New York DoorDash Driver Complains About Pay and Tips Mid-Delivery, Customer Doubles the Tip
NEW YORK, NY – A DoorDash driver in New York has sparked debate online after complaining to a customer mid-delivery about low pay and tips, prompting the customer to increase their tip by nearly double. The bizarre exchange, shared on Reddit, has left viewers divided over who was in the wrong.
Driver Complains During the Delivery
The incident began when a customer ordered from Chipotle and added an initial $4 tip, roughly 23% of the total order. According to the post, the driver messaged halfway through the trip, saying: “Quite the drive for not much pay.”
The original poster (OP), who had previously worked as a delivery driver, said they understood how challenging the job can be. However, they also noted that DoorDash drivers can see how much an order pays before accepting it and choose to reject it if they find it too low.
Despite this, the customer decided to increase the tip by $3 to ease the tension and show empathy toward the driver.
Doordash Driver complaining about pay to me.
byu/Downto184 indoordash
“Look, It Worked” — Online Reaction
The move immediately drew reactions from other Reddit users. One commenter, PrestigiousWatch3194, remarked:
“Well, I think the reason some drivers do this disgusting tip begging is exactly because of OP & people like him. Look, it worked, he increased the tip by almost double.”
While the driver did complete the delivery, the customer later admitted they no longer felt comfortable eating the food, worried that it might have been tampered with after the exchange.
Other Drivers Chime In
Fellow DoorDash workers criticized the behavior, calling it unprofessional and counterproductive. User Silly-Beginning-1807 wrote:
“As a DoorDash driver, I don’t get why drivers do this. Most people are just going to rate the driver low and not increase the tip, and then they gonna make even less.”
This sentiment echoed across social media, where many agreed that begging for tips or confronting customers directly undermines trust between delivery workers and clients.
Larger Issue With Delivery Apps
The viral story has reignited discussion around gig worker pay and customer tipping expectations. Apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats continue to face criticism for inconsistent pay structures and unclear policies about driver compensation.
Experts say that the tip culture debate stems from both customer fatigue and drivers’ frustration over rising costs. Some users believe platforms should guarantee base pay that doesn’t rely on tips, while others argue tipping should remain optional.
As one commenter put it: “These apps pit everyone against each other — the company wins while drivers and customers fight.”
Do you think drivers should message customers about tips mid-delivery, or should apps increase base pay instead? Join the discussion now at FatCityFeed.com.
