Comment by unsignedint
4 days ago
Yeah, I’d happily pay a bit extra just to take tipping out of the equation entirely. Not having to worry about it is enough of a draw on its own. (I’m not a fan of tipping culture to begin with — especially with apps like Uber, where you’re also being rated, which adds even more pressure.)
Now if only Waymo were available in my area…
Ironically, Travis Kalanick felt the exact same way about tipping, and early marketing copy said something like "When you Uber, you never need to tip!" IIRC the drivers finally wore him down and they added a tipping feature shortly before he was forced out. Sad, as the no-tipping thing was one of the things I really liked about Uber when I first used it.
I dislike tipping culture too but the idea that you would pay more so you don't have to tip doesn't make any sense. Additionally you are paying more so you don't have to tip and the thing that enables that is the literal job a human would otherwise have is destroyed.
So bizarre. The levels people will go not to deal with any conflict, no matter how trivial it is...
I get what you're saying, but I think there's a misunderstanding. I would opt for something like Waymo, not because I'm trying to avoid people or conflict, but because I prefer a system where the pricing is clear and all-inclusive.
It's not that I don't want people to be paid. I just believe compensation should be built into the cost upfront, not tacked on afterward through a tipping system that creates unnecessary pressure, especially when ratings are involved.
This isn't about replacing people. It's about preferring a model that's transparent, predictable, and fair without making customers responsible for patching up systemic pay issues.
Everyone has their preferences—this is mine, and I'm comfortable with it.