Do you tip your Uber or Lyft drivers?

No one uses these services??

Isn't it on the app? You tip via app, like $5 or something. I've heard that they appreciate cash, but the app makes the entire thing dummy proof when it comes to tipping, at least with Uber.

Why wouldn't you tip them? I do it on the app.

Maybe OP never used them before and isn't sure how it works.

Unless it is bad service, like a driver purposely getting lost or missing an exit, yes.

I always give them a cash tip.

Many years ago I got myself into a real hole, debt-wise, so I took a second job driving a Super Shuttle. It was during the Bush I recession and I was surprised at how many other college grads were driving vans. It was a shitty job and most people acted like they were doing you a big favor if they gave you a dollar.

One slow night I was driving a Woman of Certain Age back from the airport. She was my only passenger so I chatted with her about where she had been. She was a retired school teacher who had been traveling through Europe. As she'd mention a city, I'd make a comment ('Oh I loved Paris. Yes, Amsterdam is beautiful, etc). After a few of these, she stopped and said 'Excuse me for saying this, but for a van driver, you're awfully well-traveled'.

I laughed and told her the precise reason I was driving a van was because I was so well traveled that my Visa bill was astronomical, and that I had to do something about it. She didn't comment, but when we got to her apartment, I helped her with her luggage and she paid me the $11 fare. Then she gave me $10, told me to save it for my next trip, and made me promise I'd never lose my passion for travel.

That was over 25 years ago and I have never forgotten her kindness, so whenever I take a car service, I always given them a big tip.

What a great story, R6. And what a great woman!

Depends on if they swallow.

They are using their cars as credit cards. Many had professions and lost them to misfortune or other bad luck that left them as drivers. I tip very well.

I'll tip the good drivers with $2. The most I've tipped is $10. There are so many bad drivers out there though!

One of the main points of Uber in the first place was to NOT have to tip. They didn't even have the option.

Yes. Gotta keep my "Uber Rider Rating" up for those rainy days and asap-arrivals to pick up my ass.

My Uber rating is currently 4.88/5.0 because I tip AND fasten my seal belt.

I normally don't, but will occasionally when I think it is called for. Like r11 said, when I started using Uber the whole point of the service was that you didn't tip, the app purposely didn't allow it.

A little secret, tipping does not affect your rating (unless you hand them one in cash).

When drivers rate you they don't know if you tipped them.

[quote]When drivers rate you they don't know if you tipped them.

When do they find out?

I tip either $1 or $2. I never go far. I only take Uber if I'm going to be late for school, approx. one mile away.

Uber drivers have to rate you as soon as they drop you off. They can't accept another ride or do anything with the app until they rate you.

While this is basically true for Lyft, the app actually does allow drivers the ability to change the ratings they gave passengers up to 24 hours after the fact, so in theory they could go back and alter based on tipping

Thank you, R17-

I thought that was the whole reason to use it the tip is in the fee.

My rating is 4.87. Naturally, they won't let me see who dinged me.

No, r19, the "whole reason to use it" is to get from one place to another without driving or taking the bus or subway.

Shitty sentence structure, btw.

I always tip. I never take Uber, always Lyft, after the revelations of Uber assholery a couple years ago.

I was a waiter for years putting myself through graduate school and depended on tips for rent. I am also paying it forward now that I can.

Not since two of them bragged to me that they made six figures last year!!!!

Never!

That never happened r23.

The only way an uber driver could ever make anything near six figures is if they live in a major city with a big uberblack/select demand and drove for like 12 hours a day 7 days a week.

I've been a Uber customer for about a year. At first I would engage the drivers in conversation, just to pass the time; but I've recently stopped doing this: most of their stories about why they're driving are very depressing.

My Uber rating is 4.5. Should I be concerned?

Yes r27, that is a bad uber rating.

I'm not sure what I did wrong.

The most common things that annoy drivers are r29

1) Making them wait around a while when they pick you up. Try to be ready for them.

2) Dictating the directions you think they should go. Unless they tell you otherwise, let them follow the navigation map.

3) Be polite and treat them with respect, don't be some demanding asshole like they are your personal employee.

