Tipping the delivery guy?

Question

So I'm sure I'm gonna get lots of answers one way or another, but my question is how much to tip the delivery guy. I order pizza or chinese cause its a chill night, or I order it cause its a cheap night and don't feel like going out. I know all the arguments with- they don't get paid much, I can afford it. How has it that tipping the guy that delivers my food to my door deserves as much of a percentage as the guy who constantly caters to my every wish at a restaurant?
I know there are going to be answers like I make more than them (which by the way, is not my fault), or that this is their job. I'm just wondering how free delivery in this day and age has not really become free. Isn't a tip for an appreciation of a job well done? How has it become a job done mediocre? I guess I could then take this on to tipping at restaurants for horrid service, but that's for another day.

Just someone please give me a good rationale for why the pizza guy, should get 20% of what I ordered

Also- for those that say $2/box, that is about 20% of the food, and a pizza costs around $10.

I also live within walking distance of the place, and I know the delivery guy is riding a bike since our pizza won't delivery if you are further than 1/2 a mile or so.

I guess my question is whether or not tipping is getting out of hand. Will there be a time when I need to tip the bank teller, the postman, and the UPS guy? They all perform services. They get paid for their work, as do the delivery guys. The delivery guys perhaps get paid less, but that doesn't mean that he has the right to expect a certain amount from me.

Answer 1

I realise America has a lot more of a culture of tipping, I'm in Australia. I did deliveries for a premium pizza bar that delivered up to 20km away, fairly rural so no biggie, though a lot was in quite an affluent area.
90% of the deliveries got no tip but the odd one would say keep the change, and a rare one would give you a $5 note. also had offers of weed and others got bottles of wine.

Answer 2

There is no real rule of thumb when it comes to tipping your delivery driver, i would say it's more situation specific. On the one hand, drivers do not get paid very well, the same as waitresses. They are paid *less* than minimum wage based on the assumption that they will be earning tips. So if they don't earn tips, they are living below the poverty line. Also, when it comes to taxes, tips are calculated by formula, not by how much they actually have made in tips. So if in reality they made significantly less then the formula determines, well, tough cookies! On the other hand, your delivery guy rides a bike. I would say that's all the more reason to tip him! No, he does not have to pay for gas (usually a delivery drive does pay his own gas, as well as maintenance for the vehicle, and higher than average insurance) but he's working harder.
Now, as far as free delivery goes... if the restaurant is charging for delivery, or has a minimum, i can almost guarantee that not one penny is going to the driver! If you are unsure, call the restaurant and ask if the driver is already getting a cut. If they are already getting a cut, feel free to subtract that amount from the tip total you would normally give.
However, the size of your tip is based on how well the job is done still. If it takes an unreasonable amount of time for the food to arrive, tip less. If the food is cold, tip less. If the order is wrong, tip less (yes, drivers are usually responsible for checking the order before leaving the restaurant) Do keep in mind though, that you are also tipping for a job done well next time. If you tip well the first time, you can expect better service in the future. If you tip poorly, or not at all, don't even bother ordering from there anymore because drivers will do nasty things to your food. It's a lot like tipping the host/ess when you leave a restaurant to ensure that when you return you will be seated promptly, at a good table.

Answer 3

You don't have to tip them, but it's a good idea. Delivery guys learn real fast which houses tip and which don't. You are not tipping the guy for a job well done this time. Rather, you are tipping the guy to get a job well done NEXT time.

Look at it this way... you have a teenager or worse yet a grown adult who can't get a better job than pizza delivery guy.... he has complete control over your food from the time it leaves the restaurant until it gets to your door. And he has that complete control without ANY supervision.....

Do you really want that guy looking at the list of places he has to deliver to and saying to himself, "jeez... there's that guy on Maple Lane again.... the guy who doesn't tip....."? Or, would you rather have the delivery people fighting for the privilege of delivering to your house..... fast, unmolested pizza.....?

Answer 4

If they charge for delivery I don't tip much, maybe $1 and change. If it's free delivery I'll tip more, but still not more than $3 for the whole order. I assume that if the restaurant is charging for delivery, that charge pays the delivery person. If delivery is free, then they are dependent on tips. But, they don't deserve the same tips as a waiter or waitress for a sit down meal.

Answer 5

My husband manages a delivery place and here's what I can tell you. His restaurant charges a $1 delivery fee and only a quarter goes to the driver. Also, the driver has to pay for his own gas and insurance for delivery drivers is much higher than the average commuter. So that is why delivery drivers appreciate a good tip.

Answer 6

personally i think the us has an over developed tip culture. in the UK we tip for a job well done, tip less for mediocre service, and if the service was not good, we don't tip at all. if you tried the same approach in the us you get people giving you attitude- but why should you just tip per se? i don't tip delivery drivers, but i do tip waiters and taxi drivers IF they deserve it. rudeness and lateness is not rewarded at all, as aren't taxi drivers who charge too much.

Answer 7

I know there are some people that will consider us cheap, but if we have food delivered to the door, the tip is $2.00 no matter what the total is. It doesn't cost them more to deliver 3 pizza's than it does one.

Answer 8

I usually tip a few bucks, which ends up being about 10-20% depending on how fast they got there, how hot the food is, and our interaction with exchanging pizza and money.

I tip about 20% because he or she brought food to me because I am too lazy/sick/etc to go out and get it myself.

Answer 9

It's a "service", if your within walking distance and don't want to tip, go get it yourself.