Pizza delivery salary & tipping

[Night Elf]

Because of the thread on tipping, I asked my BIL who owns a Dominos how he handles delivery employees and tipping. Here's what he wrote. I learned something new today! Now obviously he's just one owner but it is a franchise and I didn't ask if it was standard across the entire franchise. But it's interesting nonetheless.

 

"I pay my drivers between $5.15 and $6.00. They also get $1.10 per delivery they take. That is the standard you will find in WI. And as far as I know the rest of the US. Delivery drivers as I have them classified are tipped employees. I am in a upper middle class city and the average tip here is $4.00 per delivery. In some of the less desirable areas (Downtown Milwaukee) the tip average is much lower around $0.75-$1.25. I am often amazed at the people who don't tip the delivery driver. The driver is providing a service same as a waiter or waitress. More so they are outside in the elements (a big factor in WI), they are using their own car, their own gas, and have to pay for insurance on a vehicle all to bring a person their pizza, so it can be enjoyed in the comfort of their own home.

 

What is it that a waiter or waitress does that a delivery driver doesn't. Maybe they visit your table 3-4 times to refill your beverages?

 

I can guarantee drivers know who tips and who doesn't, and they adjust their service accordingly (I wish they treated everyone equally as well but I know that isn't reality)."

[KellyGirl]

I used to deliver pizza for a little ma and pop pizza shop. I made minimum wage without the dollar per delivery. You're right, drivers know the addresses of the bad tippers and will often take their time getting there (or maybe they will spit in your pizza). I didn't do that stuff, but the guys I worked with would always hand me (being the new kid) the ones that didn't tip.

 

It was a fun job when gas was only 99 cents a gallon. But I would bet that the increase in tipping hasn't kept up with the increase in gas prices over the last 12 years. So tip your driver well, especially if it's snowing and you ordered pizza because you didn't want to risk your own life out on the road!

[missesd]

Because of the thread on tipping, I asked my BIL who owns a Dominos how he handles delivery employees and tipping. Here's what he wrote. I learned something new today! Now obviously he's just one owner but it is a franchise and I didn't ask if it was standard across the entire franchise. But it's interesting nonetheless.

 

"I pay my drivers between $5.15 and $6.00. They also get $1.10 per delivery they take. That is the standard you will find in WI. And as far as I know the rest of the US. Delivery drivers as I have them classified are tipped employees. I am in a upper middle class city and the average tip here is $4.00 per delivery. In some of the less desirable areas (Downtown Milwaukee) the tip average is much lower around $0.75-$1.25. I am often amazed at the people who don't tip the delivery driver. The driver is providing a service same as a waiter or waitress. More so they are outside in the elements (a big factor in WI), they are using their own car, their own gas, and have to pay for insurance on a vehicle all to bring a person their pizza, so it can be enjoyed in the comfort of their own home.

 

What is it that a waiter or waitress does that a delivery driver doesn't. Maybe they visit your table 3-4 times to refill your beverages?

 

I can guarantee drivers know who tips and who doesn't, and they adjust their service accordingly (I wish they treated everyone equally as well but I know that isn't reality)."

 

I talked to my husband who works PT for Pizza Hut and has since 2006 as a delivery driver. He makes minimum wage $7.25 an hr, and .95c per delivery. He averages *maybe* $2 per delivery in tips. But about 1/2 the time he gets stiffed. Lately he has been bringing home $8-15 at the end of a night :( A lot of time his tip money is our money for food, or gas. It's been really bad lately, more so since last summer, getting worse in the fall. We're beginning to wonder if it's even worth it anymore :confused: In Vegas he'd make $75 a night sometimes in tips. In Reno, about $35. It used to be $20-30 on average here, but not anymore...

