Papa John’s is facing backlash after a viral video called out what critics see as an over-the-top message urging customers to tip delivery drivers.
Printed on the front of its pizza boxes, the message reads: ‘Delivery fee is not a tip. Please reward your driver for outstanding service.’ While intended as a reminder, it struck some customers as tone-deaf – and quickly ignited debate online.
The controversy gained traction after a TikTok user, @sydneeee___, shared a video that racked up 1.6 million views.
In the clip, she criticized tipping culture and argued that tips ‘aren’t paychecks,’ placing responsibility on the company for failing to pay workers more.
She also agreed with the sentiment of one commenter who wrote, ‘companies telling us to tip their workers knowing they won’t pay them is crazy lol’.
The post sparked a wave of reactions, with many users noting the company’s silence in the comments – an unusual move on a platform where major brands often jump in with humor or damage control.
The discussion soon broadened beyond one pizza chain.
An X user who reshared the video wrote that tipping in the US has become ‘inescapable,’ adding that while pizza drivers traditionally rely on tips, companies are increasingly leaning on them to subsidize wages.
Papa John’s is facing backlash after a viral video called out what critics see as an over-the-top message urging customers to tip delivery drivers
The controversy gained traction after a TikTok user, @sydneeee___, shared a 1.6-million-view video criticizing tipping culture, arguing that tips ‘aren’t paychecks’ and blaming the company for failing to pay workers more
‘For pizza delivery drivers in the US, tips typically make up 25–50 percent (or more) of total take-home pay. Which is crazy,’ they wrote.
The backlash comes at a difficult time for Papa John’s.
In March, the company announced plans to close 200 locations this year and another 100 by the end of 2027, along with cutting about 7 percent of its corporate staff.
The closures follow a weak quarter in which same-store sales fell 5.4 percent, despite efforts to boost demand with new menu items and promotions.
Papa John’s has not named the locations that are closing, but said they are ‘not meeting brand expectations’. In other words, they have not been selling enough pizzas.
That included a ‘new and improved’ pan pizza with a new crispy garlic parmesan crust. For Valentine’s Day, the franchise debuted a heart-shaped pizza as a limited-time offering.
Meanwhile, frustrations around tipping aren’t limited to pizza delivery. Some customers have also complained about changes to tipping features on platforms like Uber Eats, which often hosts local Papa John’s locations, where users say they can no longer adjust tips after placing an order.
This was allegedly in an effort to curb tip-baiting, a deceptive practice where customers on food or grocery delivery apps offer a large tip upfront to ensure fast service, only to reduce the tip after their order is delivered.
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Should companies rely on customers’ tips to pay delivery workers, or should they raise wages instead?
The backlash comes at a difficult time for Papa John’s as they’ve recently announced plans to close 200 locations this year and another 100 by the end of 2027
An X user who reshared the video argued that tipping in the US has become ‘inescapable,’ with companies increasingly relying on it to subsidize wages even in roles like pizza delivery that have long depended on gratuities
Some customers have also complained about changes to tipping features on platforms like Uber Eats, where users say they can no longer adjust tips after placing an order
Online forums like Reddit have been filled with complaints, including stories of poor delivery experiences where customers felt stuck paying tips they couldn’t revise.
One Reddit user recounted: ‘Just today, a driver carelessly chucked my food in some random spot in my building instead of delivering to my door or handing it to the concierge.
‘I contacted customer service, and they wouldn’t eliminate the tip,’ the customer complained.
All of this feeds into a larger cultural shift. Suggested tips have climbed from around 15 percent to over 20 percent in recent years, while more industries, from takeout counters to delivery apps, now prompt customers for gratuities.
The result is growing fatigue with what many call ‘tipflation.’
A 2024 survey found that three-quarters of Americans believe tipping culture has gone too far, and two in three admit they sometimes ‘guilt tip.’
At the same time, service workers argue that tips remain essential to their income, highlighting a widening debate over who should ultimately bear the cost.
