# MarketWatch columnist polls his readers as to how much to tip Uber drivers during Corona



## _Tron_ (Feb 9, 2020)

Interesting take on this topic. I wonder of we'd agree? Certainly worth showing his 5% extra recommendation for those still driving (link).


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## BadYota (Aug 7, 2019)

5% times $3.19 is $0.15 cents. I’d rather not be insulted. Tip me by not coughing on your hands and then toughing my door handles


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## _Tron_ (Feb 9, 2020)

No no. 5% more than normal. 5% above and beyond what riders would normally tip while Corona persists.

But the article has an interesting perception about what "normal" is.


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## ANT 7 (Oct 14, 2018)

My tips are still around 8% of revenues and 1/3 of the trip count.....as in, 3 of 10 pax normally tip.


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## Friendly Jack (Nov 17, 2015)

_Tron_ said:


> No no. 5% more than normal. 5% above and beyond what riders would normally tip while Corona persists.


Sadly, 5% more than what riders would normally tip is still = zero. :cryin:


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## Big Lou (Dec 11, 2019)

If I depend on rideshare during times like this, the thank you tip would be at least 20%. These drivers are placing their lives in a precarious position just by the nature of what they're doing. That's why I'm not driving right now, I can't take that chance.
Best wishes ,and many well deserved tips, to you on the road right now.


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## Demon (Dec 6, 2014)

The tip should always be zero. Drivers should make enough so that they don't need to rely on tips.


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## _Tron_ (Feb 9, 2020)

"Demon"


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## Trafficat (Dec 19, 2016)

Demon said:


> The tip should always be zero. Drivers should make enough so that they don't need to rely on tips.


It seems like we are one of the few who didn't lose our jobs (yet) due to the corona panic.

People are sitting at home, charging up their credit cards to get food delivery from UberEATS or a ride to the store to buy some booze.

They have false hope that their jobs will be back next month and they can pay off their credit cards. Think things are bad now? What will things be like when no one can pay back their credit cards next month?

I predict a mass decrease in ride volume next month.


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## Demon (Dec 6, 2014)

Trafficat said:


> It seems like we are one of the few who didn't lose our jobs (yet) due to the corona panic.
> 
> People are sitting at home, charging up their credit cards to get food delivery from UberEATS or a ride to the store to buy some booze.
> 
> ...


I imagine it's already sharply declined.


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## sellkatsell44 (Oct 25, 2015)

Trafficat said:


> It seems like we are one of the few who didn't lose our jobs (yet) due to the corona panic.
> 
> People are sitting at home, charging up their credit cards to get food delivery from UberEATS or a ride to the store to buy some booze.
> 
> ...


I think the opposite. Those who can't afford to won't and if anything they're the ones going to Costco to stock up.

the way I see it is I'm lucky enough to still be working, and I may not be very skilled in one super high paying job but I am relatively skilled in several roles that will still pay enough to afford eating out if I give up other things like-going to the movies/live shows/etc.

My pot of money doesn't change but I just rearrange my expenses.

so for me and I encourage anyone who has the ability to do so, to go and support businesses during this time and of course remember to tip your drivers/delivery pple.

I think what demon is saying is that people should be pay higher wages so that tip is truly a bonus-you can live off of the wages itself unlike the Miami counter who literally believes at even $5 for a 10 minute ride, that the tip is included.


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## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

Trafficat said:


> I predict a mass decrease in ride volume next month.


in 'shelter in place' ordered counties, the ride volume has already gone to near zero. Essential travel only.......kinda kills requests.


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## btone31 (Jul 22, 2018)

Demon said:


> The tip should always be zero. Drivers should make enough so that they don't need to rely on tips.


I'll gladly take any tips you receive.


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## REX HAVOC (Jul 4, 2016)

I drove part of last week and did about 30 rides. Out of all those rides I received two tips totaling $11. People are being more stingy than usual. Maybe U&L should just automatically add 20% gratuity fee to each ride and if the customer wants to add more to the ride they can.


