Carly Olson | (TNS) Los Angeles Times

Americans are tipping their delivery drivers less often than they did last year. DoorDash is seeking to reverse that trend with an automated nudge — one that carries a hint of a threat.

The food delivery service is testing out a new in-app warning that encourages non-tipping customers to rethink their decisions.

Customers selecting a $0 tip while placing orders now see a pop-up message cautioning that orders without tips might take longer to be delivered. The tech news site The Verge first reported the change.

“Orders with no tip might take longer to get delivered — are you sure you want to continue?” the pop-up reads. “Dashers can pick and choose which orders they want to do. Orders that take longer to be accepted by Dashers tend to result in slower delivery.”

DoorDash said it began rolling out the “reminder screen” to customers a couple of months ago, but it generated buzz after a tweet showing a screenshot of the warning began circulating on Tuesday.

There has been growing confusion — and resentment — over tipping etiquette coming out of the pandemic, but declining to tip on food delivered to one’s door is still a clear faux pas.

The new DoorDash pop-up doesn’t change anything about ordering on the app or the delivery experience — it’s a warning for customers about what may go on behind the scenes. Already, DoorDash drivers, also known as Dashers, can see how much money they can expect to make from a delivery before accepting an order. If a payout looks low, it might take longer for a Dasher to accept the order.

Dashers aren’t told precisely how much a customer is tipping, but experienced delivery drivers can tell when something looks unusually low.

Gig workers who offer driving services already use their discretion when deciding which jobs to take on, with many competing apps vying for their services.

“As independent contractors, Dashers have full freedom to accept or reject offers based on what they view as valuable and rewarding,” Jenn Rosenberg, a company spokeswoman, said in a statement. “While the vast majority of customers do leave a tip, offers that don’t include a tip can be seen as less desirable — this impacts our entire community, leading to longer wait times for customers, orders sitting longer at merchants, and less value for Dashers.”

DoorDash has seen a reduction in $0 tip orders since beginning the test.

A model like DoorDash’s that encourages tipping before the service is received has challenged traditional conventions. The current model disadvantages customers who prefer to tip in cash and those who tip after an order has been delivered based on the quality of service. At the same time, it offers transparency to drivers whose incomes are tied to the jobs they accept.

The DoorDash pop-up comes as attitudes toward tipping are shifting, and Americans are tipping less frequently than they did a year ago, according to a Bankrate survey from June.

Fifty percent of respondents said they always tipped their food delivery drivers in 2023, down from 57% in 2022 and 59% in 2021. Seven percent of respondents said they never tipped delivery drivers, and 18% said they do “only sometimes.”

The survey found that two-thirds of U.S. adults have a negative view of tipping — 30% think that “tipping culture has gotten out of control” and 41% believe that businesses should pay employees better rather than relying so much on tips.

©2023 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Sean Combs, 54; Matthew McConaughey, 54; Ralph Macchio, 62; Kathy Griffin, 63.

Happy Birthday: Don’t give anyone the upper hand this year. Play to win and you will outshine anyone who gets in your way. Use your charm to mesmerize and your secrecy to surprise. Be observant, organized and ready to take on any challenge that comes your way. Opportunity knocks, but so does the opposition. Preparation, detail and dedication will enhance stability and security and get you where you want to go. Your numbers are 3, 11, 20, 26, 33, 39, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Consider your thoughts and intentions and how they can benefit you. A personal adjustment will give you the boost you need to bring about positive change. Channel your energy into making a meaningful relationship better. Amicable solutions will bring you closer together. 5 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Don’t let your emotions lead you astray. Focus on your endgame and work backward to ensure you oversee every detail. You stand to make gains if you are diligent, ask questions and follow through with your plans. Physical improvements and romance are favored. 2 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Be careful while handling situations riddled with uncertainty and change. Don’t commit to something without getting all the details. Question anyone who is overtly trying to push you in a questionable direction. Pay more attention to detail and avoid making a costly mistake. 4 stars

