Food delivery tipping

[sk!mom]

$75 to bring pizza boxes inside of a business? I would do $20-30. It'll take them 10 minutes tops. That's a good amount for a few minutes of work.

I think this attitude is what has gotten some celebrities slammed on Twitter when an angry waiter posts their crappy tip. For some reason, some people think that a $750 bill shouldn't be tipped at the same rate as a $20 order.

I normally tip 10% on a delivery order so $75.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I would probably tip about $1/pizza box - based on the $350 total, that would most likely be between 20-30 items I would assume.

 

[jrmasm]

How do I know what driver is going to be taxed on? I am not privy to what the driver reports on his or her taxes. I would tip 10% because in the US that is the customary start rate of tipping for a food service (i.e., delivery or buffet).

I didn't expect that you'd know but it's completely relevant to the conversation.

 

[mjkacmom]

So, there are pizzerias with no tables? Here the simple one still have tables, but you order at the counter, and then there are nicer ones with servers. And they all have large menus with sandwiches, salads, appetizers, pasta, and entrees.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

As you said, the above is one guy's experience and likely varies by location. So as the consumer we're supposed to err on the side of believing that's the prevalent situation and tipping accordingly? (Not to mention, how do we know that the person who wrote that account is even credible in the first place?)

What you're suggesting by assuming that a delivery person is responsible for all of those tasks and tipping accordingly equates to a dine in customer needing to tip the hostess or maitre d', the sous chef, the dishwasher, the bar back, the manager, etc., etc. They are the people who perform a variety of tasks in a restaurant equating to the list of tasks outlined by the overworked delivery person above, yet customarily only the waitstaff are tipped. Why should the customer be expected to intuit a delivery person's range of duties and tip as if they perform many functions which would not be tipped by the dine in customer?

When the dine-in customer tips the server they are also tipping the hostess, service bar, barback, food runners, bussers, and dishwashers because the server has to turn around and split that tip with all those people (staff positions depending on individual location, of course).

In response to your first paragraph, people are free to tip whatever amount they're comfortable with, which is exactly the problem with the tipping model in the first place.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

You are correct. I found carry out orders to be a giant pain in the butt. Back when I worked in restaurants nearly a decade ago. I don't know why you'd think I would've let that affect my customer service.

Probably because your comments have a certain level of resentment coming through. My initial comment to your initial comment was more along the lines of if I had found out that you viewed me as a paying customer as disruptive to you all because I chose to partake in your company's carry out ability I'd let that be known--I mean truthfully you had a choice of working there or not--if you didn't like the fact that the restaurant had a carry out option you could find a restaurant that didn't have that option. I didn't say you were going around being rude to customers but I basically said I sure hope that no one had found out how you actually viewed them.

 

[jrmasm]

Oh Lordy, I forgot about that. Not only might the employee be taxed on that amount, s/he might have to tip out to other people based on that amount. That's how food service workers sometimes end up paying out of their own pockets to wait on customers. This industry is a mess. I agree with @ShirikiUtundu, tipping should be abolished in favor of a living wage.

Not necessarily. Is this delivery from a shop that pays tipping wages or no? A delivery from Panera would be different than say TGIFridays (as an example).

 

[AppleDumpling]

I think it really depends on the type of establishment you’re dealing with, and what is customary in the local area.

 

[LSUmiss]

Like everything, I'm sure it varies store to store. I googled your question about splitting tips and this is the first hit I got:

https://consumerist.com/2010/03/30/4-myths-about-tipping-from-a-former-pizza-delivery-guy/

From the article:

"The driver just has to grab orders, deliver them, and collect the cash. It’s hardly a job worth a tip.
FALSE. Drivers are the grunts of the store, and do every job inside it. We clean the store at opening, fold boxes, make orders, take orders, box orders, proof the dough, make the wings, mix the sauce, load the freezers, cut the dough, unload the truck, balance the register, clean the counters, mop the floors, wash the windows, empty the trash, and get everything ready for the next day. In fact, drivers are the last employees to leave behind the manager on duty, and the first to arrive to help with the daily chores. Combine that with low pay and the fact we still deliver your food, and we work harder than anyone else in that store sometimes."

Yes, this is one guy's experience and like I said, I'm sure it varies by location, but it goes to show some delivery personnel are doing a heck of a lot more than just walking pizza to your door.


People have all kinds of reasons for working out what they think is fair tip compensation depending on the service received and that's fine. What I was addressing was the misconception that no work goes into carry out/delivery orders. Sure, they're not performing brain surgery, but it is more time consuming than just walking it to the door.

When I have gone to pick up my pizza, I have seen the drivers doing all kinds of work including making them.

 

[scrapquitler]

That's a LOT of food. It's going to take multiple trips from the car to the house or wherever. $750 worth of pizza is probably at least 20 or 25 pizzas. I know how difficult it is for me to drive from the pizzeria to home with out having one or two pizzas slide off the seat of the car and end up with the cheese all on one side. I can't imagine the skill it would take to deliver 25 at once. I'd tip somewhere between $75 - $100, especially if it's winter where you are.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Probably because your comments have a certain level of resentment coming through. My initial comment to your initial comment was more along the lines of if I had found out that you viewed me as a paying customer as disruptive to you all because I chose to partake in your company's carry out ability I'd let that be known--I mean truthfully you had a choice of working there or not--if you didn't like the fact that the restaurant had a carry out option you could find a restaurant that didn't have that option. I didn't say you were going around being rude to customers but I basically said I sure hope that no one had found out how you actually viewed them.

