Delivery driver declines 75% of orders he receives because he doesn’t ‘play that game’

A Philadelphia food delivery driver has opened up on how he makes the most tips he can - including turning down 75% of orders.

Jay, whose last name was redacted to protect his identity, delivers food for 10-hours-a-week for delivery services, DoorDash and Uber Eats.

He claims it's his 'weekend side hustle', only accepting orders that pay the most, which is usually those with the biggest up-front tip.

He shares his experiences on TikTok @downtownhustle, without showing his face on camera.

The account has a following of over 148K.

Instagram/@ downtownhustlephl

The 22-year-old told Insider he didn't accept orders with low tips and hangs around on his bike in wealthy neighborhoods because of the bigger tips promised.

He explained that DoorDash and Uber Eats give a base payment that depends partly on distance and inconvenience fees - as well as any up-front tips.

Payments can go up to $4.50 (£3.58) per order, but if the order is paying between $2-$2.50 (roughly £1.60-£2), it means the customer didn't offer a tip up front.

Jay said he won't waste his time waiting to see if the customer will pay a tip on delivery, declining around 75% of the orders he receives.

Oleksiy Boyko / Alamy Stock Photo

He explains: "I'm not doing this to gamble. I'm doing this to make money.

"So I'm not really interested in playing the game of, 'Oh, maybe I'll do this person's delivery for a guaranteed $2.50. Maybe it might be more.' I don't play that game. And most people don't like to play that game.

"That's what results in their order's not getting picked up, or it takes awhile for them to get their food."

The majority of orders he sees do include a tip, Jay said.

According to Insider, they generally range from $3 to $7 (£2.39 to £5.57) with drivers keeping 100% of the money.

"I think people should be tipping for the premium service that they're being provided," Jay argued.

Many said they benefited from larger tips during the beginning of the pandemic, but the New York Times recently reported that customers have since cut back. Despite this, an Uber spokesperson claimed that 'the average tip on a delivery increased even further by about 20%', and a DoorDash spokesperson said that 'the vast majority of DoorDash customers left a tip', and that the drivers who accept more orders 'tended to earn more.'

A thread on UberPeople.net saw other delivery drivers comment on Jay's claims.

One said: "Sounds about right. I decline about 80% of Uber and DD offers I receive."

Another said: "I saw this ... the first thing I thought was 'I wonder why they think this is news?'"

UNILAD has contacted Uber Eats and DoorDash for comment.