Do people really tip the pizza delivery person so little?

[RUDisney]

I stopped getting pizza delivered back when they added a fuel charge about ten years ago. I just order and pick up on my way home. I don't know if they even still have the fuel charge but my habit has changed.

The pizza places around here add a delivery charge, but the driver doesn't get it. So, those who think this is going to the driver are mistaken. Many don't tip because they think the driver is getting it.

Most places also don't pay for driver's mileage, so all deliveries (gas, car wear and tear) are borne by the driver.

My DS used to do this, but with the lack of tips, he quit.

Once, he was hired to be a delivery guy. He worked one night for little to no tips and he got back to the place to clock out. They wouldn't let him leave until he cleaned the bathroom for them. They weren't nice about it and the bathroom was a mess with various types of "mess." He quit after he did that for them and said, "never again." We almost had to get our attorney involved to get him paid for that night of work. When he finally told the manager that she'd hear from our attorney, they paid him from the register.

Delivery is a thankless job and for all the people who do this for us, I tip well. I usually don't go for delivery because I can get it sooner and hotter if I pick up myself, but when I don't feel like going out, I tip the driver well.

 

[leebee]

I can tell you, in my day it wasn’t unusual to deliver a $9.95 pizza, have the customer hand me a $10 bill, then stick out their hand for me to return the nickel.

This reminds me of when I waitressed in a local bar. It was about half college kids, half regulars. Bottled domestic beer (which is all anyone drank back in the late 70s) was 95cents a bottle, and if I was lucky, they'd leave me the nickel as a tip. I had to serve a LOT of beer to make $100 on a Friday night!

 

[Malyficent]

We get a lot of delivery. A few years back a new pizza shop opened up and one of our regular delivery guys made a special trip to our house to hand us the new shop's menu and tell us he would be working there now. So I guess we're good tippers.

I always do $6 for a delivery as long as that is more than 20%. I don't really care how much the item itself cost, I figure I'm paying the tip as my convenience fee. My husband and I never worked food service but we have a lot of friends who do/did and have heard horror stories. Another couple of bucks isn't going to hurt us but it could make someone else's day.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

It’s not. They are paid one amount if they are in store. When they log in to take a delivery, their hourly pay is reduced to the driver pay. They are paid some mileage but it’s very little.

When ds delivered, it was near a major university. He made pretty good money. But where Dd was, it just didn’t pay. They have a big turn over in drivers.

Yep, most delivery drivers are just covering their costs, or worse, paying to work, after all the expenses are tallied up. So I try to tip them decently. If I can't afford to tip them, I can't afford to order it, is my motto.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

A question I never understood....Why is a delivery charge charged, that goes to the restaurant, even if the driver is using their own car, own fuel, whatever? What's the delivery fee for?

By offering deliveries they generally have to hire more people in order to drive those deliveries. The restaurant is still paying that driver some form of wage, so even if that delivery fee isn't going straight into the driver's pocket, it's seen as a way to recoup the costs of having to hire and pay a driver. Depending on the place, the night, and the number of deliveries, the restaurant may make far more in delivery fees than what it costs them to pay the driver, but on a slow night with only a couple deliveries, the delivery fees may not amount to much. Regardless, they still have to pay the driver a wage if they are on the clock, even if they are not doing deliveries.

My local pizza place charges $3.99 for delivery. I tip $4-6 dollars depending on the weather and how many items I order. Here, the driver bags up the food and ensures they have all the sauces and drinks and everything, so it is a bit more to keep track of when you have 2 pizzas, 3 drinks, and 12 sauces vs just 3 pizzas, even if the cost is the same. They are only driving about a quarter of a mile to my house, but sometimes I don't want to bundle the kids up just to pick up pizza, especially if one of them is sick.

 

[luvsJack]

The college route was my undoing. Almost everyone I delivered to was a broke college kid. It only paid well for things like frat & dorm parties where I was bringing several pizzas at a time.

My roommate delivered for a rival pizza place on the opposite side of town where the rich folks lived. He also had a MUCH smaller car and he cleaned up. Even on my best nights, the “mileage” barely covered my gas, and definitely not wear & tear.

Lol it was just the opposite for my kids. Dd worked in an area with a lot of well to do folks, retired people and a golf club. If she delivered to the club house there was a party and she would get a big tip. If it was a retired couple, good tip or at least a tip. But a lot of her deliveries were to homes where the kids were home alone and mom and dad had called and ordered pizza for supper or lunch if it was a school holiday. Those NEVER tipped.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I wish we could get pizza delivered to our home. We live in a rural area. The closest pizza place is about eighteen miles away and they only deliver in a ten mile radius.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

Our favorite pizza places are too far away to deliver to us so we drive to go get it. The pizza in our town that deliver to us are (relatively) terrible (relative because even terrible Chicago pizza is better than most other places lol), so we don't mind driving 15 min to get the good stuff. Or, if we want really cheap pizza, we just go to Costco or Little Caesars and pick it up.

When we do have pizza delivered, I usually just say keep the change if it's $3.00 or more...otherwise we will throw a few $$ in. I'd say on average we tip about $3.00-$5.00 - and our bill is usually somewhere around $30. If we get pizza delivered, it's from a place that is less than a mile away, through the neighborhood streets. Not a lot of gas or wear and tear involved, and I know the drivers are paid at least $10/hour because that is what has been advertised on their sign every time we pass by.

