Tipping- Pizza delivery vs. Waiter/Waitress

[justamouse]

I'm not a big user of delivery. But when I do use it, I tip well, 'cause our guys will run by the liquor store for ya as well. :cheers2:

 

And well they should be! (That must be fun, they must love you. We have a great relationship with the Chinese takeout here, too. )

[justamouse]

 

I do. And I think the guy who delivered 85 pizzas was not tipped fairly at all. But a 15% tip on that delivery would have been about $218. I realize that's a lot of pizza and probably an hour or maybe even 90 minutes of work, but is that worth $218? I guess I see paying for delivery based on the time involved rather than a percentage of the order.

 

It's part and parcel of the order, if the tip cannot be paid, the order should not be made.

[mommaduck]

Then it's comparing time/risks/expenses verses time/work load/customer care. This is what I mean. They are not the same job.

Drivers have work load as well ;) More than you think. They are not the same job, but they do balance out by the time it is all said and done.

 

My husband has had to deliver from the city out to the cornfields. Those people didn't tip him at all. Granted that is wrong. But it would have been just as wrong if they had tipped him $3.

[DragonFaerie]

 

It's part and parcel of the order, if the tip cannot be paid, the order should not be made.

 

Agreed. I'm not disagreeing with that at all.

[redsquirrel]

Well, as someone who has actually done the job I can tell you that in lots of places the delivery person didn't just deliver. We got in early and made boxes for the delivery, we are responsible for helping to clean the kitchen, we often keep the kitchen on track and try (hard part) to keep them from making mistakes. I had to use my own car and pay for my own gas. When delivery business was slow I was a waitress in the restaurant or I clean the dining room or did whatever needed done.

 

And, I got paid the same as a waitress so I depended upon those tips to bring my pay up to minimum wage.

 

A delivery person is doing much the same as a waitress, they are bringing you your food. They get paid the same as a waitress.

 

If you get room service, do you not tip the person who brings you the food?

[Jennifer3141]

 

No. I'm not "groaning" about anything. I'm trying to understand why the two jobs are considered equivalent. Ten minutes of someone's time to deliver my pizza, versus 30 or 45 minutes of someone's time to serve me in a restaurant.

 

As for my post about driving and the vehicle, it seems silly to me for someone to opt for pizza delivery if they don't have a reliable vehicle or a willingness to drive. This is NOT about the economy and what jobs are available where any given person lives. But to my mind, the person who hates heights and throws up at the idea of being more than five feet off the ground probably shouldn't apply for the job of high-rise window washer just because the job is available.

 

 

No one in America is paid equivalently to anyone else. Should a hedge fund manager make more than a pediatrician? One sits at a desk all day pushing buttons on a computer. The other analyzes snot and runs from room to room. What about a teacher? A factor worker? A professional basketball player? A minister? The UPS delivery guy? Jobs in America aren't always compensated in order of importance or skill. Get over it.

 

And it cracks me up that some people say, "Just don't take that job." Yeah. My brother had that attitude too. Until his career disappeared. It's funny what you'll settle for when you're facing watching your kid starve to death. May you never HAVE to take a dumb job delivering pizzas in an unsafe neighborhood. That should be the new Irish prayer or something. Who cares about the wind at your back?!? :laugh:

[Jennifer3141]

I'm not a big user of delivery. But when I do use it, I tip well, 'cause our guys will run by the liquor store for ya as well. :cheers2:

 

 

I'm confused. Why would you leave this magical place?!? :drool5:

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

I think everyone should be making at least min. wage. The tip should be something we give on top of that. A tip implies something optional. It is not. I always tip, except for extremely bad service. If I can't tip, I don't go out to eat. Where we live there is no delivery service, but we used to tip well for that as well.

[mommaduck]

 

 

No one in America is paid equivalently to anyone else. Should a hedge fund manager make more than a pediatrician? One sits at a desk all day pushing buttons on a computer. The other analyzes snot and runs from room to room. What about a teacher? A factor worker? A professional basketball player? A minister? The UPS delivery guy? Jobs in America aren't always compensated in order of importance or skill. Get over it.

