Overview

• Drivers report difficulty making a living wage due to lack of clear tipping norms on delivery apps.
• Tips vary widely and are often less generous with contactless delivery, despite drivers being considered essential workers during the pandemic.
• The way tips are processed through apps gives companies power over gratuity and makes tipping impersonal, to the detriment of both drivers and customers.
• Full-time drivers face significant challenges, and some say they are nearing a breaking point after years of relying on unpredictable tips from delivery apps.
• Experts argue that the tipping practices on delivery apps amount to a coercive system that harms workers.