# UberEats: keep a list of low/no tippers



## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

We all know that UberEats customers tend to tip better than UberX customers. There is just something about food delivery that engenders tipping. In fact, I'd say, depending on the market I drive in, low/no tips are only about 5% of my deliveries.

Since low/no tippers really throw off my hourly rate, I've begun writing down the customer's name for each trip (since it can't be seen later), as well as time and distance from restaurant to drop-off when I swipe Start Delivery (I don't worry about distance from ping to restaurant since it varies). I then enter all these into a spreadsheet, divide tip by time to drop-off, and that gives me a $/min "rate" for the tip. Usually this is at least $0.30/min and I've seen >$2/min, for a really close drop-off with a nice high tip.

I don't worry about the $/mile "rate" for the tip, since that's covered by the fare, and I have other reasons for wanting to accumulate business miles...

My intent is to memorize or publish a list of these low/no tippers for my own personal use. Should I get a request from one of these ungrateful souls in the future, depending on direction of delivery (and how desperate I am), I may wait for a minute or two and then cancel. This should not drive up my cancellation rate much because it wouldn't happen very often.

Anyone else employ a similar technique?


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

MadTownUberD said:


> We all know that UberEats customers tend to tip better than UberX customers. There is just something about food delivery that engenders tipping. In fact, I'd say, depending on the market I drive in, low/no tips are only about 5% of my deliveries.
> 
> Since low/no tippers really throw off my hourly rate, I've begun writing down the customer's name for each trip (since it can't be seen later), as well as time and distance from restaurant to drop-off when I swipe Start Delivery (I don't worry about distance from ping to restaurant since it varies). I then enter all these into a spreadsheet, divide tip by time to drop-off, and that gives me a $/min "rate" for the tip. Usually this is at least $0.30/min and I've seen >$2/min, for a really close drop-off with a nice high tip.
> 
> ...


Non Tippers MUST SUFFER !


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## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

tohunt4me said:


> Non Tippers MUST SUFFER !


"Why is my food always cold?"

Hang on though, i might be screwing the next driver with a complaint if i hesitate before canceling. I'll have to think this through...


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## PeAceMaKer769 (Jan 16, 2017)

MadTownUberD said:


> We all know that UberEats customers tend to tip better than UberX customers. There is just something about food delivery that engenders tipping. In fact, I'd say, depending on the market I drive in, low/no tips are only about 5% of my deliveries.
> 
> Since low/no tippers really throw off my hourly rate, I've begun writing down the customer's name for each trip (since it can't be seen later), as well as time and distance from restaurant to drop-off when I swipe Start Delivery (I don't worry about distance from ping to restaurant since it varies). I then enter all these into a spreadsheet, divide tip by time to drop-off, and that gives me a $/min "rate" for the tip. Usually this is at least $0.30/min and I've seen >$2/min, for a really close drop-off with a nice high tip.
> 
> ...


I think about this but a little simpler. I have only had the same customer in thousands of trips three times. Maybe ten customers twice. Rest once. So it doesn't help to look for customers.

However, I would do this strategy for restaurants. Similar types of people tend to order from the same restaurants. And more importantly, their order size is adjusted.

So you also can look at menus and look for places that cost more. Tips will tend to be higher.

I haven't don't any math on this but I suppose you could.

For example, I saw bigger tips from Jeni's and Roost. I looked at their menus and realized a pint at Jenis is $15! A chicken sandwich from Roost is $15. So these places actually give pricey orders a lot.

So for sure you might discover that some places you thought would be bad tips are good. However, I expect it has more to do with average price of the food than anything else.


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## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

PeAceMaKer769 said:


> I think about this but a little simpler. I have only had the same customer in thousands of trips three times. Maybe ten customers twice. Rest once. So it doesn't help to look for customers.
> 
> However, I would do this strategy for restaurants. Similar types of people tend to order from the same restaurants. And more importantly, their order size is adjusted.
> 
> ...


Good point about repeat customers. I have had the same repeat customer in DeForest, which is close to Madison, three times now. He always tips really well, like $6. I have had the same college student customer in Waukesha, a western outskirts of Milwaukee, at least three times now. He tips okay. So the chance of me getting repeat customers in my market is very high.


