How To Add A Compliment On Uber

Uber is rolling out a new feature today that allows riders to send compliments to drivers across leaving them a five-star rating, according to Wired. Of course, well-nigh people would reward excellent service past tipping a few extra bucks. But Uber is known for existence vehemently anti-tipping, then we're getting a new in-app feature instead.

After completing their trip, riders will be asked whether they want to ship their commuter a compliment from a list of canned responses: "Slap-up and Tidy," "Excellent Service," "Above and Beyond," and so on. Riders can praise their driver's automobile, pick in music, or conversation skills. And each compliment comes with a sticker, considering who doesn't love stickers?

Last week, I inadvertently sent my Uber driver ane of these compliments (no sticker, merely a canned phrase), not knowing this was a new feature in the app. My driver Martin told me an astonishing story almost Mike Tyson giving a $180,000 Bentley he just crashed to a couple of NYPD cops — I fact-checked it, this really happened — and then I made sure to note that Martin was an excellent conversationalist afterwards I gave him 5 stars.

Only y'all know what else I did? Tipped him $v, because that's what yous exercise when y'all receive above-average service — or even simply boilerplate service, for that matter, considering this is America and Americans tip, damnit.

Uber says you don't have to tip, even though information technology said it would permit drivers to solicit tips as role of the $100 1000000 settlement with its drivers in California and Massachusetts. (The settlement was rejected as being too depression by a federal estimate and is at present in the process of being renegotiated.) Uber even went so far as to cite a research study that establish tipping to be racist.

Of course, Lyft allows riders to tip, equally do other taxi and car service apps, and we haven't seen any prove that it'due south harmed those businesses. Whether Uber will continue to coil out features to "compliment" drivers with stickers rather than greenbacks will depend on its customers. The ride-hail company is known to be very responsive to its riders' feedback. If enough people need that Uber add a tipping function in its app, it may eventually do information technology.