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## Demon (Dec 6, 2014)

sellkatsell44 said:


> I think the opposite. Those who can't afford to won't and if anything they're the ones going to Costco to stock up.
> 
> the way I see it is I'm lucky enough to still be working, and I may not be very skilled in one super high paying job but I am relatively skilled in several roles that will still pay enough to afford eating out if I give up other things like-going to the movies/live shows/etc.
> 
> ...


Close.

Truck drivers, Fed Ex/UPs Drivers, postal workers all work for no tips because they make enough money through their salary. That's the way it should be for all workers. Tipping is illogical, makes no sense, doesn't improve service, and leaves the driver with less money.



btone31 said:


> I'll gladly take any tips you receive.


That's a deal I would take in a heartbeat. I'll take a living wage, and you can have whatever tips I get.



REX HAVOC said:


> I drove part of last week and did about 30 rides. Out of all those rides I received two tips totaling $11. People are being more stingy than usual. Maybe U&L should just automatically add 20% gratuity fee to each ride and if the customer wants to add more to the ride they can.


Then it isn't a tip.


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## Trafficat (Dec 19, 2016)

Demon said:


> Close.
> 
> Truck drivers, Fed Ex/UPs Drivers, postal workers all work for no tips because they make enough money through their salary. That's the way it should be for all workers. Tipping is illogical, makes no sense, doesn't improve service, and leaves the driver with less money.
> 
> ...


These drivers all have fixed hours and schedules. I'd personally prefer the freedom to choose to not work very much or not very hard, as I choose. I much prefer pay per ride over salary. I don't want a living wage or anything like that.

Main thing I see as an issue is the cancel fee being larger than the min fare. I collect cancel fees all the time rather than make an extra effort to pick up a min fare. Why drive 10 minutes for $2.47 when you can get $3.75 right now. Also, I always reject far away trips on Lyft since they have no qualms sending a driver 20 miles away with no pickup info, hoping some driver will be a sucker who will drive 40 miles round trip for a $2.47 fare in a tiny town.

But none of these things are really problems. They just mean the customer gets screwed over. Last night I was apparently the only driver in my area. Lyft kept sending me a ping 15 minutes away. I rejected the ping over and over again for about 15 minutes and then it stopped. Poor guy couldn't get a ride. I had Uber on also, I kept hoping for it to pop up over there on Uber for the long pickup fee. But I'm not driving 12 miles and 15 minutes from home for a ride which I'm fairly certain is going to be a short ride, and I'm pretty sure no other riders will be in the region for probably an hour or more.

I'm pretty sure I knew the guy making the request. Always a request from the same area at the same time each night. I've never gotten a tip from him, ever. If he ever gave me a tip, I probably would have gone over and picked him up. So yes, tips can improve service.


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## sellkatsell44 (Oct 25, 2015)

Trafficat said:


> I'm pretty sure I knew the guy making the request. Always a request from the same area at the same time each night. I've never gotten a tip from him, ever. If he ever gave me a tip, I probably would have gone over and picked him up. So yes, tips can improve service


depending on the city it can. My city I never get the same driver twice. So it doesn't really matter.

the only one I got twice was uber eats but I'm sure that driver hangs around that restaurant that's why. He was kind of rude with his remark imho even though he probably didn't mean it...I mean yes I only order a couple of items and so?

I paid for the delivery and I tip a few bucks each time _and_ I meet him at his car (this was about six months ago) to pick the food up so his ass never gets out of the car and just does a soft stop.

I never order from that restaurant and I never got him again, thankfully.


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## Demon (Dec 6, 2014)

Trafficat said:


> These drivers all have fixed hours and schedules. I'd personally prefer the freedom to choose to not work very much or not very hard, as I choose. I much prefer pay per ride over salary. I don't want a living wage or anything like that.
> 
> Main thing I see as an issue is the cancel fee being larger than the min fare. I collect cancel fees all the time rather than make an extra effort to pick up a min fare. Why drive 10 minutes for $2.47 when you can get $3.75 right now. Also, I always reject far away trips on Lyft since they have no qualms sending a driver 20 miles away with no pickup info, hoping some driver will be a sucker who will drive 40 miles round trip for a $2.47 fare in a tiny town.
> 
> ...


You've given me a lot to rest my case on here. You haven't thought this out.

