The iconic opening-title, walking shot from Quentin Tarantino’s 1992 “Reservoir Dogs” (from left): Michael Madsen, Quentin Tarantino, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, and Steve Buscemi.
In the crime-thriller that gave Quentin Tarantino cinema’s holeshot, “Reservoir Dogs” opens with a pancake-house scene where the film’s Mr. Pink, played by the uniquely funky Steve Buscemi, refuses to tip the waitress:
NICE GUY EDDIE
C'mon, throw in a buck.
MR. PINK
Uh-uh. I don't tip.
C'mon, throw in a buck.
MR. PINK
Uh-uh. I don't tip.
NICE GUY EDDIE
Whad'daya mean you don't tip?
Whad'daya mean you don't tip?
MR. PINK
I don't believe in it.
I don't believe in it.
Fun Facts
Uber passengers stiff their Uber Drivers at a massively higher rate than restaurant guests stiff waitresses. Data shows that while only about 2% to 5% of sit-down restaurant diners leave no tip, a staggering 72% to 84% of Uber passengers completely stiff their drivers.
So Why Is the Difference So Extreme?
Back in October of 2019, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) published a landmark field experiment, concluding that the massive disparity of tipping waitstaff and Uber Drivers boils down to social pressure + app design:
Social Accountability: when dining at a restaurant, we’re forced to look the waiter in the eye when paying, which creates social pressure to conform to the cultural norm. Alternatively, Uber passengers exit the vehicle without tipping face-to-face, and have the luxury of deciding to tip or not to tip privately, hours or days later, removing the fear of immediate judgment.
Upfront vs. Post-Service Prompts: Unlike food delivery apps (DoorDash; Uber Eats) where users are prompted to tip upfront (showing a 90% compliance rate), rideshare apps ask for tips after the service is completed, when the passenger is now distracted by their destination.
Historical App Defaults: When Uber first launched, the company advertised that tips [are] included. This set-up the consumer habit of not tipping, even after Uber added a tip-feature much later in the rideshare game.
True. Tipping culture in America has become a bit much. But with Ubers, it’s a different story. Drivers must maintain the car, insurance, and in Los Angles, the highest gas prices in the nation.
Independent contractors, Uber drivers are personally responsible for paying their own federal and state taxes, as well. Read: a couple of bucks thrown in on top of the enormous charge (of which Uber takes more than 50 percent) feels…gracious.
A great therapist once said: “Money issues are never about money.”