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## Prawn Connery (Mar 26, 2020)

I attempted this but my implementation wasn't effective

As much as it sucks to get stiffed, and as much pleasure as I get for denying prompt service to a stiffer out of principle, it just ended up hurting me more overall to have to deal with keeping lists and the extra stress that comes with it

Just gotta accept that you win some and lose some, and all you can do is put in your best effort and accept the total average -- with stiffers and all included -- as the working rate and decide whether that rate is worth it for you.


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## Alltel77 (Mar 3, 2019)

MadTownUberD said:


> We all know that UberEats customers tend to tip better than UberX customers. There is just something about food delivery that engenders tipping. In fact, I'd say, depending on the market I drive in, low/no tips are only about 5% of my deliveries.
> 
> Since low/no tippers really throw off my hourly rate, I've begun writing down the customer's name for each trip (since it can't be seen later), as well as time and distance from restaurant to drop-off when I swipe Start Delivery (I don't worry about distance from ping to restaurant since it varies). I then enter all these into a spreadsheet, divide tip by time to drop-off, and that gives me a $/min "rate" for the tip. Usually this is at least $0.30/min and I've seen >$2/min, for a really close drop-off with a nice high tip.
> 
> ...


Yes I've been doing this for a year. I don't accept deliveries more than 3-4 miles away because in my market the fare does not compensate to even break even. I have list of about 130 people and yes since I keep my deliveries within my own tight range I get the same customers so I just cancel (prior to pick up) The majority of people tip fairly or well. My cancellation rate has been over 50% the last 3 months probably about half of that is accepting a ping when doing something else on my phone


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## FLKeys (Dec 27, 2018)

Markets are different I get a lot of repeat riders, sometimes multiple times a day. If they ever start Uber Eats in my area it may be easy to keep a black list of non/low tippers. Some thing to consider if they ever start Uber eats around here.


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## Ambiguous (Jun 18, 2015)

Once I left the food downstairs outside the building because I remember customer didnt tip last time. I texted her why I hope she learned her lesson.


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## Dice Man (May 21, 2018)

This works for me on U and L.
Because I start always from my home, it's easy to memorize the customers because I work in a dead area.
It won't work on other areas where demand is high.


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## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

what percent do you consider a 'low' tip?


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

SHalester said:


> what percent do you consider a 'low' tip?


Anything $2.00 and under with special requests.

$3.00 will buy you Ambiguity !


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

MadTownUberD said:


> We all know that UberEats customers tend to tip better than UberX customers. There is just something about food delivery that engenders tipping. In fact, I'd say, depending on the market I drive in, low/no tips are only about 5% of my deliveries.
> 
> Since low/no tippers really throw off my hourly rate, I've begun writing down the customer's name for each trip (since it can't be seen later), as well as time and distance from restaurant to drop-off when I swipe Start Delivery (I don't worry about distance from ping to restaurant since it varies). I then enter all these into a spreadsheet, divide tip by time to drop-off, and that gives me a $/min "rate" for the tip. Usually this is at least $0.30/min and I've seen >$2/min, for a really close drop-off with a nice high tip.
> 
> ...


I think you have way too much time on your hands.
Spend the time you'd spend entering data, memorizing data, developing algorithms better. Go fishing, take your favorite girl out to lunch, play a card game with family.
S'what I'd do.


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## LyftUberFuwabolewa (Feb 7, 2019)

That sounds like fun. You’ll need to have it computerized so you can look it up quickly.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

For $5.00- $10.00 tippers 
I rush to your adress.
Bring you the newspaper from your driveway.
Compliment your home.
Pet the cat.


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## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

UberBastid said:


> I think you have way too much time on your hands.
> Spend the time you'd spend entering data, memorizing data, developing algorithms better. Go fishing, take your favorite girl out to lunch, play a card game with family.
> S'what I'd do.


On the contrary. I am quite busy. I just derive enjoyment from things that you don't apparently.


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## producemanjames (Jun 20, 2018)

tohunt4me said:


> For $5.00- $10.00 tippers
> I rush to your adress.
> Bring you the newspaper from your driveway.
> Compliment your home.
> Pet the cat.


What does $20 get me? &#128521;


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## Boca Ratman (Jun 6, 2018)

tohunt4me said:


> Pet the cat.


I've been doing this for free my whole life, hell I've even paid for it!


