Domino’s Slammed For “Super Capitalism” After Offering To “Tip” Customers For Tipping Their Drivers

For pizza lovers willing to show an extra slice of generosity, Domino’s has come up with a new way to reward them with a little bit of payback.

The pizza chain, which has thousands of stores dotted across the world map, has a new campaign called “You Tip, We Tip.”

The newly launched promotion promises a $3 coupon to customers who are willing to provide a $3 tip to Domino’s delivery drivers. Patrons can then use this coupon on their pizza order in the following week.

“When customers tip their Domino’s delivery driver $3 or more online, they’ll receive a $3 coupon to use on the following week’s online delivery order,” reads the company website.

“The $3 You Tip, We Tip coupon must be used the following week (Monday-Sunday) on an online delivery order,” the pizza giant added.

The “You Tip, We Tip” promotion is Domino’s response to the widespread issue of tipping fatigue, where consumers are increasingly overwhelmed by persistent requests for tips across various services. The campaign is being branded by Domino’s as a way of transforming the pressure to tip into a rewarding experience, incentivizing customers to support their delivery drivers.

Domino’s is offering a $3 coupon to pizza lovers who are willing to tip their delivery drivers $3 or more online

Image credits: Muffin Creatives

“Tipping fatigue is real. Customers are being pressured to tip for everything these days, and it can often feel thankless,” the company said about the promotion. “Domino’s wants to show its appreciation for customers who tip their drivers, by tipping them back. We’re always looking for ways to deliver value to customers, while also rewarding our drivers who work hard to get hot pizza delivered.”

Kate Trumbull, Domino’s senior vice president and chief brand officer, said the promotion is part of their decision to “flip the script.”

“Domino’s drivers have been hustling to deliver hot, delicious pizzas since 1960, and we love that customers have been tipping them for their great service since day one,” Kate said in a news release, as quoted by USA Today.

“But these days, everywhere you go, there’s a tip screen. The pressure to tip is real, even when no extra service is provided,” she added. “So, we decided to flip the script and show our appreciation by tipping customers back.”

The promotion is touted as a solace for customers exasperated from being surrounded by tipping screens everywhere they go

Although the promotion is touted as the pizza chain’s solution to customers who are exasperated by tipping screens, not everyone is convinced by the idea.

“Multi-Million dollar company wants you to pay their wages with tips,” one consumer commented on Facebook.

On Twitter, a person wrote about the promotion: “Super capitalism is the worst. The answer to tipping fatigue is livable wages.”

“How about instead you tip your Domino’s delivery by telling them how they can unionize and get their employers to pay them well they’re worth instead of you filling in the gaps?” another wrote.

A Domino’s delivery driver revealed that tips are an indispensable part of their total income.

“Tips make up most of our pay and are incredibly important for those who work deliveries,” one Domino’s delivery driver in Florida told CNN. “We lose employees and encounter frequent turnover because of low or no tips.”

Some see the pizza chain’s promotion as a way to get customers to “pay their wages” to employees

Lol. Instead of paying their drivers a living wage, Domino’s launches “You Tip, We Tip” program that gives you a $3 off coupon for every $3 or more you tip a delivery driver.

Super capitalism is the worst. The answer to tipping fatigue is livable wages. https://t.co/EWdduYGM4k

— Dr. Victoria Dooley (@DrDooleyMD) May 2, 2024

Domino’s delivery drivers, like many in the restaurant and hospitality sectors, are paid the sub-minimum wage for tipped workers, which is permissible in 43 states. This rate, which is federally set at $2.13 per hour, is significantly lower than the standard minimum wage of $7.25 per hour for non-tipped employees.

If a driver’s tips plus their wage do not meet the federal minimum wage, employers are supposed to compensate the difference. However, compliance is inconsistent, and issues like wage theft frequently occur within the industry. This system of relying heavily on tips affects how delivery drivers at companies like Domino’s earn their living.

Saru Jayaraman, the president of the advocacy group One Fair Wage, didn’t show support for Domino’s “You Tip, We Tip” campaign and said it was a way for the corporate giant to avoid paying their workers adequately.

It’s a way to “encourage people to tip more rather than pay their workers an actual minimum wage with tips on top,” she told the outlet.