Drivers, what do you do or use that helps you get tips? What can you suggest to other drivers to increase tips? Please share any strange/weird ideas you have used to get people to tip.

Non Traditional/ Weird Idea for Increasing Tips

I did a small study back when I was driving in Philly and the suburbs because tips were not that good and I was bored. This can also help if your ratings are low or you make a mistake that you know the rider is going to 1 star you. 

I noticed that many people have an addiction to scratch off lottery tickets in Philly. Lol It is crazy how much $ they spend on them. 

It's been said that one reason riders dont tip is because its easy to forget about their ride or driver. Once out of the drivers car out of sight out of mind. 

These are the types of people I tried this on under the age of 35 (typically people 18 to late twenties), people working in retail or fast food (minimum wage jobs) headed home from work, certain ethnic groups (people from other countries who are not used to tipping), quiet people who dont say anything the entire ride. It was always a rider that was travelling alone.

 I bought 3 $1.00 Scratch off lotte…

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Non Traditional/ Weird Idea for Increasing Tips

I did a small study back when I was driving in Philly and the suburbs because tips were not that good and I was bored. This can also help if your ratings are low or you make a mistake that you know the rider is going to 1 star you. 

I noticed that many people have an addiction to scratch off lottery tickets in Philly. Lol It is crazy how much $ they spend on them. 

It's been said that one reason riders dont tip is because its easy to forget about their ride or driver. Once out of the drivers car out of sight out of mind. 

These are the types of people I tried this on under the age of 35 (typically people 18 to late twenties), people working in retail or fast food (minimum wage jobs) headed home from work, certain ethnic groups (people from other countries who are not used to tipping), quiet people who dont say anything the entire ride. It was always a rider that was travelling alone.

 I bought 3 $1.00 Scratch off lottery tickets. Over the next few weeks I bought 27 more. One rider the GPS screwed up &  I made a wrong turn there by having to go around a few blocks to get back on correct route. Rider was quiet the whole time,  seemed really awkward, he seemed super annoyed when GPS screwed up (cause of course thats my fault) def thought this would be a 1 star ride with a report to Uber:) Handed him a ticket and apologized for my mistake, he was under 25 yrs old also. Within 10 min got a notification on the app. It was a $7 tip from him. Never would I have thought he would've tipped. The other 28 riders I either found out it was there birthday, I told them they were my 1000th rider, or my best or most favorite 5 star passenger of the day. Basically came up with some BS to hand them a ticket. All 28 normally known for not tipping tipped me at least $5. I had a few that tipped $10. I had 1out of 30 that didnt tip at all. Although I put out 30.00 I made my money back and then some. One guy was 18 worked at taco bell picked him up after work, he had a 25 min ride home. This was a year ago.  Ran into him at the Taco Bell drive thru with my son a few weeks ago. I didnt remember what he looked like but as soon as I pulled up he said "hey you drove me home one night and gave me a lottery ticket". 

Conclusion 

All the reasons that these people probably tipped, all had to do with Psychology of Tipping. 

They remembered the ride because they got out of the car with something. Not only did they get something to remember they played a game with a chance to win money or a free ticket.

It was something different that no other driver does.

I gave them a compliment and a small gift so maybe they felt special or just felt good about the situation. 

Whatever the reason it worked on a group of 29 people who were typical non tippers. 

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Things IMO that I feel don't help with tips or can hurt tips. 

I drive in PA and NJ. I find water and snacks make no difference whatsoever when it cimes to tipping  I put 2 water bottles in the backseat cup holders when I remember and some hard candy and mints in a pocket in the back. It is rare a rider takes a water bottle. If they do they take a mouthful or 2 and leave it in the cup holder. It gets wasted. More of my riders take the candy. The reason I have these things isn't for tips. I was brought up to never eat or drink something in front of someone unless you have enough to share. I have taught my kids the same thing.  If I were to eat a piece of candy or take a drink when I have a rider I feel its polite, courteous to offer it to them also. Another reason is if I run out of my personal drinks most times there is a water bottle in the backseat. I quit smoking so I sometimes want a hard or chewy candy so just have to reach back and grab that also. 

