Updated 11:19 PM EST Dec 14, 2019
LOS ANGELES — At the end of a long day, cooking a meal might be the last thing you want to do. So you open one of the food delivery apps on your phone (Uber Eats, DoorDash, Postmates, Grubhub, to name a few) to find something you’re hankering for.
Waiters get tipped 20% because they make less than minimum wage, normally like 2.13 an hour. Movers or drivers I would think make at least 10 bucks an hour. It seems the scope of who we tips is always growing. I do tip peapod drivers but normally a much lesser%, something like 5 bucks. Feb 27, 2018 A tip is not expected for a one-time service call. However, if you rely on the same person repeatedly, show your appreciation at holiday time (generally from $20 to $100, depending on the. May 02, 2019 If the delivery driver is permitted to accept a tip and service was favorable or they had to go above and beyond (i.e. Carry a washing machine down a flight of stairs), a tip is appreciated. Delivery drivers we spoke to agree that anywhere between $10-20 per person is suitable. Mar 13, 2020 So here is my question: How much should you tip the delivery person or Uber driver during the coronavirus pandemic? They are, after all, potentially putting.
The problem is by the time you actually hit order, you might be paying twice the price of your meal in delivery fees and decide that instead of paying even more money, your delivery driver is going to have to deal without a tip.
A study from US Foods shows 66% of food delivery app customers base their tip on how much the delivery and service cost them. The good news is that 95% of customers still tip regularly, but 60% of drivers say no tip or a small one is their No. 1 complaint.
“It’s already expensive, but that’s not the fault of your delivery driver, who is getting in their car, working for wages of their own and delivering you the food,” said etiquette expert Diane Gottsman.
So, how much should I tip my delivery driver?
That depends on who you ask, but, generally, both customers and drivers agree that $4 is a fair tip, according to the study. However, that might be low depending on the amount of food you order.
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Gottsman suggests tipping at least 20% of the total cost of the meal, or at least $5.
“They are working for gratuity as well,” said Gottsman. “That is part of their livelihood, and I think we should tip politely and appropriately,”
There are other things you should consider when you tip:
- Tip in cash: Some food delivery apps use tip money as a way to avoid paying the driver their full payments, as The New York Times recently found with DoorDash. So if a driver is owed a $5 and you tip $2, the app pays them $3 instead of adding the tip as extra. DoorDash changed their tipping model since the article’s publication, but the easiest way to ensure the driver gets the full tip you are paying is to give them in cash.
- Do your research: Some delivery services don’t actually require you to tip or have a guide on how to tip their drivers. Look at their website and see what their expectations are.
- Consider the circumstances: Think about things like how far does my driver have to drive? How far do they have to park? How many flights of stairs do they have to climb? What’s the weather outside? And factor that into your tip, especially if it’s extraneous.
- Tip for future service: If you plan on using one specific app or service for a long time, let them know you’re a good customer and tip them fairly. You’ll probably get better service.
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Hey, drivers, you can do things to make sure you get that tip money, as 50% of customers decide on their tip on a case-by-case experience. Customers complain about drivers staying in their car or dropping off the food at the door and leaving. And whatever you do, do not take food from the order – customers really don’t like that, as 85% say restaurants should tampering labels on their delivery orders to ensure no one messes with their order.
And customers, consider giving your driver a bonus if you like them by writing them a good review either on the app or through other rating services. It will go a long way for them.
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I bought $500 of lumber from the local hardware store/lumber yard. They will delivery it tomorrow. Assuming there are two guys and it takes them 5-10 minutes to unload it, how much should I tip each of them, if anything?
posted by coffee and minarets to Work & Money (23 answers total)
posted by coffee and minarets to Work & Money (23 answers total)
I'd give them $10 each and say 'lunch is on me'.
posted by JoeZydeco at 3:53 PM on June 9, 2014 [6 favorites]
posted by JoeZydeco at 3:53 PM on June 9, 2014 [6 favorites]
I don't tip delivery people, but I offer them a can of soda.
posted by brujita at 4:18 PM on June 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by brujita at 4:18 PM on June 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'll tip food and grocery delivery, but not something like this.
posted by brujita at 4:21 PM on June 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by brujita at 4:21 PM on June 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
I get a lot of lumber delivered. I've never considered tipping. In fact construction delivery guys expect to be asked next to impossible in some cases. Guys on-site expect the delivery guys to place the load as they need. How it gets done is the delivery guy's problem.