 

And it cracks me up that some people say, "Just don't take that job." Yeah. My brother had that attitude too. Until his career disappeared. It's funny what you'll settle for when you're facing watching your kid starve to death. May you never HAVE to take a dumb job delivering pizzas in an unsafe neighborhood. That should be the new Irish prayer or something. Who cares about the wind at your back?!? :laugh:

Pretty much what it boils down to. You made my husband laugh. Thank you!

[DragonFaerie]

 

 

No one in America is paid equivalently to anyone else. Should a hedge fund manager make more than a pediatrician? One sits at a desk all day pushing buttons on a computer. The other analyzes snot and runs from room to room. What about a teacher? A factor worker? A professional basketball player? A minister? The UPS delivery guy? Jobs in America aren't always compensated in order of importance or skill. Get over it.

 

And it cracks me up that some people say, "Just don't take that job." Yeah. My brother had that attitude too. Until his career disappeared. It's funny what you'll settle for when you're facing watching your kid starve to death. May you never HAVE to take a dumb job delivering pizzas in an unsafe neighborhood. That should be the new Irish prayer or something. Who cares about the wind at your back?!? :laugh:

 

So the guy who's delivering pizzas to support his poor starving children should be tipped better than the college kid who's delivering pizza for beer money?

 

I don't think the guy who takes the window washing job tells the boss to pay him more because he's afraid of heights but he's going to take the job anyway because it's all there is.

[DragonFaerie]

I think everyone should be making at least min. wage. The tip should be something we give on top of that. A tip implies something optional. It is not. I always tip, except for extremely bad service. If I can't tip, I don't go out to eat. Where we live there is no delivery service, but we used to tip well for that as well.

 

Again, I'm NOT talking about not tipping. I'm talking about how much to tip.

[mommaduck]

 

So the guy who's delivering pizzas to support his poor starving children should be tipped better than the college kid who's delivering pizza for beer money?

 

I don't think the guy who takes the window washing job tells the boss to pay him more because he's afraid of heights but he's going to take the job anyway because it's all there is.

Not sure where you got that idea? You never know why they are doing the job. She mentioned why people would take a job they normally wouldn't or a job they don't really care for. Most people in this world work in places and at jobs that they don't care for. It's part of life. Anyone with integrity and need of a job doesn't just "not apply" because they may not care for the job. You apply because you know you need to work and you need to take care of your responsibilities.

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

 

Again, I'm NOT talking about not tipping. I'm talking about how much to tip.

 

 

Well I have never done either job, just have friends and family who have done both. The delivery drivers worked around the store when they weren't delivering, often used their own vehicle, and had a delivery time to meet. (Do they still promise fast delivery?) So I think the jobs are equivalent.

[Jennifer3141]

So the guy who's delivering pizzas to support his poor starving children should be tipped better than the college kid who's delivering pizza for beer money?

 

I don't think the guy who takes the window washing job tells the boss to pay him more because he's afraid of heights but he's going to take the job anyway because it's all there is.

 

 

No one ever said either of those things. Legally, should we tip the person working to pay for his family's food more than a teenager in a nice car? Ethically and morally... you might come to a different conclusion.

 

Although I liked the big smile some of those cute teenagers gave us when we tipped a $10 instead of a fiver. Did I personally pause when the older guy came to the door? Yep. My DH and I stood there and thought, "There but for the grace of something!" My kids were fine. They were eating pizza! But did I pause and wonder what his kids were eating? You betcha!

 

It isn't likely but what if the world doesn't need doctors anymore? The world stopped needing travel agents! Or as many lawyers or computer programmers as we had. Who knows what that guy did before he delivered pizza? I never asked him because I was afraid I'd burst into tears if he told me what happened.

 

But now you're into ethics and societal mores. Perhaps you feel particularly fond of teenagers. Maybe your teenage years were especially poignant so you tip a little more to him.

 

I have no idea what window washer you're talking about. I haven't seen anyone here suggest that a person washing windows should go up to his boss and tell him they want more money because they are scared of heights.

 

I did waitressing and bartending in college. And I'll say that I knew EXACTLY who my good tippers were. They got an extra shot in their drinks or a free dessert if we had made too much of something or a free appetizer if the wait was going to be especially long. The managers didn't mind it as long as you didn't go nuts and give away the whole place. They knew that big tips meant the customers were happy and happy customers were much more likely to come back so it cycled around. It always tickled me when I could look at the clock at 6:30 on Tusday night and know that Mr. Johnson would be in for a martini in 10 minutes. Or the Smiths and their 6 kids would be in on Friday at 7:00 after bowling and want 4 pizzas and the teenage boys would eat one each and drink a gallon of root beer and Mom would tip me well because she must have been doing all the running around back at home when she made dinner the night before.