And so other things I guess. Don't eat in their car. Don't smoke right until they pick you up so you get in their car reeking of smoke.

Idk, in general it is not hard to have a good rating.

Less than a 4.6 is a noticeably poor rating that will make them suspicious of you.

I try to remember to tip. I tip a dollar.

A dollar or two. Always through the app. Tax avoidance is evil.

^ I’ve been taking Lyft and Uber in various cities for at least four years (90% of the time I take Lyft). Ratings for each are 4.97 and 4.96. I must be doing something right. I never knew they didn’t see tips right away. Thankfully I’ve never had a bad experience.

R33, how do you see your Lyft passenger rating?

Never used Uber or Lyft but I work with someone who drives for Uber on occasion. He complained one of his rides never gave him a tip. When I asked how much he was expecting he said he didn't care. He just wanted a tip to show appreciation for the ride.

On a somewhat related note I recently took a tour or Red Rock Canyon. I thought it be a bus with 10-20 people but it was just me and the driver of a minivan. I gave him $20 as a tip. I only paid about $70 for the 4-5 hour tour including pickup and drop off from hotel so he must of have only got paid minimum wage.

I wonder if the autonomous ones will even have a tip option.

I have an Uber rating of 4.93. It was only after reading this thread that I even found out I could see what my rating is.

This may sound petty, but why the heck don’t I have a five star rating? I’m courteous, never cause any trouble, don’t eat or demand the driver go a certain way.

R34, you have to email their customer service. They’ll reply with your rating.

I switched from Uber to Lyft a few years ago. Never tipped Uber because someone told me “they don’t like it.” The rates were so much higher than a cab I just figured it was a no-tip sitch, plus the app didn’t give you an option to tip. Looking back I was probably a cheapskate, but I did think it was standard to not tip, and no one ever acted mad or whatever when I didn’t.

When I switched to Lyft, the first thing I realized was that their rates were about 30% or more cheaper than Uber. I also noticed the first time I used it, it prompted you to tip, which I did and have done ever since. Even with tip it is far cheaper than Uber. I always tip 20% or more, minimum of $2.

The standard ubers and lyft (uberx and lyft lyft) are priced pretty much identically. The difference you see is uber was under more surge pricing, their surge pricing can vary at any particular time and that is always worth checking.

Had 5.0 for quite a while. Didn't too twice in a row and it dropped to 4.7 pronto.

Yeah, I've noticed that Uber's always more expensive than Lyft. Sometimes twice as expensive. Absolutely always for me.

Jeez, I just looked at my Uber rating and it's 4.40. I have no idea why. I don't think I've ever rated anyone on Uber under 4 stars, and I usually rate 5. The only times I've rated 4 is if the car was super dirty. I am always outside and ready to go, I never ask anyone to deal with my luggage if I'm going to the airport. I look for license plates AT the airport so they aren't trying to find me in that cluster of people and cars and I have never been rude to a driver (nor has one been rude to me.) I don't like to make conversation, so I won't initiate it, but if the driver does, I'll chat. I will admit if I'm in the backseat I won't buckle up sometimes, but no one's ever asked me to. And if I want to roll down the window, I always ask. Actually, I sound like a fucking great passenger, so fuck those assholes. Maybe I'll stop tipping.

Oh, wait- one time I canceled because the driver was pulled on the other side of the street in a very busy, populated, touristy area in LA and pointed in the absolute wrong direction of where I needed to go. He called us and we asked him to pull around and he refused even after I explained why, and he was an asshole about it, so I told him to fuck off and canceled the ride. They tried to charge me for it and I complained so they refunded me. But I'll bet that little fucker gave me a 1.0 rating.

I don't believe they don't know who tips them nor do I believe it doesn't influence their rating of the driver.

If you have to call customer service to get your Lyft rating, how important could it be?

Your rating matters when it gets so low drivers don't particularly want to pick you up. They will skip accepting your for another passenger. It can cause your wait time for a car to be longer.

I can't wait for the autonomous Lyft and Uber cars to come on-line. I hate dealing with nasty ex-cabbie drivers, who are almost invariably from homophobic countries and smell like cigarettes.