So yeah, it wouldn't go unappreciated, but the delivery guy will wonder what's up with this weirdo.
posted by humboldt32 at 4:51 PM on June 9, 2014 [7 favorites]
So yeah, it wouldn't go unappreciated, but the delivery guy will wonder what's up with this weirdo.
posted by humboldt32 at 4:51 PM on June 9, 2014 [7 favorites]
Freight delivery like that? I don't think I'd tip. (We had a bunch of flooring delivered here to my office, though I made my guys bring it up the stairs. Didn't tip any of them. :p)
There's something about it being construction-related that makes me a little less inclined to tip for some reason.
White glove delivery where someone's unpacking furniture in my house? $5 or so per person.
I had a 250 lb solid hardwood table brought up a switchback staircase in a second floor walk up. I tipped $5 or $10 each for that. (Don't remember off-hand. It was brutal, so probably $10.)
Movers moving my entire house for 8 hours? I think we tipped $20 each.
Pizza guy? $3 to $5 for a pizza + wings $30 order.
posted by disillusioned at 5:03 PM on June 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
There's something about it being construction-related that makes me a little less inclined to tip for some reason.
White glove delivery where someone's unpacking furniture in my house? $5 or so per person.
I had a 250 lb solid hardwood table brought up a switchback staircase in a second floor walk up. I tipped $5 or $10 each for that. (Don't remember off-hand. It was brutal, so probably $10.)
Movers moving my entire house for 8 hours? I think we tipped $20 each.
Pizza guy? $3 to $5 for a pizza + wings $30 order.
posted by disillusioned at 5:03 PM on June 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
I don't think you need to tip, but if they do a good job, get their names and write a complimentary letter to their boss/management/corporate.
posted by blnkfrnk at 5:05 PM on June 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by blnkfrnk at 5:05 PM on June 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
We get lumber delivered all the time at work. We don't tip.
posted by hydrophonic at 5:10 PM on June 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by hydrophonic at 5:10 PM on June 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
Yep, this is a non-tipping situation. I order $1000 in lumber regularly and it would never occur to me to do that. It would be weird to, in fact.
posted by blaneyphoto at 5:12 PM on June 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by blaneyphoto at 5:12 PM on June 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
$20.
posted by four panels at 5:40 PM on June 9, 2014
posted by four panels at 5:40 PM on June 9, 2014
I'm with Joe Z. $10 a piece and if its before lunch. 'Lunch is on me.' If its in the PM then 'let me buy you guys a beer.'
Enjoy your lumber!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:56 PM on June 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
Enjoy your lumber!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:56 PM on June 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
We get lumber delivered all the time at work. We don't tip.
That's at work. This is not. I'd tip $10.00 each.
posted by QueerAngel28 at 6:02 PM on June 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
That's at work. This is not. I'd tip $10.00 each.
posted by QueerAngel28 at 6:02 PM on June 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
Yeah, this isn't business to business. Pay it forward. $20 a head, at least.
posted by monospace at 6:20 PM on June 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by monospace at 6:20 PM on June 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
Or a cold six-pack of beer (or enough cash to buy a nice cold six-pack).
posted by RoboKaren at 6:35 PM on June 9, 2014
posted by RoboKaren at 6:35 PM on June 9, 2014
I wouldn't tip unless they did something exceptional for you. Tipping is not customary in construction. If they had to carry individual pieces up stairs or something, and you're obviously a homeowner (like monospace assumes) then I'd tip. But a basic delivery? Nah.
posted by werkzeuger at 6:57 PM on June 9, 2014
posted by werkzeuger at 6:57 PM on June 9, 2014
I used to deliver lumber for a lumber yard. Decks, roofing, whole garages, you name it.
Odds are pretty good, they are gonna show up, take off the straps, tip the bed, get you sign and head out. This was especially true for deck/garage packages. We'd have them in a nice tidy bundle that would slide right off the dump bed in 10 seconds.
If you want them to hand move the stuff, you might slide him a 5-10 bucks - most places I am familiar with pay on a sort of commission - the more loads you haul, the more you make. So, a hand unload - especially if you gotta schlep it back behind the house or some shit would suck double because of extra effort and a net cut in pay.
Do make sure you take the minute to double check that everything is there. I would do 20-30 loads a day on a good day, and if the picker only screwed up once in 100, that was 3-4 screwups every week. It happens.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 8:00 PM on June 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
Odds are pretty good, they are gonna show up, take off the straps, tip the bed, get you sign and head out. This was especially true for deck/garage packages. We'd have them in a nice tidy bundle that would slide right off the dump bed in 10 seconds.
