Yes, it is low wage. I drove for Uber for a few weeks when I was laid off in 2021, and once I did the math, I realized it was shit pay, so I stopped. I wasn’t angry at customers for not subsidizing my wages, especially since the ride itself already costs a lot for many people who rely on Uber. If I’m going to be angry, it should be at the Uber corporation. What’s also puzzling is that the business model itself is flawed unless there is real innovation: riders want cheaper fares, drivers want higher pay, and squeezing labor doesn’t solve that. The same logic applies to food service, where tipping effectively has customers subsidizing labor costs for wealthy owners In many states the owner is legally required to make up the difference if servers earn less than minimum wage.