Oh good grief, everyone has aspects of their job they don't care for. That doesn't mean they need to find new employment and it doesn't mean I viewed carry out customers as subhuman.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

So, there are pizzerias with no tables? Here the simple one still have tables, but you order at the counter, and then there are nicer ones with servers. And they all have large menus with sandwiches, salads, appetizers, pasta, and entrees.

Well it's hard to find a Pizza Hut around me that has dining inside-most are converted to be carry out or delivery only. I don't think Domino's has dining inside, Little Cesear's hmm...I don't *think* they have dining inside but I haven't been to one in quite a while.

I don't really have pizza places around me that double as a restaurant and a delivery place. Places do do carry out though when they don't have delivery. One pizza place that I can think of that has servers is SPIN! Pizza but you order and pay at the cash register and they bring it to your table--you do not tip. They do have carry out/pick up. They don't deliver as far as I know.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Not necessarily. Is this delivery from a shop that pays tipping wages or no? A delivery from Panera would be different than say TGIFridays (as an example).

Very true. Sometimes the minimum wage workers are the ones coming out ahead, as sad as that is.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Oh good grief, everyone has aspects of their job they don't care for. That doesn't mean they need to find new employment and it doesn't mean I viewed carry out customers as subhuman.

Hey I'm just going based on your comments. And I didn't say you viewed them as subhuman at all;that's your words in your comment just now.

It wasn't meant to be snarky at all. But truthfully if you found it to be that big of a burden and disruption personally to you then it may have been better off to find a location that didn't have that. Only other thing I could see is convincing the establishment you worked at that carry out was too much of a hassle to deal with and if they found it ate into their profits (due to time spent away from seated customers, paying staff to make the orders and/or ring them up, etc) they may have taken that option away. Carry out was a choice the establishment you were working at decided to make but it's not a requirement for places.

 

[cabanafrau]

Oh Lordy, I forgot about that. Not only might the employee be taxed on that amount, s/he might have to tip out to other people based on that amount. That's how food service workers sometimes end up paying out of their own pockets to wait on customers. This industry is a mess. I agree with @ShirikiUtundu, tipping should be abolished in favor of a living wage.

When the dine-in customer tips the server they are also tipping the hostess, service bar, barback, food runners, bussers, and dishwashers because the server has to turn around and split that tip with all those people (staff positions depending on individual location, of course).

In response to your first paragraph, people are free to tip whatever amount they're comfortable with, which is exactly the problem with the tipping model in the first place.

Actually I believe it is currently against federal law for management to require the pooling of tips as a means of paying all staff less than minimum wage. It's my understanding this is an area of law that was changed not all that long ago and is currently being considered to change to allow the practice once again. I know you said you worked in the industry several years ago, so perhaps the change has taken place since then.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Just adding: check to see if they added an autograt onto the bill. For 75 pizzas, they really should add on some sort of gratuity, to make sure the delivery driver is covered.

We did an order at Little Caesars for a daycamp, like 60 pizzas. We ordered the day before and picked them up before their lunch rush. We still left a tip, even though they really don't get tips there. I think it was about $20 (but, $5 pizzas, so...).

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Actually I believe it is currently against federal law for management to require the pooling of tips as a means of paying all staff less than minimum wage. It's my understanding this is an area of law that was changed not all that long ago and is currently being considered to change to allow the practice once again. I know you said you worked in the industry several years ago, so perhaps the change has taken place since then.

Interesting, I hadn't heard anything about that. I'm trying to think back to the places I worked and I don't believe that law would've had an effect on any of them, oddly enough. Only the servers and bartenders made less than minimum wage. Everyone else got minimum wage plus tips (or more than minimum wage plus tips, minimum wage no tips, etc. It's all over the place in that industry.)

 

[mjkacmom]

That's a LOT of food. It's going to take multiple trips from the car to the house or wherever. $750 worth of pizza is probably at least 20 or 25 pizzas. I know how difficult it is for me to drive from the pizzeria to home with out having one or two pizzas slide off the seat of the car and end up with the cheese all on one side. I can't imagine the skill it would take to deliver 25 at once. I'd tip somewhere between $75 - $100, especially if it's winter where you are.

Plain pies here run between $8 - $12 each, so I, picturing a lot more trips.

 

[scrapquitler]

Plain pies here run between $8 - $12 each, so I, picturing a lot more trips.

Fair enough. Our pizzas here are generally much bigger than what I've seen in other parts of the country, and more expensive. All our local non-chain pizzerias charge about $14 for a large cheese pizza, and the pizza we typically order with toppings runs about $18-$21, so I was thinking more in that range. Either way, $750 worth of pizza is a LOT of pizzas, even if they are $20 each, and it is even more if they are in the $10 range! The guy who can deliver that many pizzas without help is like a Pizza Houdini.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Fair enough. Our pizzas here are generally much bigger than what I've seen in other parts of the country, and more expensive. All our local non-chain pizzerias charge about $14 for a large cheese pizza, and the pizza we typically order with toppings runs about $18-$21, so I was thinking more in that range. Either way, $750 worth of pizza is a LOT of pizzas, even if they are $20 each, and it is even more if they are in the $10 range! The guy who can deliver that many pizzas without help is like a Pizza Houdini.

And it's going to take a lot of hands to get that amount of food cooked, packaged, loaded, and delivered so that it still arrives with any semblance of freshness.