DoorDash responds as Aussies debate tipping claim: 'Over 80% tip'

DoorDash has set the record straight after an Aussie customer questioned the credibility of a statistic quoted in a push notification he received from the food delivery company earlier this week.

A screengrab of a notification caused a stir when it was shared on Reddit because of what was being claimed in the message. "Did you know that over 80% of orders included a tip for Dashers?" the text reads.

"That can't be true, can it?" the customer asked, drawing nearly a thousand comments from Aussies who were left dumbfounded by the notification.

Fellow Redditors weighed in on the claim, expressing their doubt that Australians tip in such high numbers. "They're just trying to get people to tip by making them think everyone else does," one Reddit user opined. "I can't believe I have to say this, but do not f**king tip. We are not America."

DoorDash responds

Responding to questions about the statistic in the message, DoorDash clarified that the notification was actually sent by mistake. "This push notification was sent in error to some Australian users. The 80 per cent statistic does not apply to Australia," a spokesperson for the company told Yahoo News Australia.

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"DoorDash Australia does give users the option to tip their Dashers, and Dashers receive the entire tip," the spokesperson added.

Pressure on customers

In an interview with Yahoo News, marketer and consumer psychologist Jana Bowden of Macquarie University shed some light on the mindset behind tipping, saying one aspect of the practice is "social pressure". "Social norms theory tells us that if tipping is made to look like the norm either by a business through its advertising, signage or messaging, then choosing not to tip can lead to a sense of shame, embarrassment, and guilt."

"An example of this is apps that ask you if you want to tip at the checkout page by offering you a button to click to add a 'percentage' tip to your bill. Under these conditions, consumers might feel pressured to tip to avoid negative feelings and emotions. If others around you are tipping, or if the tip process is made visible, then you might also feel pressured to tip in order to avoid social disapproval," Professor Bowden added.

"Consumer psychology tells us that negative reinforcement is a strong driver of consumer behaviour. We aren't forced to tip. Tipping is voluntary in Australia. But social norms might pressure us into doing so," she continued. "We know from research that tipping creates anxiety. It actually affects consumers' wellbeing. This is likely to be exacerbated as the cost-of-living crisis deepens further as money becomes tight. The question becomes, is it moral, or appropriate for businesses to suggest that consumers should tip?"

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