Lyft drivers have accumulated more than $200 million in tips delivered directly through the ride-hail app, according to a press release from the company. Incidentally, that’s about $200 million more than arch-competitor Uber can claim, since it doesn’t allow in-app tipping.
“Since Lyft began, our drivers have continuously gone out of their way to make people’s days. That’s why, since day one, we’ve made it easy for passengers to say thank you by allowing tipping right from the app,” Lyft wrote in a press release. If that isn’t a stab toward Uber, we’re not sure what is.
According to Bloomberg, Uber says it is against in-app gratuity because it feels tipping is the way of the past.
“Riders are free to offer tips and drivers are welcome to accept them, as has always been our policy,” said Uber spokesperson Alix Anfang to Bloomberg. “Riders tell us that one of the things they like most about Uber is that it’s hassle-free.”
From our experience here at The Drive, we’re also much more likely to tip if the prompt comes up on our phones, rather than reaching into our pockets for cash we may or may not have. But hey, that’s just us.