How much do you tip a pizza driver, or do you tip at all?

Question

I've been asked this question many times.

Here's the skinny, right from the horse's mouth: What I cannot tell you to your face at the door, because it is against company policy to even discuss the tips.

The driver gets paid a wage, typically minimum wage. However, the car he uses is a commercial driving expense roughly equal to that. $200 (expected) for either loan payment, or extra maintenence expected on a beater car.
$250-300 a month on commercial insurance. I have to have full coverage so that if we collide on the road, everyone gets paid and goes home happy. (We are among the safest drivers on the road, by the way. Unsafe drivers get fired or not hired to begin with)
Maintenence is around 100-200 a month but thats a estimate. Sometimes it is way more than that. Gas is about 300 a month or more. Tires every 4-6 months, could be $400.

Basically, my wage covers the car only. I live on tips alone.

Delivery charge:
I get a small portion of that, but big name companies like Dominoes and Pizza Hut do not give it all to the driver, they keep a portion of it and constantly raise that price without our consent. We have nothing to do with it, and it alone does not cover our gas.

Basically, we live on just your tip.

Late pizzas:
99% of the time, not the driver's fault.

The store is understaffed or busy. If we hired more drivers your pizza would be even more expensive than it already is.
If you need it by a certain time, call ahead and we will have it there on time.
Otherwise you have to wait between 30-60 minutes. Most stores quote a time to you on the phone, but give the drive a 15-minute leeway. These are estimates most likely made by computer and are innaccurate (frustrating, believe me I know...)

If the driver is 30 minutes late, the store may end up gifting you a free pizza.

The driver has every reason to be there on time:

1. Tips are his only income
2. Getting there fast means better tips
3. Getting back fast means more customers
4. I have never seen a slow pizza guy. But we do have to obey traffic laws or we get fired.

In short, the pizza guy is almost never at fault and is ON YOUR SIDE. If it's late, we are HAPPY to deliver you a free one next time. We are concerned that you are satisfied because you are our employer and sole source of usable income.

We are not like waiters who earn 100-300 a night and have negligible normal driving expenses. Often, I make 50 or 25 a night. sometimes better. But that's all.

Please tip generously, and if there is a problem, tell us. We do care. And we will yell at whomever caused your pizza to be late. We are your best friend inside the store, we hold people accountable.

People who NEVER tip?
Sorry... uh, you're on your own. I wouldn't eat that pizza. We remember jerks.

RESPONSES:

Persephone- good tip! You would ALWAYS get good service from me. Even if I had to deliver a bunch of free pizzas to your house for no tip.

I give good service to everyone, but for people who never tip, it is only because I am trying to get back to the store and help good customers.

If I have a choice between delivering to a tipping customer and a non-tipper, and I have two pizzas to deliver, guess who gets it first. Supply and demand.

I do think that drivers shouldn't mess with your food. It is a crime. However, there is not enough space here to convey to you how completely and ridiculously awful a rare few customers are.

99% of you are between great customers and ok... there is a small minority who will actually physically manhandle the driver, spit on us, take the pizza and not pay, slam doors in our face, pay in change every time, lie about getting the wrong pizza every time...

After 2 years of that, anything is fair game. Sorry.

pureofheart-

eh... you're ok. You're not a great customer, but I can't say that I don;t understand where you are coming from.

If you only knew how badly we try to get it there on time, and how it really isn't our fault.

Believe me, my friend, it doesn't do you any favors not to tip at all.

If you feel you are getting late pizzas, a REDUCED tip is acceptible. It sends a message and doesn't make you into an ogre.

One dollar is the proper amount for lateness. We hate that, but we need any little bit we can get.

Edoonan-

Excellent response. You truly care, and would get good service.

Sorry about the ghetto thing...

I really wish I could tell you everything bad about the ghetto. We do get robbed, stiffed, and assaulted every single year, if not more often.

Stiffed every night in the ghetto, robbed every year, assaulted once or twice in the ghetto. It's bad and I am sorry.

