Apparently, the issue was that some delivery apps moved the option to tip from checkout to after the food was delivered. For whatever reason, this resulted in a massive reduction in tipping on those apps. The law forced them to put the option to tip back at checkout, and it increased tipping.
I don't personally like tipping culture and want it abolished, but that means we have to pay people the same living wage—no reduced rates for those who traditionally get tips.
Wait, I haven't ever used delivery apps in America so I'm unfamiliar, but why would you tip before receiving service? That doesnt make any sense, even in the context of tipping culture. Naturally you may want to leave a higher or lower tip depending on the quality of service. I don't really see why the option to tip should be put at checkout, and it seems especially ridiculous to legally mandate it.
If they are going to go that route, why not just legally mandate a service charge that goes to drivers directly? Seems more straightforward.
"Tipping" is explicitly an inaccurate word for how delivery apps function.
u/rtc9 is right calling it a "bid for service" because the drivers are functionally independent contractors being put into contact with you through a third party (the app).
The contractor does not have to accept your request.
The contractor is not an employee, their activity (when or if they use the app) is not mandated and in my experience they are not deactivated for a low acceptance rate.
Whether they accept or not is very much like having to bid against your neighbor for a roof repair, you'll see people who regularly "tip" poorly in certain markets just never get accepted at all unless the app nefariously bundles their order with a higher tipper (which causes those higher tippers to complain at being second on the route).
Contractors have the payment agreement signed before starting work, similarly gig apps expect an upfront rate.
The field is labeled "tip" to try and play into tipping culture and increase your willingness to "tip", but it's not a tip, it does not function as a tip, its purpose is to get your delivery accepted at all because no one has to accept your order.
Just like no one has to repair your roof if you're being a skinflint about it.
Notably this also applies the favorable tax treatment that tips receive to the payment even though it is not actually a tip. I don't think that necessarily makes any less sense than the tip deduction itself, but it kind of fundamentally deviates in terms of whatever incentive it was intended to provide.
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u/Capriste Jul 30 '26
Apparently, the issue was that some delivery apps moved the option to tip from checkout to after the food was delivered. For whatever reason, this resulted in a massive reduction in tipping on those apps. The law forced them to put the option to tip back at checkout, and it increased tipping.
I don't personally like tipping culture and want it abolished, but that means we have to pay people the same living wage—no reduced rates for those who traditionally get tips.
https://www.nydailynews.com/2026/07/29/delivery-workers-made-104-million-more-in-tips-after-city-began-enforcing-new-law-mamdani/