If you want them to hand move the stuff, you might slide him a 5-10 bucks - most places I am familiar with pay on a sort of commission - the more loads you haul, the more you make. So, a hand unload - especially if you gotta schlep it back behind the house or some shit would suck double because of extra effort and a net cut in pay.
Do make sure you take the minute to double check that everything is there. I would do 20-30 loads a day on a good day, and if the picker only screwed up once in 100, that was 3-4 screwups every week. It happens.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 8:00 PM on June 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
Don't offer them beverages. You don't know what they like, and they don't know if they can rely on random beverages from customers. The one time I've offered a beverage to a delivery person, he had to turn it down and it was just plain awkward.
I fail to see why it matters whether the customer is a business or an individual, or why individuals should be hit harder than businesses.
If you're really wondering about the policy or custom on tipping, why not just call the store and ask about the policy or custom?
posted by John Cohen at 8:04 PM on June 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
I fail to see why it matters whether the customer is a business or an individual, or why individuals should be hit harder than businesses.
If you're really wondering about the policy or custom on tipping, why not just call the store and ask about the policy or custom?
posted by John Cohen at 8:04 PM on June 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
I've had $1000 of lumber delivered from 2 different local lumber yards in the Bay Area. Each time the guy came out of the truck to flip a switch and the lumber rolled off. It won't be 2 guys taking pieces off the truck by hand as you might be picturing. If they do unload by hand, I would tip $5-10 each (but I would be surprised).
posted by poyorick at 8:43 PM on June 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by poyorick at 8:43 PM on June 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
wow. people are cheaper than i thought.* if they are hand unloading and bringing it around to your back yard or something, i would tip 20$ a guy. (frankly, if i'm having something delivered, i expect it to be put where i want it, and i will pay extra/tip for that.)
*i just moved and tipped each guy $40 each for a pretty easy move, because i valued their services that much. not having to lift and carry and ugh is worth it.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 9:48 PM on June 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
*i just moved and tipped each guy $40 each for a pretty easy move, because i valued their services that much. not having to lift and carry and ugh is worth it.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 9:48 PM on June 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
John Cohen, when I've offered soda it's always in a sealed can.
posted by brujita at 12:23 AM on June 10, 2014
posted by brujita at 12:23 AM on June 10, 2014
![Delivery Delivery](/uploads/1/2/4/4/124426273/396419786.jpg)
They're getting paid by their employer to bring the lumber to you. So if they show up late and jump dump it out, feel free to not tip. But anything they do to make the process more convenient for you -- showing up on time (or communicating if there's a delay), stacking it where you want it, etc. -- is extra service that deserves a tip. I would tip $10 to $20 each depending on how helpful and polite they are.
Offering a cold beverage as suggested above is also a good thing to do. (Especially if they are Latino! Apologies for the stereotyping but when I lived in Central America it seemed like inviting delivery people and other workers to sit down for a bit and have a snack and drink was simply the done thing. Since returning to the U.S. my impression has been that many Latino immigrants have brought this culture of universal hospitality here with them and thus Latinos seem more receptive to these offers than people of other cultural backgrounds.)
posted by Jacqueline at 8:23 AM on June 10, 2014 [1 favorite]
Offering a cold beverage as suggested above is also a good thing to do. (Especially if they are Latino! Apologies for the stereotyping but when I lived in Central America it seemed like inviting delivery people and other workers to sit down for a bit and have a snack and drink was simply the done thing. Since returning to the U.S. my impression has been that many Latino immigrants have brought this culture of universal hospitality here with them and thus Latinos seem more receptive to these offers than people of other cultural backgrounds.)
posted by Jacqueline at 8:23 AM on June 10, 2014 [1 favorite]
In addition to the tip, I always offer a cold drink, because it's hotter than hell out there!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 10:04 AM on June 10, 2014
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 10:04 AM on June 10, 2014
I would tip a delivery of heavy items/furniture person $20/person + bottle of water and I am not rich.
posted by CtrlAltD at 2:36 PM on June 10, 2014
posted by CtrlAltD at 2:36 PM on June 10, 2014
Follow-up:
One guy showed up, we moved the wood together, it took 5 minutes, I gave him $10, he seemed to really appreciate it.
posted by coffee and minarets at 7:44 AM on June 11, 2014 [1 favorite]
One guy showed up, we moved the wood together, it took 5 minutes, I gave him $10, he seemed to really appreciate it.
posted by coffee and minarets at 7:44 AM on June 11, 2014 [1 favorite]
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