DoorDash orders may take longer to arrive if customers don't leave tips

DoorDash has a message for customers that are pondering whether they should tip their delivery drivers: Orders without tips may take longer to arrive. 

DoorDash users that opt to type in a custom tip amount have been receiving a reminder that delivery drivers can accept or decline any orders, making those with tips "more attractive to fulfill." Those that type $0 into the custom tip field are being met with the following warning: 

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"Orders with no tip might take longer to get delivered — are you sure you want to continue? Dashers can pick and choose which orders they want to do. Orders that take longer to be accepted by Dashers tend to result in a slower delivery."

Users are then given the option to add a tip or to continue without doing so.

"Dashers have full freedom to accept or reject offers based on what they view as valuable and rewarding," DoorDash spokesperson Jenn Rosenberg told Insider. "While the vast majority of customers do leave a tip, offers that don't include a tip can be seen as less desirable – this impacts our entire community, leading to longer wait times for customers, orders sitting longer at merchants, and less value for Dashers."

DoorDash has been testing the warning for a few months, The Wall Street Journal reported. The reminder is the company's latest effort to encourage its customers to tip Dashers. Over the summer, DoorDash began sending "nudges," reminding customers that they are able to add tips or increase their tip amounts up to 30 days after delivery.

Delivery drivers earn base pay, which is calculated through the estimated time, distance and desirability of the orders they fulfill, as well as tips from customers and relevant promotions. Earnings depend on when, where and how much drivers deliver, according to DoorDash.

In August, DoorDash hired Michael Solomonov — the Philadelphia chef and restauranteur behind Federal Donuts and Zahav — as its chief restaurant advisor. He works with food industry leaders and advocates for the needs of restaurant owners.