On a side note...we also live where pretty much every restaurant in our area will deliver - you want a hot dog...Italian beef....some french fries...Chinese food....Shepard's Pie...a giant pretzel with queso...etc...they will deliver. So the restaurants have to pay a competitive wage or they won't have drivers at all. A lot of DS's friends deliver food, and they are all paid in the $10 range, plus tips.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Lol it was just the opposite for my kids. Dd worked in an area with a lot of well to do folks, retired people and a golf club. If she delivered to the club house there was a party and she would get a big tip. If it was a retired couple, good tip or at least a tip. But a lot of her deliveries were to homes where the kids were home alone and mom and dad had called and ordered pizza for supper or lunch if it was a school holiday. Those NEVER tipped.

I can see that. Thankfully, my roommate only drove in the evening.

 

[RangerPooh]

I rarely get delivery because the pizza place is 1/3 mile away. Plus when I look at the estimated time for delivery it's usually 1.5-2 hours from the time of the order. No thank you. Not when I can order and have it back at my house in under 30 minutes. The rare times I do get delivery I usually tip $1 per item delivered (so usually $3-5).

 

[TheConsciousness]

Even though we do tip well for our delivery drivers....delivery fee SHOULD (though doesn't) help cover the driver's expenses. That is literally what a "fee" is for, to cover the cost of something, and since you marked it "delivery", I'm assuming you're not meaning to put that money towards keeping the lights on.

 

[mjkacmom]

I’ve found, when it comes to pizza, you get what you pay for. I’ll pay $25 for my pizza any day over the $11.99 one advertised.

Lol I live in NE NJ, pizza is amazing, friends and family who have moved away miss it terribly. However, prices have to be competitive, since there are so many pizzerias (I think dominos is the only chain that has survived). It’s the same with nail salons. Everything else is very expensive. There is a small pizzeria that opened a few years ago that charges $6 a pie ($7 credit), but pies with toppings are $10.25 (free delivery). They just have a window, no going into the restaurant.

 

[Dan Murphy]

By offering deliveries they generally have to hire more people in order to drive those deliveries. The restaurant is still paying that driver some form of wage, so even if that delivery fee isn't going straight into the driver's pocket, it's seen as a way to recoup the costs of having to hire and pay a driver. Depending on the place, the night, and the number of deliveries, the restaurant may make far more in delivery fees than what it costs them to pay the driver, but on a slow night with only a couple deliveries, the delivery fees may not amount to much. Regardless, they still have to pay the driver a wage if they are on the clock, even if they are not doing deliveries.

My local pizza place charges $3.99 for delivery. I tip $4-6 dollars depending on the weather and how many items I order. Here, the driver bags up the food and ensures they have all the sauces and drinks and everything, so it is a bit more to keep track of when you have 2 pizzas, 3 drinks, and 12 sauces vs just 3 pizzas, even if the cost is the same. They are only driving about a quarter of a mile to my house, but sometimes I don't want to bundle the kids up just to pick up pizza, especially if one of them is sick.

Thanks

 

[marthachick]

The only place that delivers to our house is Dominos. I’ve had a Dominos gift card in my wallet for a long time because I don’t much care for Dominos. Our favorite pizzeria doesn’t deliver. I’m saving the Dominos gift card for some time that I’m desperate. Lol

ETA: If I get desperate, I will tip nicely.

 

[DisneyHardin]

We used to get lots of pizza delivered (Papa John's and Pizza Hut). I usually tipped $3-$4 for an order that was generally about $15. A new Coal Fired pizza placed opened near us and now we only order from them, but do have to go pick it up. Their pizza is just so good!!!

 

[TheConsciousness]

The only place that delivers to our house is Dominos. I’ve had a Dominos gift card in my wallet for a long time because I don’t much care for Dominos. Our favorite pizzeria doesn’t deliver. I’m saving the Dominos gift card for some time that I’m desperate. Lol

Have you tried after their recent revamp? I thought the same way until I tried their new crust.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

Do people tip delivery service so little? I never tip less than $5 and my orders are usually around $20.

 

[lovesmurfs]

The pizza places around here add a delivery charge, but the driver doesn't get it. So, those who think this is going to the driver are mistaken. Many don't tip because they think the driver is getting it.

Most places also don't pay for driver's mileage, so all deliveries (gas, car wear and tear) are borne by the driver.

My DS used to do this, but with the lack of tips, he quit.

Once, he was hired to be a delivery guy. He worked one night for little to no tips and he got back to the place to clock out. They wouldn't let him leave until he cleaned the bathroom for them. They weren't nice about it and the bathroom was a mess with various types of "mess." He quit after he did that for them and said, "never again." We almost had to get our attorney involved to get him paid for that night of work. When he finally told the manager that she'd hear from our attorney, they paid him from the register.

Delivery is a thankless job and for all the people who do this for us, I tip well. I usually don't go for delivery because I can get it sooner and hotter if I pick up myself, but when I don't feel like going out, I tip the driver well.

^ This. DS had similar experience with both pizza and sandwich deliveries.

I start with $5, but then go to 20% if it's more. If I'm going to pay 15-20% for (many times) mediocre service to/from the kitchen in a restaurant, I'll pay the same for them to bring it to my house.

 

[mnrose]

20% is standard for me, and generally I round up to the next whole dollar, so it might end up being a few percentage points more. I'm never "chintzy" on tips because I figure the extra buck or two means a whole lot more to the service worker than it does to me. Plus, if it's a regular place, believe me, they know the address of the "good" tippers vs. the poor tippers. If they are making a run with multiple pizzas in my neighborhood (common), I want mine delivered first rather than last.

 

[verleniahall]

We always round up to the nearest $5 to make sure there is a few $$$$ tip