Roosevelt Island Mentioned By John Oliver In March 31 Last Week Tonight Program Segment About Food Delivery Apps - RI Resident Orders Single Slice Of Cake From Upper East Side And Does Not Tip Bicycle Delivery Worker

This week’s main story is about food delivery apps. How they function, why they’re not as profitable as you may think, and one thing about them that could definitely keep you from getting into heaven. pic.twitter.com/Qmqvd80XeH

— Last Week Tonight (@LastWeekTonight) April 1, 2024

Several Roosevelt Island residents reporting about a segment on the March 31st HBO program Last Week Tonight With John Oliver which mentioned Roosevelt Island . According to one Tipster:

On Last Week Tonight On HBO, John Oliver’s main story was on delivery apps among other things, and the poor to no tipping practices of folks ordering & expecting deliveries. One brief segment showed the Route taken by one delivery person from Manhattan, over the bridge to LIC to the 36th Ave bridge, onto RI south of the bridge, all to deliver a single piece of cake — and for which the person received No Tip ... And for which the cake-recipient seemed to have no shame ...

Here's the segment.

The Upper East Side to Roosevelt Island cake slice delivery with no tip incident occurred in 2021 and reported on here at the time.

On April 1:

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga today announced that, effective immediately, the city's minimum pay rate for app-based restaurant delivery workers is increasing to at least $19.56 per hour before tips. The $19.56 rate reflects the 2024 phase-in rate of $18.96 and an inflation adjustment of 3.15 percent – up from an average of just $5.39 per hour before enforcement began. When the rate is fully phased-in on April 1, 2025, workers will earn at least $19.96 per hour with an adjustment for inflation. Since DCWP began enforcing the minimum pay rate in December 2023, apps have paid the city's delivery workers $16.3 million more per week across the workforce – an increase of 165 percent – totaling an additional $847.6 million annually.

"Our delivery workers have consistently delivered for us – and today the city is delivering for them," said Mayor Adams. "I was raised by a working mother who supported my five siblings and me, and there are thousands of delivery workers doing the same to support themselves and their families. And while wages have not kept up with the rising cost of living, since the new pay rate has been enforced, delivery workers have already seen a 165 percent increase in their pay per week. This is what it looks like to stand with working-class New Yorkers and build a fairer economy."...

During our city's darkest days, our app-based restaurant delivery workers grabbed their bikes and kept us moving.

These delivery workers have worked so hard for this city — so we're giving them a raise.

Read more: https://t.co/RnkAB8njxl pic.twitter.com/YEU4FkoNz5

— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) April 1, 2024

Be a decent person and tip well.