 

However, I want reply to the bolded part. While, it's true, my husband does know who the bad tippers are and where they live, he has never done anything about. He may call me and vent, he may come home at the end of the night ticked he wasted another night from home for $8, and he may even make mention to the kids about TPing their home... but he has always sucked it up :( He does what he can for his family, working 10 days on, 4 days off at his day job, and still working nights out delivering pizza- and just like the Post Man- he does it in rain, sleet, hail and snow, that most people don't want to go out in and so it's why they ordered pizza *delivery*.

Edited December 17, 2010 by missesd

[Imprimis]

I used to deliver pizza for a little ma and pop pizza shop. I made minimum wage without the dollar per delivery. You're right, drivers know the addresses of the bad tippers and will often take their time getting there (or maybe they will spit in your pizza).

 

I find this very disturbing. I will never understand the thought process of someone who can rationalize doing something this disgusting to someone's food for any reason. I'm curious if you brought this to the attention of the shop owner/manager since you knew this was going on?

[i.love.lucy]

I always tip, usually about $2. I wonder if that's too low. We get great service from our local Papa John's and I am happy to have piping hot fresh pizza delivered on a tired Friday night. It's worth it to me!!:D

[Mrs Mungo]

What is it that a waiter or waitress does that a delivery driver doesn't. Maybe they visit your table 3-4 times to refill your beverages?

 

Well, I tip the pizza delivery people, usually around $3, more if we have people over and are ordering more. However, I will say that it all depends upon the restaurant. Waiters and waitresses often do a lot of behind-the-scenes prep work, they sometimes have a LOT of work that delivery drivers don't do.

[KellyGirl]

I find this very disturbing. I will never understand the thought process of someone who can rationalize doing something this disgusting to someone's food for any reason. I'm curious if you brought this to the attention of the shop owner/manager since you knew this was going on?

 

I never saw it happen. It was something that they joked about, but I don't doubt that it was done from time to time. Unfortunately, at the place I worked, the owner would have (most likely) laughed about it. And my husband put himself through college working at Denny's - he's always afraid to send his food back, I think he may have actually seen food be defiled.:ack2:

 

I don't understand it either, but I operate under the assumption that not all food service workers are as mature and reasonable as I am.

[Mejane]

I find this very disturbing. I will never understand the thought process of someone who can rationalize doing something this disgusting to someone's food for any reason.

 

I once saw a waitress kick a guy's english muffin across the floor, then serve it to him with a big smile. He was being a gigantic *ss. I was a new waitress there, so I didn't say anything. I learned, though. If I have to complain, I do it after our food is served, not before.

[angela in ohio]

We live just outside the range of pizza delivery from the nearest little town. The only way we get pizza is to tip well. That way, when we call, soemone will hear our name/address and be willing to drive a little extra for us. :D We always tipped well in the city, too, though, as I like my pizza very hot and cheesy. :001_smile: We don't get it very often, so I want it to be good.

[NanceXToo]

I always tip $3.00 plus whatever the extra change is, to meal delivery drivers. I hope they don't spit in my food for that. :P How gross!

[missesd]

Well, I tip the pizza delivery people, usually around $3, more if we have people over and are ordering more. However, I will say that it all depends upon the restaurant. Waiters and waitresses often do a lot of behind-the-scenes prep work, they sometimes have a LOT of work that delivery drivers don't do.

 

I generally tip one gallon of gas, so about $2-3 OR 10%, whichever is greater :)

[joannqn]

I've never been all that knowledgeable about tipping. I'm sure there are people I'm suppose to tip but don't. But, I always give the pizza guy $5 to deliver our two pizzas. We are often surprised when our pizza arrives 15 minutes earlier than quoted; is this why?

[Rhonda in TX]

It never occurred to me that my level of service was dependent on how I tip. Hmmm... I do tip pretty well, though. Usually $3-$4, which I think is good for my area.

[Cortana]

Waiters and waitresses often do a lot of behind-the-scenes prep work, they sometimes have a LOT of work that delivery drivers don't do.

