AIBU Not to tip Just Eat driver?

[DukeofEarlGrey]

I’m open to whether or not AIBU here.

During lockdown I started using Deliveroo and Just Eat a bit, usually for the occasional lunch or dinner at about £10-£15. On Deliveroo there is a delivery charge and then an additional option to add a driver’s tip and I would always add an extra 10-15% to the initial delivery fee.

I then broke the Deliveroo app (don’t ask me how) and switched to Just Eat. Just Eat doesn’t have an option to add the delivery tip and I’ve never been sure of the etiquette for cash tipping the driver. I occasionally do it but more often than not either forget or don’t have cash at home. It’s never seemed to offend the driver and I’ve never given it much thought.

Anyway, I just ordered lunch from Just Eat and when I thanked the driver, I think he said ‘thanks for the tip’. I didn’t give him a cash tip so assume this was sarcasm and now wonder if I am being really harsh in not tipping.

I get that it is technically optional, but am curious to know what others do and whether there is an established etiquette, so...

YABU - They should be tipped, bad form not to
YANBU - It’s a nice-to-have

I am in the UK, by the way.

@LyingWitchInTheWardrobe

Irony fully intentional, Rookiemere, in response to the very adult '... but they do this on other threads?' child-logic.

I don't have an issue with robust posting about tipping/not tipping (I'm on the 'tip for excellence' side myself but do tip well), it's the insidious MN theme of 'if you can't afford to tip then you can't have it'. It smacks of the benefit thread nastiness and I can't post past that. Some posters (in a privileged position) don't want others not in that same fortunate position, to have what they themselves enjoy. There's a lot of that about.

I’m glad you’ve challenged that.

Some people post from such a place of privilege they genuinely can’t fathom that for some people a delivery is a rare treat, carefully budgeted for.

But that aside, tipping isn’t mandatory or expected in the UK so it’s nobody’s business whether the comfortably off person who orders weekly or the person who’s skint and orders on the kids’ birthdays for a treat tips or doesn’t.

The ‘If you can afford a takeaway you can afford a tip’ stuff just feels a bit disingenuous. That’s not the matter in hand, whether you CAN afford to tip. The discussion is whether you do or should. I can afford to tip but I rarely if ever do for food delivery (I do in restaurants for great service).

Friend of mine delivers for just eat for extra cash, he gets between £5/£12 per delivery, he was doing an evening a week and easily earning £100 without tips, he said he doesn't expect them as they are being charged for delivery and he gets more than the delivery charge.

We used Deliveroo for the first time the other night, ordered food and tipped on the app. The delivery driver picked up rhe food and didn't deliver it! I was so annoyed we'd tipped prior to delivery won't be making that mistake again
We're waiting on refund from Deliveroo but don't think I'd be tipping again before any food arrives

I will tip if someone has done a good job, or gone above and beyond.

If someone sarcastically said "thanks for the tip" I would be quite pissed off and would certainly not be inclined to tip if I dealt with them in future.

I used to be a delivery driver and tipping is very rare in the UK. You'd be foolish to expect it with every delivery.