I really don't get people who are against tipping people in low-paid service jobs. (Even if they're making at least minimum wage.) If you're paid more than they are, and their service is providing you with value, show them some appreciation!
In foreign land: delivery person gets $10
In america: service pays delivery person $6. Client must device whether to give delivery person $3-$5.
Big uncertainty about which situations call for a tip, and which don’t, and how much.
In restaurants you can at least say “I pay to reward good service”. But with delivery, I am getting an undifferentiated bag of food at my door. Nothing differentiates service quality level. Deciding what amount to pay absent any interaction is confusing. And why is it based on a percentage of food?
Your argument is based in the assumption the worker has little pay. In america this is true, the worker gets little because tips are expected to make up for it.
In other countries, no tips are expected, so salary makes up for it.
Tipping is dumb. It being percentage based is silly. I have to "appreciate" the service more because... I ordered a more expensive bottle of wine? C'mon, that's silly. It's also crazy arbitrary. We don't tip fast food workers, but we do tip people at Starbucks? I recently had someone come out and fix my washer. I had no idea whether or not to tip.
I think of that Mad Men scene when these conversations about "appreciation" come up.
Peggy: "you never say 'Thank you'!" Don: "That's what the money was for!"
I'm a simple man, but I like service exchanges being what they say on the tin. I give you money. You give me service. No hidden societal expectations that involve more out-of-band funding.
as a random anecdote, I was talking to the ups delivery guy for my building the other day, and he said he's been making more money in tips than from his actual paycheck during the present crisis.
It's always a loss for a business from my point of view.