I wanted to share that my husband was a pizza restaurant manager that worked his way up from the bottom, including delivery even as a manager. For both the national chains that dh worked for, the delivery drivers day started well before the restaurant opened and deliveries started. The had prep to do in the kitchens, everything from chopping veggies to putting the toppings in the right order on the make line to prepping boxes. Then, during the course of the day, they were making the pizzas, taking them out of the ovens, cutting them and putting them in boxes for carry out and delivery, taking orders on the phone, washing dishes for dine in service, bussing tables, sometimes taking pizzas out to customers that were dining in the restaurant, jumping in and doing whatever they had to do especially on a busy night when it's all hands on deck and helping close the restaurant and cleaning. Many times, your delivery driver is the person who took your order and made your pizza as well. Rarely is there a pizza place where the delivery driver is just sitting around waiting for the next delivery, there is always something somewhere that he/she needs to be helping with. On a super busy night where it's one delivery after another, yes that may be all they do. But on an average night, the delivery driver is doing just as much work as a waiter/waitress and taking the same abuse the food servers get from angry customers. In our area, it became very dangerous for a while for delivery drivers as they were being targeted by robbers and being held at gunpoint and in one case knife point during "fake" deliveries (person calls in an order and the point is to lure the delivery driver and rob him/her when the driver arrives). Many times dh had to go back over driver training with his drivers about how to follow your instincts if a delivery location doesn't "feel" right, that it's best to just return to base and call to confirm an address/order than take a chance. Dh would much rather have an irritated customer on his hands than a dead driver. One local pizza place did have a driver that was shot and nearly died, for a while after that dh couldn't get anyone willing to work as a delivery driver and he had to take the drives himself which was nerve wracking for us, we had a system where he would call me when arrived and call me when he'd leave so I would know he was okay.

[Mrs Mungo]

But on an average night, the delivery driver is doing just as much work as a waiter/waitress and taking the same abuse the food servers get from angry customers.

 

BUT, the difference there is that they are presumably making minimum wage, whereas waiters and waitresses are often making less than half of minimum wage.

 

In our area, it became very dangerous for a while for delivery drivers as they were being targeted by robbers and being held at gunpoint and in one case knife point during "fake" deliveries (person calls in an order and the point is to lure the delivery driver and rob him/her when the driver arrives). Many times dh had to go back over driver training with his drivers about how to follow your instincts if a delivery location doesn't "feel" right, that it's best to just return to base and call to confirm an address/order than take a chance. Dh would much rather have an irritated customer on his hands than a dead driver. One local pizza place did have a driver that was shot and nearly died, for a while after that dh couldn't get anyone willing to work as a delivery driver and he had to take the drives himself which was nerve wracking for us, we had a system where he would call me when arrived and call me when he'd leave so I would know he was okay.

 

That is crazy!

[stephanier.1765]

I tip a $1 a box, so 3 pizzas would be $3. However, I never tip below $3.

[Slartibartfast]

I have worked as a waitress and I have to say that there is quite a lot that a waiter does that a delivery driver does not. A delivery driver has never brought me booze for instance. *L A waiter sometimes takes on the same kitchen duties you mentioned but then still "took care" of customers. I have never had a single table who expected me to just drop their food off with their ticket and that was it.

 

I have also worked at a pizza hut phone center when I was younger, they kept files on phone numbers or addresses and some would say things like "pulled gun on driver, no delivery," "MUST CHAIN DOGS!!" or "this is an empty lot!! No delivery!!"

 

I always tip about $3, never less.

Edited December 17, 2010 by Sis

[RoughCollie]

We tip 10% raised to the nearest dollar, which is at least $3. If it's pouring rain or snowing, I add a couple of bucks to the tip. If the boys order pizzas, they tip $5.