I found another cancellation from when I was in Dublin and got totally turned around while walking. I called an Uber to take me back to my flat. It wasn't far, I just had no idea where I was. The guy calls me and says- I don't know where that is. Where is it? I said if I knew, I wouldn't need you. So he canceled the trip. I wound up grabbing a taxi, and even he didn't know where it was, but at that point I had my bearings and I had to guide him to the flat.

Also, I'm not as good of a tipper as I thought I was. I'm ashamed at myself. I definitely deserve the 4.40 rating. And they have to rate you based on tips.

[quote] Your rating matters when it gets so low drivers don't particularly want to pick you up. They will skip accepting your for another passenger. It can cause your wait time for a car to be longer.

Yes, but if Lyft doesn't even make it clear that you have a rating, I don't see how that's fair.

Has anyone ever gotten this? I've been using Lyft for 4 years and I've never seen this.

Half the drivers are morons. They can't even look at the map and follow its instructions. I place a pin exactly where I am, and they'll call me and ask where I am - and STILL they stop at the wrong place to pick me up.

I always tip well. I was an Uber driver when I was laid off and greatly appreciated any tip.

I'm looking at articles on "how to raise your rider rating" and all of them say "start tipping" yet when drivers come on to comment, they all say they can't see if you've tipped until after they rate you. So I cannot figure out why my rating is so low unless the drivers are lying. But that seems unlikely because you'd think they'd want to tell you- yes, if you don't tip, I'll rate you poorly.

Unless the article is written by someone who worked for the companies they probably have no clue what they are talking about.

I had a friend that drove for uber, he had to rate passengers long before he saw if they tipped. Though if you give cash, automatic 5 stars.

It's bullshit, R52. It doesn't matter if you tip. I've taken both a combined 3000 times or so. I know the ins and outs. It doesn't matter.

I have gotten 2 bad Uber reviews . both times I made bad comments about Trump.

I can't even find a way on the app or on the website to request my rider rating from Lyft. Everytime I click on the subject, it takes me to this article meant only for drivers on how to rate passengers.

[quote]I've taken both a combined 3000 times or so.

Damn, and I thought I was a frequent user. I've taken 115 lyfts and 90 some ubers.

[quote]2) Dictating the directions you think they should go. Unless they tell you otherwise, let them follow the navigation map.

The navigation map is often wrong. The directions on the map may technically be shorter, but the trip takes longer because it's very roundabout, and goes through more traffic than the way I know enough to take. Drivers should be more flexible when someone knows the way.

Ok, I found how to email Lyft and did so. My rating with them is 4.97 as opposed to the 4.40 on Uber. Fuck Uber. I'm sticking to Lyft.

I find 6 to 8 " is sufficient

“Half the drivers are morons. They can't even look at the map and follow its instructions. I place a pin exactly where I am, and they'll call me and ask where I am - and STILL they stop at the wrong place to pick me up.”

I drive for Lyft. Here is why this happens, when you’re keeping up with the flow of traffic, and glancing down on the app, I can be easy to miss the pin. Sometimes the map/app is lagging and you”ll inadvertently go too far. Lyft doesn’t pay well, so you should lower your expectations. And, always tip.

You say that r58, but then you will have someone that wants to give directions and gets the driver lost. Or forgets to tell them a turn in time. Or pulls some "I'll know the road to take when I see it" bullshit.

There is a reason why drivers in general feel more comfortable following a GPS, though this isn't true for everyone.

R61, in my case, they always stop short of my location. The go to the drop-off area and not the pick-up area because they're idiots and they're not looking at the map. Half of them at least. I'll enter the car and see that the pin is exactly where I was, but they just decided to stop at "the place where all the other cars were (dropping people off)." Morons.

I'll usually only tell a driver to go a different way if the GPS is wrong. When I was getting chemo treatments, the facility was a straight shot from my house down Riverside Dr in the valley, but the GPS always told the driver to take the 134, which during morning rush hour was going to take way longer, so I would always suggest to the driver to bypass the freeway. No one ever seemed annoyed about it and they didn't have to sit in traffic.

I didn’t think they were permitted to take tips. That never stopped me, though. But I always did it “stealthily” because I thought they’d get in trouble for it.

