or not (with some services, such as Postmates, Amazon Prime Now, they can) and give riders who don't tip 1 star or something.

Or even if it happens after rating, they might stereotype certain parts of town due to how people there tip on average and then underserve those places. The great thing when I first used Uber was how in some parts of town it was impossible to get a taxi but a Uber would always come.

Yes, there is an obligation. A social obligation.

If you think this is not a real obligation or doesn't have real consequences, then you have no experience with tipping.

Doesn't Uber allow drivers to rate passengers as well? Couldn't drivers give low ratings to bad tippers?

I should think Uber wouldn't show the driver the tip amount until after they've given their rating.

Or, better, will only tell drivers their per-day tip totals, and not associate the amounts with riders at all (as I believe Lyft does).

Reply on news.ycombinator.com