I mean, it makes sense.
If you don’t want to pay more than the minimum required for your Uber ride, you probably don’t want a visible option to tip, in the app, souring your good conscience.
“Quit driving for Uber if you’re not happy with the pay,” is what the large opposition to the tip option says.
But it’s painfully obvious that Uber, and the author of this post in The Economist, have never given an Uber ride, or even been in the Uber driver’s seat in life.
Life isn’t roses and red carpet for most people.
There are several benefits to adding an in-app tip option:
- If you liked your driver and think they deserve more than the 75% they earn on the fare you paid, you can tip them.
- If you tip, you can pay with your credit card, which is great for points enthusiasts and business travelers.
- Like the system Lyft has, the tipping can be completely anonymous. If you don’t want to tip, don’t tip. Your driver will never know.
- Uber could save itself a lot of trouble. The pending NYC rule requiring a tip option may be just the start.
Possible negatives:
- Your conscience may be inconvenienced.
- The Economist says “Americans are caught in a nasty cycle of low pay justifying tips and tips justifying low pay.” I agree that Uber should take a smaller percentage of fares from drivers, but the option to tip will in no way prevent drivers from earning better pay.
I’ve written about this issue before, and truly don’t understand why it’s such a big deal to opposers.
Please feel free to chime in with your thoughts, for or against.
Here is a poll that includes geographical reporting if you’d like to participate.
And here is a friendly reminder of what can happen if you park your car in San Francisco:
easyjourneys 
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I do not want to have the option to tip. I am a non-American living in the US, and while I understand that the industry works differently here, I find the tipping system stressful, morally suspect, and inconvenient.
I agree that drivers should earn a greater percentage of the ride. Tipping drivers, however, forces riders to cover for rampant ultra-capitalist behaviour. It absolves the companies that employ drivers from their obligation to give fair pay.
I believe Uber/Lyft are perfectly able to afford giving drivers a greater share, and legislation should enforce that. They may not do it voluntarily, but that does not mean that we should accept that and let them off the hook by relying on tips. Furthermore, if prices truly are too low to maintain under fair percentages, they should be raised. Responsibility for fair employment should lie with the employer, not the good intentions of costumers. The US has atrocious laws regarding worker rights.
I understand why most drivers would not agree with this point, but I’m not a driver and my perspective is (unapologetically) that of a non-driver. Giving tips reduces the pressure on drivers temporarily, but perpetuates a model of social injustice. I refuse to pay for that, even if it hurts drivers.
As riders, we can choose other companies (like gett), or campaign for legislation. As drivers, perhaps unionization is required.
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Thanks for the comment! I totally understand your viewpoint. Personally, I would prefer to have the option to pay more money for a high-quality ride, and less money for a low-quality ride. Outside of that, you’re right, it’s quite convenient to not have to worry about tipping.
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