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Uber and DoorDash Sue to Block New York City’s Pre-Order Tipping Rule Before It Starts Next Month

They argue the checkout prompt with a 10% default tip compels speech that will discourage customers from ordering.

Overview

  • The companies filed a joint federal lawsuit in the Southern District of New York seeking to halt the measure before its late-January 2026 effective date.
  • Local laws 107, 108, and 113 require apps to offer a tipping option at checkout with a 10% suggested default and to pay couriers within seven days after a pay period.
  • Uber and DoorDash contend the mandate forces them to display a government message in violation of the First Amendment and will worsen tipping fatigue that reduces orders.
  • New York City officials defended the policy, with the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection calling the lawsuit disappointing and saying the rules support delivery workers’ pay.
  • The dispute follows the apps’ 2023 shift of tip prompts to later in the order process; a city report later found app fees rose 46% and tip amounts fell 68% year over year.