'I Will No Longer Be Using Lyft': Riders Revolt After App Tests Feature Showing How Often They Tip

Lyft is under fire after quietly testing a new in-app feature that shows drivers how frequently passengers tip, a move that has triggered widespread criticism from riders who see it as invasive and punitive.

The feature was spotted by users across multiple US cities. It allowed drivers to view data points about potential passengers, including how often they tip and whether they typically arrive on time for pickups. The goal, according to Lyft, was to help drivers make more 'informed decisions' about the rides they accept.

A Lyft spokesperson confirmed that the company had indeed tested the feature, describing it as a limited marketplace experiment.

'We're always exploring new ways to improve the Lyft marketplace,' the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. 'This experiment was intended to help drivers make more informed decisions on the rides they accept, which looked at data across rider on-time pick-ups, tipping, and more. While this experiment showed early signs of improving the marketplace and helping riders to get to where they need to go on time, we heard our customers and cancelled the experiment.'

Despite that clarification, multiple drivers posting on Reddit's r/LyftDrivers forum claim the tipping-frequency display remains visible in the app. That suggests the company may have ended only a small-scale version of the test — not the feature itself.

Across Reddit and X (formerly Twitter), riders are expressing outrage. Many see the tipping-frequency display as a subtle form of social pressure, designed to push customers into tipping more to avoid being deprioritized by drivers.

'I will no longer be using Lyft,' one Reddit user wrote in a viral thread on r/EndTipping. 'If they're telling drivers how often I tip, that's no longer a choice — it's coercion.'

Others pointed out that the system doesn't track cash tips, potentially misrepresenting riders who prefer to tip in person. 'I always tip cash,' another commenter said. 'Would that make me look like someone who never tips?' Additionally, some users admitted to only tipping $0.50, as the system only shows frequency of tips— not the rate.

Drivers themselves are divided. Some say they appreciate the transparency, arguing it helps them avoid passengers who consistently under-tip. 'If a rider never tips, I should know that before I accept the trip,' one driver wrote.

Others, however, see the feature as manipulative. 'Lyft's just turning drivers and riders against each other,' another post read. 'Now riders feel judged, and we get blamed for being selective.'

The controversy exposes a growing tension in the gig-economy model — how platforms balance operational efficiency with fairness and trust. Lyft claims the experiment aimed to improve matching and on-time arrivals, but critics argue it risks reinforcing class bias and rewarding only 'high-value' passengers.

While the company insists the test was short-lived, the outrage underscores how sensitive users are to perceived surveillance or scorekeeping. Whether Lyft fully removes or reworks the feature could determine how much lasting damage it suffers to rider loyalty.

For now, the message from many riders is clear: 'If my tipping habits become a rating metric,' one user wrote, 'I'm deleting the app.'