{"id":110604,"date":"2026-01-24T01:51:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T01:51:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/110604\/"},"modified":"2026-01-24T01:51:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-24T01:51:10","slug":"judges-reject-doordash-uber-instacart-bids-to-block-new-york-city-tipping-laws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/110604\/","title":{"rendered":"Judges reject DoorDash, Uber, Instacart bids to block New York City tipping laws"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>DoorDash, Uber warned of &#8216;tipping fatigue&#8217;Instacart cited interference with state legislatureNYC mayor Mamdani critical of delivery app industryDoorDash, Uber, Instacart planning appealsNEW YORK, Jan 23 (Reuters) &#8211; Federal judges rejected DoorDash&#8217;s <a data-testid=\"Link\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/markets\/companies\/DASH.O\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC link-module__with-icon__qlg76\">(DASH.O), opens new tab<\/a>, Uber Technologies&#8217; <a data-testid=\"Link\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/markets\/companies\/UBER.N\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC link-module__with-icon__qlg76\">(UBER.N), opens new tab<\/a> and Instacart&#8217;s <a data-testid=\"Link\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/markets\/companies\/CART.O\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC link-module__with-icon__qlg76\">(CART.O), opens new tab<\/a> bids for injunctions to block a series of New York City laws governing food-delivery apps, including a requirement that they give customers an option to tip delivery workers when paying.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. District Judge George Daniels in Manhattan said DoorDash and Uber did not show a clear likelihood that a requirement that they suggest a minimum 10% tip before customers place orders would violate their constitutional free speech rights.<\/p>\n<p data-testid=\"promo-box\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 text-module__regular__qJJtA text-module__small__sph8i body-module__base__o--Cl body-module__small_body__gOmDf article-body-module__promo-box__hVl8h\"> Sign up  <a data-testid=\"Link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/judge-rejects-doordash-uber-bid-block-new-york-city-tipping-laws-2026-01-23\/undefined?location=article-paragraph&amp;redirectUrl=%2Fworld%2Fjudge-rejects-doordash-uber-bid-block-new-york-city-tipping-laws-2026-01-23%2F\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">here.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Daniels said the tipping laws &#8220;advance the city&#8217;s goals of enhancing cost transparency at the time of checkout, restoring consumer choice, and providing protections to delivery workers.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Separately, U.S. District Judge John Koeltl in Manhattan rejected Instacart&#8217;s argument that New York&#8217;s state legislature forbade the city from mandating the tipping option, and from requiring grocery delivery apps such as Instacart to offer delivery workers the same minimum pay available to restaurant delivery workers.<\/p>\n<p>The companies, all based in San Francisco, warned that the laws could reduce business.<\/p>\n<p>DoorDash and Uber said the tipping disclosure rule would dissuade customers burdened by rising prices and &#8220;tipping fatigue&#8221; from ordering, while Instacart said raising worker pay could lead to higher grocery delivery costs.<\/p>\n<p>Both decisions are dated January 22 and were made public on Friday. The laws take effect on January 26.<\/p>\n<p>MAMDANI CRITICIZED DELIVERY APP INDUSTRY<\/p>\n<p>All three companies said they plan appeals.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Forcing platforms to solicit a tip before checkout at a time when New Yorkers are sick of tipping culture and facing a growing affordability crisis is bad policy,&#8221; a spokesperson for DoorDash said.<\/p>\n<p>Uber&#8217;s lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment.<\/p>\n<p>A spokesperson for Instacart, the trade name for publicly traded Maplebear, called Koeltl&#8217;s decision &#8220;a step in the wrong direction for New York workers and families.