The DoorDash Coffee Drama Highlights the Ongoing Tension Between Convenience and Compensation
Ordering food and drinks through apps like DoorDash has become second nature to many people — whether it’s a full meal, groceries, or even just a single coffee. But as the convenience economy grows, so too do the tensions between customers and gig workers over what’s “worth it.”
A recent incident has reignited that conversation. On July 15, a Reddit user, u/Tikkity_Tok23, shared screenshots of an exchange between his wife and her DoorDash driver, who refused to deliver a Starbucks coffee. The reason? The driver, identified as “Goga,” claimed that the $3.50 tip wasn’t enough to justify the trip — even though the pickup and delivery were only two blocks apart.
Goga’s messages quickly turned hostile:
“I’m not going to serve homeless people in this rain. Cancel the order. I won’t bring it to you. If you don’t have money, you should make coffee at home.”
Understandably, the customer was shocked and offended.
“Homeless people? What the f***? I am reporting you to DoorDash,” she replied.
Goga doubled down:
“You have to pay if you want your order to be delivered, or you will suffer from hunger.”
The woman pointed out that DoorDash orders are prepaid, so the accusation of being unable to afford the order made no sense.
“You should not have accepted the order if you didn’t want to deliver it,” she added.
Her husband defended the $3.50 tip — which amounted to nearly 40% of the order’s value — calling the Dasher’s behavior unacceptable.
“We are not the type to report or get people in trouble, but this guy gets everything he deserves,” he wrote on Reddit.
This isn't an isolated incident. Similar debates often appear on Reddit and other platforms, especially regarding small orders like coffee. Some Dashers argue that accepting low-paying orders — even with a tip — isn't worth their time, especially when factoring in gas, time, and wear on their vehicle. Others see this refusal as undermining the point of food delivery apps, which are built around on-demand service, no matter how small the request.
The tipping debate only complicates things further. According to a 2023 Business Insider report, opinions vary widely. In two New York City orders featured in the article — both under $20 — a $2.50 tip was considered “good” in one case and “not enough” in another. Drivers generally agreed that tips should reflect not just the price, but also the size of the order, the weather, and the distance. Many say $5 is the baseline, regardless of the total bill. Grubhub echoed that in a 2019 blog post, suggesting 20% as the standard and no less than $5 per order.
But in this recent Starbucks case, the $3.50 tip — though under that $5 guideline — was over 20% of the total. That should have been enough. And perhaps it was, if not for the driver’s own frustration with what he called a stream of “bad orders.”
DoorDash has since banned the driver while it investigates the incident. In a similar case, another DoorDash driver was fired after swearing at a woman who tipped him $5 on a $20 order.
These incidents reflect a broader friction at the core of gig work: the clash between frictionless digital convenience and the very real human labor required to fulfill it. Delivery apps have created a world where anything — even a single drink — can be brought to your door. But behind every order is a worker who must weigh whether the job is worth it.
In the end, this isn’t just about coffee. It’s about fairness. About expectations. And about who really decides the value of convenience.