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## 58756 (May 30, 2016)

MadTownUberD said:


> We all know that UberEats customers tend to tip better than UberX customers. There is just something about food delivery that engenders tipping. In fact, I'd say, depending on the market I drive in, low/no tips are only about 5% of my deliveries.
> 
> Since low/no tippers really throw off my hourly rate, I've begun writing down the customer's name for each trip (since it can't be seen later), as well as time and distance from restaurant to drop-off when I swipe Start Delivery (I don't worry about distance from ping to restaurant since it varies). I then enter all these into a spreadsheet, divide tip by time to drop-off, and that gives me a $/min "rate" for the tip. Usually this is at least $0.30/min and I've seen >$2/min, for a really close drop-off with a nice high tip.
> 
> ...


I had an annoying woman ding me and not tip. She dinged me for some toppings on her Sushi something I have no control over as I am not the Chef. So the next time she ordered again I remembered her name and location and I also remembered she was Obese too lol, so I selected "No safe place to drop off". Then the safest place her food went into was my mouth. I enjoyed it. And also enjoyed the $18 including surge I made from her. Most satisfying Payback ever!


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## Alltel77 (Mar 3, 2019)

Ozzyoz said:


> I had an annoying woman ding me and not tip. She dinged me for some toppings on her Sushi something I have no control over as I am not the Chef. So the next time she ordered again I remembered her name and location and I also remembered she was Obese too lol, so I selected "No safe place to drop off". Then the safest place her food went into was my mouth. I enjoyed it. And also enjoyed the $18 including surge I made from her. Most satisfying Payback ever!


You saved her life. She will thank you later. Corona is not a friend to the obese or elderly.


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## 58756 (May 30, 2016)

Alltel77 said:


> You saved her life. She will thank you later. Corona is not a friend to the obese or elderly.


I had another obese lady i made walk down to meet me at apartment entrance and she down thumb me but the walk I gave her prolly extended her life.


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## Unhandled exception (Jul 23, 2020)

Ambiguous said:


> Once I left the food downstairs outside the building because I remember customer didnt tip last time. I texted her why I hope she learned her lesson.


Did they text back?


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## Ambiguous (Jun 18, 2015)

Unhandled exception said:


> Did they text back?


ended the trip right after


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

Ambiguous said:


> I hope she learned her lesson.


It is rare that they do. Either they keep going as they have or they use a different company.



Ozzyoz said:


> the next time she ordered*...*I remembered her name and locaton*...*I selected "No safe place to drop off". Then the safest place her food went into was my mouth. I enjoyed it. And also enjoyed the $18 including surge I made from her.


*BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-*HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-ha-haaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
*BWAH*-*HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-*HA-HA-HA-HA-*HA-HA-HA-HA-HAAAAAA-*HA-HA-ha-ha-ha-haaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!

You should post this on the Shuffle Hall of Fame topic or compose a "Love Letter to PAX" based on it and post said Love Letter on the Washington Boards "Love Letters to PAX" topic. Well played, indeed, Sir!


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## BlackJackSlack (Jan 4, 2021)

Yes, it is up to the customer to tip or not to tip. However, its not fair to the driver who only breaks even on a delivery because the fuel cost eats up his pay. The driver usually still accept the job because chances are they will get a tip to make up for the loss of money. So when no tip comes, its a slap in the face and the driver feels he went out of his way, parked in a no parking zone, waited for an elevator, went down long corridors, delivered the food, then all the way back to hopefully find his car still there with no ticket because there is no designated parking for deliveries. And after all the headache plus losing money because of the fuel costs, NO TIP COMES. The only way to be fair to both driver and customer, is if the driver knows up front that the customer is a NON TIPPER. It would give the driver the option of refusing the job and not losing money and valuable time when he can be accepting paying jobs. Its kind of trickery and deception played by the non-tipping customer - they want the driver to falsely think a tip is coming so they deliver the food promptly and carefully. I have a list of about 50 regular Uber Eats customers and their addresses who NEVER tip. When I get a call for delivery and see their name. I confirm its them by asking to confirm their address, then I tell them I cannot make the delivery because they are non-tippers, and I will end up losing money. Then promptly cancel the delivery. That can be done before even making your way towards the restaurant. Unfortunately some other poor sucker will get the delivery dispatched to them. And likely will get a thumbs down because of what I messaged the customer. BOTTOM LINE: Its up to the customer to decide if they want to tip or not, but its also up the the driver to decide if they want to do the delivery... and the only way of knowing if they want to do the delivery is if they have some kind of list to know who will not give them a tip even if they give them top notch service. Drivers - make yourself a list of non tippers (to even the playing field).


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