Visa and noon have introduced Tap to Tip, a contactless tipping system for delivery riders across the UAE, using NFC stickers placed on riders’ bags, bike boxes, helmets, and uniforms.
Customers tap their smartphones against the sticker and are directed to a tipping page where they can complete a payment. No active order is needed – tips can be made at any time and are pooled across noon’s rider community, with riders keeping 100 per cent of the funds.
The initiative responds to a specific tension in the UAE’s payment landscape. According to Visa’s Where Cash Hides study, 80 per cent of payments in the country are now digital, yet tipping remains the single largest remaining use of cash, with 58 per cent of consumers still reaching for notes and coins when they want to leave a tip.
“Delivery riders play a vital role in our communities, helping people access food, groceries, and everyday essentials wherever they are. Tap to Tip demonstrates how innovation can make it easier to recognize and support the people behind these everyday moments. By simplifying digital tipping, we are creating more opportunities for consumers to show appreciation through fast, secure, and convenient payments while supporting financial inclusion across the digital ecosystem,” Salima Gutieva, Vice President and UAE Country Manager for Visa said in a statement.
“Our riders are the people our customers see every day, and they deserve to feel recognized for the work they do. Customers have always been able to tip on noon, with 100% of every tip going directly to the rider. Tap to Tip simply makes that appreciation even easier. It’s a small change that gives customers another simple way to say thank you and helps us continue recognizing the people behind every delivery,” Ali Kafil-Hussain, Chief Business Officer, noon added.
Customers looking to use the feature should look for the NFC stickers on participating noon riders.