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>New York City has had several court battles with delivery app companies, including over a first-in-the-nation law in 2023 that guaranteed <a data-testid=\"Link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/legal\/uber-doordash-lose-bid-block-nyc-minimum-wage-delivery-workers-2023-09-28\/\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">minimum pay<\/a> for workers.It also accused DoorDash and Uber of making changes, which the city labeled &#8220;design tricks,&#8221; to their platforms since the minimum pay law took effect, costing delivery workers <a data-testid=\"Link\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nyc.gov\/assets\/dca\/downloads\/pdf\/workers\/Delivery-Worker-Tipping-Report.pdf\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC link-module__with-icon__qlg76\">$554 million, opens new tab<\/a> in tips even as tipping on rival platforms held steady.<\/p>\n<p>New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has criticized the delivery app industry. Last week, his administration warned DoorDash, Uber, Instacart, Grubhub and other companies to comply with tipping and other worker protection laws.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Levine, commissioner of New York City&#8217;s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, said the judges&#8217; decisions &#8220;ensure that workers get paid, and consumers have the option to tip freely.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-testid=\"SignOff\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 text-module__regular__qJJtA text-module__extra_small__8Buss body-module__full_width__kCIGb body-module__extra_small_body__Bfz20 sign-off-module__text__LQAMP\">Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Aurora Ellis and Daniel Wallis<\/p>\n<p data-testid=\"Body\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 text-module__regular__qJJtA text-module__small__sph8i body-module__base__o--Cl body-module__small_body__gOmDf article-body-module__element__5eCce article-body-module__trust-badge__5mS3f\">Our Standards: <a data-testid=\"Link\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thomsonreuters.com\/en\/about-us\/trust-principles.html\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 text-module__medium__2Rl30 text-module__small__sph8i link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC link-module__with-icon__qlg76\">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reutersagency.com\/en\/licensereuterscontent\/?utm_medium=rcom-article-media&amp;utm_campaign=rcom-rcp-lead\" target=\"_blank\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"button-module__link__A3sD0 button-module__secondary__70gBu button-module__round__QDFgq button-module__w_auto__Sem-F\" data-testid=\"LicenceContentButton\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Purchase Licensing Rights<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"DoorDash, Uber warned of &#8216;tipping fatigue&#8217;Instacart cited interference with state legislatureNYC mayor Mamdani critical of delivery app industryDoorDash,&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":110605,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[16263,49618,22393,48379,49619,49627,49628,46699,16239,49620,16241,49621,48403,48408,48401,49635,49636,46734,47867,49630,49634,46732,46733,16266,16267,16268,48413,48402,48406,48398,48414,48400,48407,48409,48383,16247,46705,20777,16264,49622,49623,9,49631,49629,49633,46728,46727,56,63,65,64,16269,16254,16255,16256,49632,49624,49625,46725,49626,1601,48392,46747,46726,46745,618,46718,5601,49637],"class_list":["post-110604","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york-city","tag-amers","tag-bact","tag-biz","tag-ccos","tag-cdm","tag-cens","tag-civ","tag-clj","tag-cmpny","tag-corpd","tag-cycs","tag-dbt","tag-destabn","tag-destdnp","tag-deste","tag-destfma","tag-destfwe","tag-destlita","tag-destocatpm","tag-destoebec","tag-destoemp","tag-destolit","tag-destopub","tag-destousbsm","tag-destousdnm","tag-destoustpm","tag-destpco","tag-destpcu","tag-destpsc","tag-destrast","tag-destrbn","tag-destrnp","tag-destu","tag-destucdptest","tag-ents","tag-gen","tag-judic","tag-legal","tag-namer","tag-netsv","tag-netsv1","tag-new-york","tag-nrlpaoconl","tag-nrlpaoebec","tag-nrlpaoemp","tag-nrlpaolit","tag-nrlpaopub","tag-ny","tag-nyc","tag-nyc-headlines","tag-nyc-news","tag-packageus-top-news","tag-pol","tag-privt","tag-publ","tag-pxp","tag-resbr","tag-resbr1","tag-reuters-legal","tag-swit","tag-tech","tag-tmt","tag-topcmb","tag-topicworld-us-new-york","tag-topnws","tag-us","tag-usany","tag-usc","tag-uscnyc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110604","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=110604"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110604\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/110605"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=110604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=110604"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=110604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}