Your poll should have a third option: when it’s deserved. It’s not a yes or no question for most people.

twenty percent

you should tip in cash. they get taxed if you pay by card. I don't use these services. I take taxi if I have to.

I can’t stand Uber. Just off the top of my head:

- Impatient drivers who have arrived to an incorrect pickup location, calling and hassling as if you’re in the wrong for not being ready and waiting.

- Drivers with absolutely no sense of direction, and a complete inability to follow the GPS nav.

- Drivers who stop a block away from the pinned pickup location.

- Impatient drivers who call and demand that you come out, only 30 seconds after arrival. I always try to be outside and waiting, but there have been times when the GPS and ETA on the app were malfunctioning, resulting in the driver having to wait for a minute or less. Some drivers have even cancelled and sped away.

- Stinking vehicles. One driver was eating Burger King out of a bag. Many, many reek like incense or cologne. Also, drivers who smell like a freshly smoked cigarette.

- Drivers engaged in phone calls for the whole trip, resulting in missed turns, dangerous speeds, blown stop signs. I’ve experienced all of these, including one driver who put the car in drive before both of my feet were even inside, much less door closed or seatbelt fastened.

- Drivers deliberately taking the long way, despite GPS navigation, in order to jack up the fare.

The only reason I use Uber is because Amex gives me $20 in free rides every month. After that credit is used, I go back to Lyft or taxis.

[quote]Stinking vehicles. Many, many reek like incense or cologne.

And air "freshener." I make it clear I'm not tipping them and it's because of the Glade.

Drivers have mentioned (bragged?) in forums that they will go back and lower passenger ratings if no tip with a day of so. It's a nasty racket that way.

I feel they should get an aggregate number daily, but Uber seems fine with their seeing individual tips, or not.

R69: then why don’t you use a cab instead and pay more?

Lyft has 30 autonomous BMWs available in Vegas. Go into the app and specifically select to be driven by one of them.

[quote] - Drivers deliberately taking the long way, despite GPS navigation, in order to jack up the fare.

R69, they're wasting gas if they're doing that lol. The price is set at the time passengers request a car in the Uber and Lyft apps. That's a taxi driver thing.

[quote] The only reason I use Uber is because Amex gives me $20 in free rides every month. After that credit is used, I go back to Lyft or taxis.

R69, isn't it $15 from Amex? Are you in Canada?

R69, I know you use the Uber app and are complaining about the rides you've gotten from Uber, but (at least in LA) cars that pick me up from ride services drive for both, so I'm curious if you're differentiating Uber from Lyft or you've never used Lyft and are just speaking purely from experiencing Uber.

R76, R69 mentions he uses Lyft in his last sentence.

Thanks, I missed that. Then my question still stands- most drivers these days drive for both, so it seems odd that one would only have those experiences with Uber if one uses both services and the same driver could pick up for either service.

Thanks for clarifying that, R74. When R69 posted that, I was thinking it doesn’t matter because they tell you the amount beforehand. Not being an avid user of either, I wasn’t sure I was right.

It's $15 per month, with a larger amount in December as a "bonus."

Oooh I just looked up my Uber rating - 4.98

Smell her at R81!

😂

R81 gives analingus to his drivers.

I'll tip the good drivers. The ones who know where they're going and whose car doesn't smell (I've had underarm pit smells and just musty, old, man smells).

MOST drivers will sit in the middle of a lane when picking you up on your street. Dumb. And continue to sit there while they figure out where you're going, when there are cars trying to get by, and there is plenty of room to move over to the shoulder. MOST WOMEN drivers are the worst. Last night I had the sweetest woman drive me and she drove like it was here first time on the road. I felt badly for her because she was older and didn't seem to have any other prospects. But, don't put others in jeopardy if you can't drive.

I've driven for Uber and Lyft.

Last I knew, a passenger doesn't know his Lyft rating. Only the driver knows, and I only see it as the ping flashes on my screen. Once I accept your request, for some reason that rating has evaporated. You can ask your Lyft driver for your rating, but he may have already forgotten it. On Uber, the passenger can see his rating in his app, for over a year now.