[Farrar]

I completely disagree that it's the same as a waiter or waitress. It's closer to a takeout window clerk. The waiter or waitress has to see what you're getting, check your order, bring you your check at the right time, etc. A good wait person pays attention to when you're ready for different things and makes sure everything is timed well. A really good wait person will listen to your needs - as in, if you need to be somewhere by a certain time or s/he will suggest things on the menu that are good. A delivery guy just hands you a bag and gets you to sign a check. Yes, he has to drive there and walk up the walk. S/he absolutely gets a tip. But the amount of personal interaction the delivery guy does for the tip is much less.

 

We tip $2-3 - more for a really big order or if the weather is bad. But I will not tip 15-20% like in a restaurant.

[Cortana]

BUT, the difference there is that they are presumably making minimum wage, whereas waiters and waitresses are often making less than half of minimum wage.

 

 

 

That is crazy!

We're one of those two states that everyone makes the same, the waiters/waitresses here make minimum wage with tips on top of that. Wish all states were that way, it's bull that tips should count as part of their hourly pay. The next state over dh dealt with that as a manager with his servers and he despised it. Our state wants you to report tips for tax purposes, but it doesn't cut the hourly wage at all. And delivery drivers there were subject to that tipping law, ANY tipped position fell under that law, like I said dh hated it. That's right to work laws for you. The one thing in that state's law was that the base pay was $3.35/hr and tips had to make up the difference between that and the state minimum wage or the employer had to pay the difference, so everyone still got at least full minimum wage, which wasn't always much consolation since that state has a low minimum wage.

 

And yes, it was a crazy time. I was very glad that dh left that industry for good this year, he said he will never go back to working in pizza again, he'll work any other type of food service but never pizza.

[Cortana]

I completely disagree that it's the same as a waiter or waitress. It's closer to a takeout window clerk. The waiter or waitress has to see what you're getting, check your order, bring you your check at the right time, etc. A good wait person pays attention to when you're ready for different things and makes sure everything is timed well. A really good wait person will listen to your needs - as in, if you need to be somewhere by a certain time or s/he will suggest things on the menu that are good. A delivery guy just hands you a bag and gets you to sign a check. Yes, he has to drive there and walk up the walk. S/he absolutely gets a tip. But the amount of personal interaction the delivery guy does for the tip is much less.

 

We tip $2-3 - more for a really big order or if the weather is bad. But I will not tip 15-20% like in a restaurant.

I didn't say it was the same, I said they can do just as much work. Another poster had commented about the behind the scenes work that a waitress/waiter does that people don't see and I only wanted to point out the same holds true for many (not all) delivery drivers, that there is a lot of behind the scenes work that people don't realize the drivers have to do as well as just handing you a bag and having you sign a check. My dh got to know his regular customers very well and would add extra things into their bags like extra plates or extra cheese packets or extra dipping sauce or make sure they got a cold bottle of soda rather than a room temperature one. When he delivered he would always ask if they had everything they needed and it wasn't unusual for him to make another stop back by that house. Maybe he just wasn't your typical delivery guy but that was and is the kind of person he is and he passed that on to his fellow employees to make the customer feel number one regardless of whether they ate in or had carry out or had a delivery. The pizza places my dh worked earned a reputation for excellent delivery service.

[kokotg]

I delivered pizza for Papa John's in two different cities/states during/the year after college. So this was more than 10 years ago now...back then I considered $2 a good solid tip. I very often got $1 or less or nothing, particularly in the poorer of the two cities I worked in. I still never came home with less than $8-10/hr though (and it could be a lot more on busy nights), which made it very good money for what it was, in my mind. As an aside, I was more up to date on current events the years I delivered pizza than ever before or since, because I spent much of my time listening to NPR while I drove. There's no doubt in my mind that the average waiter/waitress has a much more physically demanding job than the average pizza delivery person...but I will say that I did my fair share of prep work/cleaning/etc. in between deliveries on slower nights. It's also really terrible on your car, so you have to take that long term cost into account when you think about salary comparisons.

 

We usually go pick up our pizza now when we order it, but I usually tip $4-5 when I have it delivered.