This…

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Things IMO that I feel don't help with tips or can hurt tips. 

I drive in PA and NJ. I find water and snacks make no difference whatsoever when it cimes to tipping  I put 2 water bottles in the backseat cup holders when I remember and some hard candy and mints in a pocket in the back. It is rare a rider takes a water bottle. If they do they take a mouthful or 2 and leave it in the cup holder. It gets wasted. More of my riders take the candy. The reason I have these things isn't for tips. I was brought up to never eat or drink something in front of someone unless you have enough to share. I have taught my kids the same thing.  If I were to eat a piece of candy or take a drink when I have a rider I feel its polite, courteous to offer it to them also. Another reason is if I run out of my personal drinks most times there is a water bottle in the backseat. I quit smoking so I sometimes want a hard or chewy candy so just have to reach back and grab that also. 

This is just my opinion and the opinion of some riders that this has come up in conversation.  Nothing I can prove or disprove. Tipping signs, jars, boxes, will only annoy people. Possibly enough to purposely not tip due to those things. 

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Basic "tips" on Tipping:

Think about this for a min. You get in someones car what is your first impression when you open the door ? The smell! it smells like coffee, food, dirty smelly feet or cigarettes? Then riders are sitting in that car and start looking around. Do they see dirt and trash under the seats? Maybe some of your kids cracker crumbs in the cup holders? Do the windows have hand prints, maybe water spots everywhere, or birds had a field day on your windows?  Your car needs to be cleaned and smell good. Dirty smelly car will definately not help you to get tips. Windows especially passenger windows and windshield should always be clean. Make your interior shine! Maguires High Shine Interior Detailing will make your dash, door panels, and leather seats shine like glass. They have products for the outside that work great also. Wal Mart sells them and they are inexpensive. Blunt Effects will get any odor you can think of out of your car in seconds even weed and c…

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Basic "tips" on Tipping:

Think about this for a min. You get in someones car what is your first impression when you open the door ? The smell! it smells like coffee, food, dirty smelly feet or cigarettes? Then riders are sitting in that car and start looking around. Do they see dirt and trash under the seats? Maybe some of your kids cracker crumbs in the cup holders? Do the windows have hand prints, maybe water spots everywhere, or birds had a field day on your windows?  Your car needs to be cleaned and smell good. Dirty smelly car will definately not help you to get tips. Windows especially passenger windows and windshield should always be clean. Make your interior shine! Maguires High Shine Interior Detailing will make your dash, door panels, and leather seats shine like glass. They have products for the outside that work great also. Wal Mart sells them and they are inexpensive. Blunt Effects will get any odor you can think of out of your car in seconds even weed and cigs. 

You need to be courteous, respectful, and polite. Help with luggage or packages. Greet your rider "good morning", "how was your day" this is being polite but it will also help you figure put if they want to talk. If they give you one word answers and do not elaborate most likely they dont want to talk. If they elaborate and start asking you questions or telling you things. Then they are usually up for conversation.

 Allow them to lead the conversation, agree with whatever they say (within reason), if they tell you something and you can compliment them do it. Make them feel good about themselves, make them feel like you are interested in what they have to say. I have received tips every day since Dec 31, 2018 except for 1 day (only did 3/4 rides). Most days I get tips from 75/85% of my rides at 20%. In past few weeks (2 or 3 days per week) I got tipped by all my riders except one. Finally last week for the 1st time I had 1 day at 100%. I have been tipped on very few rides where other than "good morning" and "have a nice day" not another word was spoken. I truly believe having conversation really helps when it comes to tipping. Again try to throw a compliment in the conversation and act like you really care what they have to say. 

 Try this it can't hurt:

One of the more popular Uber Tubers (You Tube) swears that by saying "thank you, have a nice day,  you have been a 5 star passenger". He feels by saying that the rider tends to rate you and by rating you on Uber the tipping option pops up right after they rate you. 

Tipping on Uber 

Riders can tip you up to 30 days after they ride with you. 

They can tip you multiple times in the app

They can tip and rate you during the ride

Lyft

Riders can tip and rate during the ride

Sorry but have no other info on Lyft tips

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