I recently bought a new dishwasher filter online, and they asked if I wanted to make a donation to whatever cause they were claiming. I declined. How do I know where that money is going? When I got my online order confirmation, it printed in big black letters. DONATION: $0. The name of the website is filtersfast.com and ironically, it did not ship for a full five days after I ordered.
Last week I ate at Smashburger, and when you pay by card it prompts if you want to leave a tip. There were several options for different amounts. But if you want to decline, you have to select “other” and then 0, as if doing so is an anomaly.
Anybody who tries making me feel guilty for declining is not getting my business again. And for the record, I’m usually a very generous tipper. Recently have tipped $40 on a $97 tab and $100 on a $250.
The prompts are part of the software, so it’s not that businesses can choose different displays, and I doubt that there are versions without the prompts.
I used to round up at our supermarket check-out, then decided I’d like to donate money on my own time, and without giving large chains tax kickbacks.
I ordered something from Walgreens.com for delivery the other day. I usually go to the store, or have it shipped, but delivery was optimal this time. They asked me if I wanted to add a tip for their driver. I said no. When the drivers delivered, I figured out why. They sent uber drivers. And, yes, that is drivers. Not driver. They sent two. Instead of waiting for the local store to have all the items, they sent two drivers! I guess it is because it is supposed to be “same day delivery” but I ordered in such a way that Walgreens said delivery would still have to be the day AFTER I ordered. So, in theory ,they could have said same day delivery wasn’t available…but I guess they didn’t want to do that.
Anyway, I was appalled. At all parts. I also don’t understand why Walgreens would use Uber drivers, particularly when they offer free delivery for prescriptions. But I guess they’d rather pay the Uber drivers than hire even a part-time person? Who knows, but it is beyond me.
I might’ve tipped, but usually the only time I have cash in the house is after a bottle return, which I haven’t done recently. Also, I only found out they were uber drivers after the 1st delivery. It was actually supposed to be a no-contact delivery, as specified on the website when I purchased the items, but I happened to open the door for something else when the 1st driver delivered the item. Since it wasn’t a complete delivery, I checked my email, and that’s how I ended up finding out that they were uber deliveries. They were also in a huge rush, and considering how they make their income, I can’t blame them in the slightest.
If Walgreens had specified exactly what the deal was up-front, I might’ve added a tip online when they asked. Though I bet they don’t do it on purpose. I wonder if I can do it now after the fact. Worth checking, but the whole thing still makes me annoyed with Walgreens. Also, I’m always suspicious that in these situations the drivers don’t end up with the tip anyway.
My husband was going out of town and requested his meds delivered from his usual Walgreen’s. It never arrived. When he got back he went to the pharmacy- the Uber driver had never picked it up, although they charged for it. Walgreen’s did refund the delivery fee.
Im still on a page for one of the delivery service drivers…they grumble too…because none of the pharmacy chains disclose that deliveries will be made by a service, so they almost never get tipped.
My nearest CVS is only 2 miles away, so I have to be on deaths door to be unable to get to the store.
Because if they actually EMPLOYED drivers, they’d have to carry liability insurance and health benefits and payroll taxes and social security etc.
This is why I never get food delivery anymore. Almost everyone now uses (read: exploits) gig workers as an end run around employment regs. I’d much rather go pick up my own stuff if I need it RIGHT NOW.
I only wish I could avoid Amazon entirely, now that their drivers and warehouse workers are largely subcontracted gig workers so, once again, they don’t have to worry about employment regs.
Most POS software IS configurable re:tip prompts, but it’s certainly a decision not in control of the actual counter staff. It’s the business owner, who is incentivized to keep it that way to try and get customers to subsidize his sales beyond the posted prices. And we won’t even get into how, regardless of laws, many businesses don’t actually distribute those tips to staff.