I've been accused of racism but it SO is not racism. It's survival. And I love my customers no matter what skin color.

Miss f- EXCELLENT RESPONSE.

You truly care and would get great service.

Janette- you're a darling.

I know most people do care and do not mean to be rude or tip poorly. 2 dollars is an acceptable standard "minimum".

I get 3 deliveries an hour, I get minimum wage, so that is acceptible.

See, this is why I do these posts. If you know something you didn't know before, I am glad to help. And your driver will remember and appreciate the extra money.

We do struggle. Except maybe those lucky few drivers who get a REALLY good area. But sometimes they lose out because it means more drivers and competition.

Answer 1

$5 per order. It also depends on how large the order is. Living off tips is hard. some people dont tip at all. i really think companies should offer higher wage but what can i say? supply and demand

EDIT: If i knew you were delivering my pizza i would show up at the door looking extra special with a larger tip *wink* I'll even give you a couple extra to fill up your tank for the ride back

Answer 2

For me it just depends, if I know they had a really hard time finding my house but made the effort and called for directions and all that I will tip like 4 or 5 dollars but usually 2-3. Or if the total amount is like 22.50 I would just give him 25 and let him keep the change. I always tip regardless of whether the driver is late or not because I know I live a little out of town and it is harder to get there. However, after reading this I think I will start leaving the driver 4-5 dollars at least, I'm not an idiot, but had no idea the delivery charge wasn't all given to the drivers, I thought that's what it was for, after all it is called a delivery charge and the gas and all that is coming from the delivery guy/girl. And anyone who thinks that people who have never delivered pizza before should know this is an idiot.

Answer 3

I base it on how much the order is, just like in a restaurant, I think you should oay 15%-20% of the total, wheteher the total includes a delivery charge or not. Anyone who thinks the driver gets the delivery charge is an idiot....some people do not use there common sense. I have never been a delivery person, but it aggravates me when people do not ip the drivers. I work in a hotel, and I cannot tell you how many times guests will give the driver the exact change, to the penny of what the order total is, and no tip. I find it to be extremely rude. It is commmon sense to know that a delivery person is not making big bucks in their paychecks

Answer 4

We tip a few dollars. We usually order pizza on the spur of the moment so we are lucky to find any change around lol. But between $3-4 usually. More if we're ordering from them a lot. It's good if we can spot them coming, if it's a delivery person we really like and is nice we'll tip more, if it's someone grouchy and such we'll give $3-ish. They are usually good though.

Answer 5

With the price of gas and insurance these days I always tip the driver 25% of my total bill. Pizza delivery is not a great paying job and I thank you for doing it for all us lazy guys and girls that can't (won't) go out and pick up our own pizzas!

Answer 6

I used to live in the ghetto and Pizza Hut refused to deliver to my neighborhood. Some other place was willing to risk one of their driver's lives so I gave him $20 each time.

Answer 7

Do you REALLY want an answer to this question, or did you just want a podium to GRIPE about your CRAPPY JOB??

I tip my pizza guy $3.00 for one pizza, $5.00 for two. And if we're having a party, I tip him $10.00 or more.

HOWEVER, my advice to you is...get another job. Obviously, you can't really afford to work here if the wages vs. tips are that bad, and the maintenance on your car is that much. If you like driving, consider working for a service like UPS or something. You might have to start in the receiving department, but at least you could work yourself up to Driver.

Answer 8

I tip 20% and sometimes more, not too often I tip less.

So pizza delivery/waitress/waiter/etc live off of tips. Find another job that doesn't pay crappy and so you don't have to depend on tips. It is NOT my job to compensate you for your poor choice in a place of work.

Answer 9

i live in australia and dont tip our minum wage for a pizza delivery boy is quite ok, its a dangerous job but you choose do it. i never tip because my pizza is always late like you should say there will be a wait not yeh be there in ten like they do all the time
its jus common curtisy to say how long it will really be u know?

Answer 10

If they are on time then I usually give them a couple of dollars. If they are late then I don't give a tip.