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Not all DoorDash tips actually go to the courier on top of an order's total.
The company's opaque system, which went viral this week after a New York Times reporter worked for the company and wrote about his experience, has now come under fire from critics and customers who call their tipping system misleading.
In short, every DoorDash order comes with a guaranteed minimum earnings for the worker who completes the job. If the total ends up being less than that guarantee, then DoorDash kicks in the rest of the money. But in a small number of cases, the tip can also help make up that difference.
In light of that news, we asked some of the world's most prominent gig economy startups, many of which function almost exactly like DoorDash, about their tipping policies.
Uber drivers keep 100% of the tips given to them through the app, the company confirmed to Business Insider
"The easiest way to tip your delivery partner is through the app," a spokesperson said. "Once your order is complete, you'll be prompted to rate your delivery partner. Once you provide a rating, you'll be given the option to add a tip."
Cash tips are also an option, the spokesperson added.
"Our fleet keeps 100% of their tips," a spokesperson told Business Insider.
"As Postmates cofounder and CEO, Bastian Lehmann, noted in last week's CNN OpEd members of the Postmates fleet will always retain 100% their tips and unlike competitors customer tips will never be used to eat into their base earnings," the statement continued.
"Postmates is always investing in smarter matching technologies, enabling our Fleet to cumulatively earn even more in a given hour, even as we make adjustments over time. Even as we work through legislative & regulatory reforms to ensure gig-workers can access a more fulsome benefits model & safety net, Postmates has also been working with its Fleet Advisory Board to elevate the voice of workers and create a new suite of career, financial and health savings benefits."
After an order, customers are unable to to place another without taking action — tipping or declining to tip — in the app, according to the company's website.
GrubHub, the massive, publicly traded company that's also behind Seamless, passes 100% of customer tips through to its couriers.
"Just like before, you'll still keep 100% of your tips, and your per-order earnings will continue to be determined independently and separately from the tips you receive," the company said in its most recent update to pay rates. "We remain committed to transparency and will still show the total amount you'll earn before you accept any order."
A company spokesperson confirmed this policy in an email to Business Insider.
A GrubHub spokesperson confirmed that the same pricing and tipping policies apply for Seamless, which has been owned and operated by GrubHub since 2013.
In February, the company reversed a policy that was similar to DoorDash's current payment structure, and broke out tips from the guaranteed minimum earnings of $10.
"This meant that when Instacart's payment and the customer tip at checkout was below $10, Instacart supplemented the difference," the company said at the time. "While our intention was to increase the guaranteed payment for small orders, we understand that the inclusion of tips as a part of this guarantee was misguided. We apologize for taking this approach."
A company spokesperson confirmed that 100% of tips submitted through the app are given directly to the shopper.
Deliveroo, which does not operate in the United States, has a tip function in its app and passes through 100% of those tips to its workers.
"Whether you tip or not is completely up to you," the company's FAQ reads. "You can tip in the app when placing your order or tip in cash when the rider delivers your food. Riders receive 100% of all tips."
TaskRabbit, which isn't necessarily delivery-specific, says it passes all tips on to its workers.
"Please Note: Tipping is optional and Taskers receive 100% of the tip amount in addition to the base rates they set," the company's website says. "The option to leave a tip will only be available for a 24 hour window after you receive your invoice.
Do you have experience working for a gig-economy company? Have a story to share? Get in touch with this reporter at grapier@businessinsider.com
