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Comment by mc32 | Hacker News Reader

Uber. It's just mentally easier to deal with. After spending time in other countries, I have come to dislike tipping. Having to decide --do they deserve it, do they not? I don't want to deal with it. Tipping used to be an optional thing in transactions but it has become pervasive. Tipping jars. Just charge me more and pay the barista a wage a highschooler or recent graduate can live on.

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But that is what Lyft is doing... they charge your more to give a little more to the driver. And on top of that they offer the tipping. On the other hand Uber pays less and doesn't offer tipping. The worse of both worlds.

I agree with you on tipping but your reasoning seems to need some work.

You assume he cares more about the driver than his own internal state.

It seems you significantly value not having to tip over rewarding drivers appropriately.

I use Lyft because I can ensure that the other person in the transaction is fairly compensated. I see you would prefer for both services to fairly compensate drivers, but given the choice of doing more work to ensure adequate compensation or giving up on it entirely, you went with B.

I agree with you that tipping sucks, but using Uber doesn't the functional reliance on it go away, it just means you don't see it (and the people working for you can't benefit from it). That's not an awesome look.

Okay, sure, tipping is annoying for multiple reasons but if that's the sole reason you won't use Lyft, that, all things equal (give no tip) would give the driver a better wage, you're being too dogmatic about one specific issue without looking at other issues surrounding both Lyft and Uber. You would rather feel good about yourself and make things easier for you by choosing an app (Uber) that pays drivers less but doesn't have the option to tip than choosing an app (Lyft) that pays drivers better but includes the option to tip (which is not enforced). Your argument especially falls flat when you say "just change me more" since Lyft generally does charge you more so they can pay the driver somewhat better money. I'm not sure if you've used Lyft or if you just assume you have to give a tip because the option is present, but unlike many other cases where tips are present (restaurants, taxis) tipping in Lyft isn't mandatory and it's presented such that they make it clear it's optional.

When was tipping optional in general? In your lifetime?

If you have trouble dealing with the details, just pick a standard percentage.

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