Uber Finally Adds Tipping Option To Their App

The Verge reports:

Do you tip your Uber driver? Uber has always prided itself on being a cashless experience, arguing since its inception that driver tips are only optional — and maybe even unnecessary. Even as its main rival Lyft bragged about the millions of dollars its drivers were collecting in tips, Uber stood steadfast against a growing number of drivers clamoring for tips. Until today. The embattled ride-hail company announced Tuesday that tipping was finally coming to the Uber app. Starting today, tipping will be available in three cities: Seattle, Minneapolis, and Houston. After the company’s product team works out all the kinks, the option will be rolled out nationwide by the end of July.

Riders will be asked if they’d like to tip their driver at the end of their trip when the ratings prompt comes up. Several suggested tips will be listed or the rider can enter a custom amount.

UPDATE: Via press release from the NYC-based Independent Drivers Guild.

Today’s tipping announcement is an important win for drivers and proves that thousands of drivers coming together with one voice can make big changes. Cuts to driver pay across the ride-hail industry have made tipping income more important than ever. We were proud to lead the way on this fight on behalf of drivers in New York City and across the nation. This is an important first step toward a more fair ride-hail industry. Make no mistake, Uber only did this because members of the Independent Drivers Guild pressured regulators. We are thankful to the many New York City leaders, labor unions and community organizations that stood with drivers and advocated for this critical measure, especially Meera Joshi and the Taxi and Limousine Commission.