1. Hours. Uber or Lyft paying driver's a fair price doesn't mean you have to work a set number of hours. You would would still be paid per ride, you would just be paid a fair amount for each ride. 
2. Tips. If you openly admit that you're not going to work hard you wouldn't get tips anyway. 
3. Distance rides. Those would be rides you would accept, because you would be paid a fair wage for them.
4. Demand. I don't know where you are, but you're not trying to establish what demand is like during a global pandemic when millions have been ordered to stay at home, are you?
5. Tips do not improve service, and you can't claim that from the example you listed because you don't know what kind of service the guy got. There have been multiple studies showing tips don't improve service.


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## Trafficat (Dec 19, 2016)

Demon said:


> 5. Tips do not improve service, and you can't claim that from the example you listed because you don't know what kind of service the guy got.


I know at a minimum, he got delayed a ride by about 15 minutes.... and that if he did get a ride, the other driver was probably also farther away.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

_Tron_ said:


> Interesting take on this topic. I wonder of we'd agree? Certainly worth showing his 5% extra recommendation for those still driving (link).
> 
> View attachment 432242


I had someone tip me$30.00 on 1 delivery today.
At lunch.


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## Demon (Dec 6, 2014)

Trafficat said:


> I know at a minimum, he got delayed a ride by about 15 minutes.... and that if he did get a ride, the other driver was probably also farther away.


So again, I ask. This happened like 2 months ago, right? This didn't happen in the past week during a global pandemic, right?


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## Trafficat (Dec 19, 2016)

Demon said:


> So again, I ask. This happened like 2 months ago, right? This didn't happen in the past week during a global pandemic, right?


It was last night or the night before, can't remember any more.

Pandemic or not, I have better things to do with my time than waste 45 minutes and put 25 miles on my car for $6


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## Demon (Dec 6, 2014)

Trafficat said:


> It was last night or the night before, can't remember any more.
> 
> Pandemic or not, I have better things to do with my time than waste 45 minutes and put 25 miles on my car for $6


That's my point! You're the one who wants to keep taking money losing rides.


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## Trafficat (Dec 19, 2016)

Demon said:


> That's my point! You're the one who wants to keep taking money losing rides.


But I didn't take the ride.


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## Demon (Dec 6, 2014)

Trafficat said:


> But I didn't take the ride.


That's exactly my point.


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## islanddriver (Apr 6, 2018)

Trafficat said:


> It seems like we are one of the few who didn't lose our jobs (yet) due to the corona panic.
> 
> People are sitting at home, charging up their credit cards to get food delivery from UberEATS or a ride to the store to buy some booze.
> 
> ...


I for one will try to make deals with credit company's if they won't deal I'll go bankrupt. It's their choice


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## 2win (Jun 29, 2019)

Tips are like coronavirus tests, hard to come by and impossible to compare stats. But we all know what it feels like to be killed by rideshare.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

_Tron_ said:


> 5% above and beyond what riders would normally tip while Corona persists.


^^^^^^^^Never mind, he already answered it\/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/


Friendly Jack said:


> Sadly, 5% more than what riders would normally tip is still = zero





_Tron_ said:


> "Demon"*troll*


FIFY



REX HAVOC said:


> People are being more stingy than usual.


I have noticed this, as well.



REX HAVOC said:


> Maybe U&L should just automatically add 20% gratuity fee to each ride and if the customer wants to add more to the ride they can.


From the launch of Uber Taxi until Khosrowshahi implemented platform wide tipping on Uber, there was a default setting of twenty per-cent on Uber Taxi. The customer could change it to anything from zero to whatever percentage or even set it to a fixed a mount regardless of the fare. It worked well. Most people left it at the twenty per-cent.Once Khosrowshahi implemented platform wide tipping, it ruined tips even on Uber Taxi. I would not mind seeing the default restored and even implemented platform wide, even on F*ub*a*r* Ch*eats*.


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## Phil Lee (Apr 29, 2019)

What you don't consider is the income disparity. Uber drivers used to earn more. We had a lot of employment, but a significant increase in low paying jobs.


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## dauction (Sep 26, 2017)

I wouldn't expect much tips as people are losing their jobs...or a spouse is .. 

Even after this virus passes everyone will be playing catch up on their bills for yest of the year


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