CANCER (June 21- July 22): Plan to have fun. Participation will lead to purposeful introductions and information that can help you benefit a cause that concerns you. Your input will be appreciated; turn an offer into a lucrative opportunity. Romance and personal improvements are favored. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t share too much information. Listen more in order to clearly understand what’s possible. Refuse to let anyone lead you astray. Put your energy where it can do some good instead of getting into a senseless argument. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Pursue what makes you happy. Engage in conversations with like-minded people and you’ll discover how best to pursue your dreams. A change in location, long-term goals or relationships that encourage better days ahead will ease your mind and set you free. 4 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Take a moment to review your accomplishments and to reassure yourself of your worth. Show confidence and refuse to give anyone a chance to make you look or feel bad. Say no to anyone applying pressure to do something you’d rather not. 4 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Control your emotions; if you overreact, you’ll encounter opposition. Spend more time honing your skills, nurturing meaningful relationships and diversifying your skills to fit trends. Focus on updating your appearance, attitude and prospects and letting go of what no longer holds your interest. 2 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Address financial matters and contracts that are coming due. Look for an ulterior way to save money, and focus on solid investments and personal security. Keep money and possessions in a safe place and avoid joint ventures. Do not jeopardize your reputation. 5 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t fold under pressure. You’ve got more going for you than you realize. Stand tall, do your own thing and surpass the pinnacle you strive to reach. Your intuition won’t mislead you. Believe in yourself, and everything else will fall into place. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Listen and observe. Gather information and size up what’s possible and what to avoid. Refuse to let someone prompt you to overreact or say something you shouldn’t. A poker face will be necessary if you want to maintain an advantage. Don’t fold under pressure. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Emotional spending, bad investments and temptation will be your downfalls. Pay attention to detail and put what’s important to you somewhere private. A secretive disposition will discourage anyone from getting in your way or putting you in a vulnerable position. Follow your intuition. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are curious, powerful and innovative. You are distinctive and protective.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

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OKLAHOMA CITY — The Warriors won their last two games at the buzzer.

Klay Thompson’s game-winning jumper against the Sacramento Kings gave them win No. 4 and No. 5 against the Thunder came courtesy of Steph Curry’s layup off the high backboard over seven-footer Chet Holmgren’s outstretched arm. It was a bucket initially waved off for Draymond Green’s basket interference, then overturned to give Curry and Golden State the winning points when a review revealed Oklahoma City’s Josh Giddey had pulled the net and Green only grabbed the rim.

Both thrilling. Both ugly, be it for poor shooting against the Kings or poor defense against the Thunder. But ugly wins are a beautiful sight for a Warriors team that would spiral when things got rough last season.

“We’ve been good so far, executing down the stretch,” Kevon Looney said. “Last year we struggled with that. But this year it’s something we focused on, winning in the margins. Everybody knows where the ball is going and where to be at.”

Coach Steve Kerr doesn’t like to talk about last year. He’d like to bury it as a blip in the franchises’s otherwise pristine record in contention years. That team that couldn’t win on the road, struggled to stay above .500 and got knocked out of the playoffs before the Finals for the first time in the Kerr era was just an anomaly.

“We need to leave last year in the rearview mirror,” Kerr said. “We have a decade of experience closing games, winning close games, winning championships. So last year was the exception, this year is the rule.”

Kerr’s annoyance is justified, and his intentions logical; a coach should want to block outside negativity and move on clear-headed. But internally, the Warriors aren’t letting last season slide. They’re using it as inspiration to get their stuff together with an extreme focus on correcting all the mistakes that bogged them down last year.

That means fixating on film to break down every turnover or bad foul on a shooter practices, or over-communicating situations during game stoppages. It means stopping practices when someone is fouled and starting over.

“It’s communication and the accountability part,” Looney said. “Not sweeping stuff under the rug. Last year, coming off a championship, it was more like, we’ll figure it out. But not actually calling out what actually happened. Now everybody is more focused.”

In games, closing games also means that everyone accepts a shifting closing lineup. In recent years, every game would ideally close with with Curry, Klay Thompson, Green, Andrew Wiggins and different fifth guy depending on matchup. Most of their six games have closed with Curry, Thompson and Green since he returned from injury, but the other two spots are flexible and Kerr has been proactive about using stoppages to move pieces around in the waning minutes.

Gary Payton II has closed a handful of games for his lock-down defense on scoring threats such as Malik Monk and ball-handlers such as Josh Giddey. Wiggins — who had a better game on the boards in OKC — has been out of the mix to close some games as he works to get into his rhythm, Moses Moody has been in as a certified shooting threat. Chris Paul is often in the closing minutes, too.

Who closes is mostly based on match-up, but having a merit-based process for who earns closing minutes keeps everyone on their toes.

“They know if they (mess up), they’re probably going to be yanked or be on film,” Looney said. “So when you are held accountable like that from the top — not just the bench guys — Steph, Draymond, Klay, everybody. It trickles down.

“You have to repeat every night and do the small things to stay on the court. We know we have a deep team. Steve is going to put out there so you know if you play well, you do what you’re supposed to do, you have a chance to close, and if you don’t you probably will sit down. That’s probably how it should be, and it’s working out for us.”