A DoorDash customer said in a now-viral video that her driver attached a "condescending letter" to her order because she didn't leave a large enough tip.
The video was posted to TikTok by Katrina Dougherty, who wrote: "Honestly, it's hilarious." It has garnered over 281,000 views and more than 2,500 comments slamming the "entitled" driver and his "ridiculous" letter. You can watch the full video here.
In her video, Dougherty told viewers she ordered from a restaurant two miles away. She said her meal cost $15, and she gave her driver a $5.55 tip. However, the driver felt this tip wasn't adequate, and he attached a letter saying as much to Dougherty's meal.
"Basically, this letter [says] that all delivery drivers expect a minimum $10 tip, whether [the trip] is one mile or 10 miles," Dougherty said. "I think this is absolutely ridiculous...[but] am I the a**hole in this situation?"
The video ends with a screenshot of the letter, which spells out—in English and Spanish—the hoops drivers must jump through to deliver food, gas prices, etc. And as Dougherty said, the letter states that, given all these factors, customers should tip a minimum of $10, regardless of the order's total cost.
Tipping Etiquette
Lisa Mirza Grotts, an etiquette expert, agreed that customers should consider "all the services [drivers] provide" when tipping.
"[Drivers are] gig workers. They aren't employees of Uber Eats or other delivery apps. They aren't paid a salary," Grotts told Newsweek. "When tipping a delivery app driver, it's essential to factor in all the services they provide, including driving. You may want to tip a little more than 10 or 15 percent."
According to Grotts, 10 percent is the "bare minimum tip" amount for home delivery. Of course, Dougherty's tip was much larger than that.
"I'm with her," Grotts said when asked about Dougherty's situation. "She tipped over 20 percent, which is generous."
Viewers React
Viewers also took Dougherty's side and slammed the driver's "entitlement."
"I'm a driver, and $5 is good for that mileage," Cameron said. "[People] are so entitled."
"I am a Dasher, and the driver is being ridiculous!" lyricallady4 agreed.
Adam added: "You gave them a 30 percent tip, and they're complaining?? They're so greedy omg."
Newsweek reached out to Dougherty for comment.
More Viral Posts
A server went viral on Reddit after sharing that they didn't receive a tip on a $271 bill.
Another Redditor caused a stir after sharing that they stayed at a hotel that adds automatic gratuities on all breakfast bills.
And a waitress sparked a viral debate after venting about the $2 tip she received on a $120 bill.
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Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Sara Santora is a Newsweek reporter based in Florida. Her focus is reporting on viral social media posts and trends. ... Read more
