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Uber has announced that finally, they will allow users to tip their drivers through the App. The change was announced in an email titled 180 days of change which set out a series of policy the company will be bringing in over the next six months. In-app tipping has been implemented immediately in Houston, Minneapolis, and Seattle. The tipping facility will be rolled out across the rest of Uber’s US cities by the end of 2017. Update: it looks that as of July 6, 2017, Uber has expanded in-app tipping to 120+ markets.
Uber U-Turn
The change is a U-turn from the Uber policy since as recent as April 2017 Uber was set against including tipping in its App, mainly because at the time Uber CEO Travis Kalanick was against allowing in-app tipping. The change comes only a few days after Mr. Kalanick was forced to step down from his role, after pressure from 5 major institutional investors.
Positive Change
The new policy has some positive changes for drivers including a reduction in time for the fee free cancellation window from 5 minutes to 2 minutes. Another change is the elimination of unpaid waiting times for drivers. The changes represent some positive news for Uber which in the past few months has seen its reputation tarnished by a series of damaging revelations. Including that it was using technology to foil regulators, and was using your phone’s location services to track your movement after the ride was over.
Overall
The coming changes and the departure of Kalanick should represent a new chapter in the Uber history, which has lost ground to some of its main competitors including Lyft. Remember if you are an Uber user, sync your Chase Sapphire Reserve® card with your Uber account to earn 3X the points per ride.
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I think its a good think. I have found the service offered by uber drivers far better than standard taxi’s (and cheaper) but I would always think its normal to tip so why shouldn’t we tip for better and cheaper service. I’m sure its optional – tip when its good, don’t when its bad. I also like the cancellation time change too – nothing worse than a cancellation after 5 mins
No one should be up in arms over this since it’s optional.
This will definitely work for me as I like to carry as little cash as possible at all times.
I liked Uber because I was not obliged to tip…
One reason I ride Uber is to get away from the awkwardness of tipping.
So the main news is that Uber is becoming more like a taxi.
And reducing the cancellation window from 5 to 2 minutes to help drivers…just benefits drivers.
Many times I’ve had drivers accept my ride and then stop for some reason, drop off a passenger still in their vehicle, or do god knows what else.
5 minutes seemed fair enough all things considered.
Thank God! As an aside – tipped my driver in Ft Lauderdale, and he actually laughed at me. Apparently this is uncommon?
I took 3 rides with Uber since they made this change but there was no option to add a tip on the app. Does driver know if they were tipped before they rate the passengers??
Were you in the area(s) where tipping has been rolled out?
About time – seems fair –
uber’s lost a lot of goodwill recently – maybe this is the start of better management
It’s good to have the option when you want to tip but don’t have cash.
I see this as a positive, although I hope drivers don’t start getting upset and giving customers bad reviews when they don’t get a tip.
I have tipped before in cash. Some would not take. Great addition to service. Not sure why the former CEO was so against it.
Unfortunately tipping at least in this country does not encourage better service it is usually an expectation of the service provider no matter how good or bad they are.
That’s why Tokyo is so great in that aspect for the most part no tipping and your service is usually fantastic.
Finally. Now if they can only fix the other problems with their app. Go ahead and try to switch a phone number from the app or try to sign up when someone else already used your phone number previously. both very difficult.
Aaaaaaaand if they can fix the cultural problems in the company.
Lyft should have filed a patent for the in-app tipping 🙂
HAHAHA!
Becoming more and more like a taxi. This was one of the differentiations – no need to worry about the tipping.
Tips were included/no tipping was allowed, at least in app. Since drivers were feeling squeezed and also rating customers negatively if they didn’t (cash)tip and some riders felt it inconvenient to have cash to tip but wanted to, I believe the company reversed course to allow it. My main issue as with any tipping situation is I prefer to tip after receiving good/okay service. I’m assuming you must designate a tip when ordering your uber before service. I might want to raise a tip if the driver was great or lower it for an awful driver. It isn’t clear if this is an option.
Really? So I thoughts tips were always included…
Im sure, im one of the few People Never having used uber..so, question: i guess, i have to be online, when paying…Right? HOW so you so this in a Country you dont have a mobile contract in? Like Europe?
If you’re not online, you cannot use Uber.
If you’re at a hotel or something, you can order an Uber by connecting your phone/tablet using the hotel’s wifi. There’s no requirement to be online throughout the trip.
So its just needed to be only at time of Booking? For paying the Bill its not needed?
Thanks for the Clearification
you just have to be online until you meet your driver. tipping will be at the end of your trip on your driver’s phone. you will get a confirmation message on your phone
You can just get SIM’s in those countries. I did that in Europe. Worked just fine
I thought one of the main draws Of Uber, at its outset, was to give customers some relief from the exorbitant tipping culture of licensed taxis?
I don’t have a problem with this. Lyft allows tipping too. And it is optional. Not sure why the former CEO was so against it.
Easier if you don’t have some spare money to give.
And even more convenient when you are in a foreign country (with foreign currency).
Oh good. We can now tip on Uber. Did customers ask for this or drivers?
Based on my personal experience with Uber, it came from both sides.