We don't ever see what you rated us. In Uber, most passengers don't bother rating, less than half. But most drivers think they'll get five stars, so get upset at passengers who don't rate. On Lyft, I believe we still see your comments, if any; maybe once a week it'll show us customer feedback.

I must rate my Uber passenger right away in order to get another fare. Thus I have no idea what you've rated me, if at all. Yes, it's nice to get a cash tip but that's so rare. I'd think any driver would give you give five stars for any cash tip, even if only $1. But some drivers would be so insulted by that small tip if handling lots of heavy luggage, driving in a snowstorm, four adults riding a short distance, etc. Some drivers give a bad rating to anybody just going a few blocks or so. They give bad ratings to back seat riders giving directions, though I encourage them to give me their preferred route.

Most Uber and Lyft passengers do not tip but from what I hear, some drivers are more often getting tips in the past six months or so -- especially now that Uber has a tip button whereas Lyft always did. Driving a cab in Boston, passengers tip me 92%-99% of the time. And I feel that tips are better for a taxi driver for the same trip vs. a rideshare driver.

I never understand why drivers would be upset about short trips r85.

There is a minimum fee, so even if they are just going like a mile or less, uber still gets that easy 7 bucks and is free to pick up another rider 5 minutes later. Seems advantageous to me.

The whole benefit of Uber/Lyft was not tipping. It’s such an arbitrary and annoying process. Just pay a fare wage and I’ll,gladly pay more rather than deal with the tipping nonsense. I tend to be overly generous and feel guilty - and would much rather not have to add $2 to a $5 fare. Just charge me $6. I admit I’ve been leaning towards not tipping lately because of the anonymity - and anger at the fact that they backed off one of the basic premises of the model which was making it a clean and simple transaction without the arbitrariness of the yellow taxis.

[quote]The whole benefit of Uber/Lyft was not tipping.

No, the whole benefit was getting someone to drive you from one place to another without having to call a taxi.

I don't use a ride service often, but have always given a 5 star rating to Lyft drivers, a modest tip (usually $2, sometimes cash, sometimes through the app) and I have always gotten 5 star ratings, as far as I know. I get periodic "5 star reward" emails that give me a discount on rides for a while (conditions apply,) which I guess may be a good reason to be well-rated. or it may be something they send to everyone, to make us feel special and to encourage a ride in in a Lyft again sometime during the offer period. I just checked the app and don't see where I am rated.

R87 is correct r88.

When Uber launched, one of their big advertising points was that you didn't have to tip.

Still not "the [italic]whole[/italic] benefit," r90, no matter how much you pull at it.

I was in France recently and just loved not having to deal with the whole tipping bullshit. It's an antiquated practice that needs to go, no one should have to rely on the goodwill of customers to make their living. And the argument that it encourages good service doesn't hold water with respect to ridesharing, since their rating system is sufficient to reward the good drivers and penalize the bad.

I live in the UK, and tipping for these services isn't customary here. Uber doesn't have a tip button at all. When I'm in the US, I'll usually tip a dollar. If it's an airport trip, one dollar extra per bag they helped me with.

I didn't know I had a rating. 4.65? I guess that's not great.

Why I think I have this score: -I often call Uber from my apartment and it may take 5+ minutes to get downstairs. Usually this is fine, but sometimes it means the driver waits a minute or two. -I usually call an Uber for a trip to specific building in my college. That's an extra minute or two that perhaps they didn't expect, and require me to tell them certain instructions to get there. -Maybe animosity? Maybe they think I'm gay and they don't like gays? I dunno.

I rarely tip though. My policy is 1-2 stars if abysmal experience, 3-4 stars if bad experience (but at least they tried), 5 stars normally because they're usually really good tbh. Then $1 if they do something above and beyond. Then a bigger tip if they go above and beyond and have a great atmosphere in the car (and you CAN do that; one was super clean, didn't smell, asked about the music I wanted, was a good but respectful conversationalist, and had a treat jar).

Tips are gratuity to me and if you just did the basic job, I don't really care. Even in restaurants, if all they did was take a long time and placed the food down on my table, I'm pretty encouraged to give little to no tip. But add an encouraging attitude, a fair number of check-ins, apologies if the kitchen is taking some time, etc, and I easily give a normal rate tip.