 

DH and I see it when we're the customers now. We have a few core restaurants where servers fight over us. And when we did have pizza delivered, sometimes we got got extra frosting for the cinnamon sticks or whatever. Call it karma. Call it a cycle. Call it whatever you want. But letting go of money with good intentions ALWAYS comes back in some form. That's grace.

[mommaduck]

Jennifer, that was my experience as a waitress.

[redsquirrel]

Reminds of that show Two Broke Girls where the guy says tipping is optional and one of the gals says "so is spitting in your drink". LOL

 

Yeah, as a delivery person and waitress, I absolutely knew who had a history of not tipping. Never actually spit.......

[DragonFaerie]

I'm thinking this was not a good topic to start a discussion about. Either I didn't explain my original question very well or it's just one of those potentially volatile threads that can spin off in too many off-topic directions.

[Jennifer3141]

I'm thinking this was not a good topic to start a discussion about. Either I didn't explain my original question very well or it's just one of those potentially volatile threads that can spin off in too many off-topic directions.

 

 

And I think we all get it. You're cheap and you were hoping for some backup to continue to BE cheap.

 

The thread didn't turn nut that way and now you think it's because we just don't understand. We actually DO understand. Most of us simply don't agree.

 

Keep being cheap. It doesn't bug me. I don't deliver pizza for a living - thanks to whatever powers may be.

 

But if I were you, I'd pick my pizza up so I didn't have to pay something that so clearly bothers me. If you cannot afford the tip, don't order delivery. Easy peasy.

[DragonFaerie]

 

 

And I think we all get it. You're cheap and you were hoping for some backup to continue to BE cheap.

 

The thread didn't turn nut that way and now you think it's because we just don't understand. We actually DO understand. Most of us simply don't agree.

 

Keep being cheap. It doesn't bug me. I don't deliver pizza for a living - thanks to whatever powers may be.

 

But if I were you, I'd pick my pizza up so I didn't have to pay something that so clearly bothers me. If you cannot afford the tip, don't order delivery. Easy peasy.

 

And this is why I'm sorry I started this thread. You're resorting to name calling and ugliness because I asked a question about the equivalency of two jobs and my belief that one does not equal the other.

[Jennifer3141]

And this is why I'm sorry I started this thread. You're resorting to name calling and ugliness because I asked a question about the equivalency of two jobs and my belief that one does not equal the other.

 

 

If you don't want people to think you're cheap, posting something like this an internet message board might not be in your best interest. I don't think of "cheap" as calling some people a name. If I called you an ignorant turd nugget, yes THAT'S a name.

 

You asked a question. Many posters provided answers. You got mad about the answers. Well, what exactly were you looking for? People tried to educate you. You don't want to be educated, you just want to be mad.

[*********]

 

A waiter takes your order and brings over the food. Big deal. I don't feel like that's worth a tip either.

 

 

Uh, I'm assuming you've never waited tables, Wendy? :D

[LMA]

This board has lots of threads about living wages and how minimum wage is not a living wage, etc. But here some say that pizza deliverers or waitresses/waiters aren't worth the tip. So how are these people supposed to have a living wage if we don't tip them? My niece made a decent income waitressing but if she didn't have the tips, she made $3 an hour from the restaurant.

 

There are lots of jobs where tips are expected. And they are not equivalent jobs. A waitress is different from a pizza deliverer but each works just as hard.

 

So does that person not deserve a tip because he doesn't "work" as hard as a waitress. Pizza deliverers work long hours and most use their own cars around here.

[Joanne]

 

 

What I don't understand is why delivering a pizza is worth a 15% tip. I'm not saying they don't deserve a tip. They most certainly do. But I don't think it should be the same as I'd pay if I were actually being waited on in a restaurant.

 

 

 

Working at a low level job for minimal wages is a dynamic that is insidious and often soul sucking.

 

Having fairly recently worked low level jobs for minimal pay, I am exceedingly careful about trying to evaluate who "works harder" or "works less".

 

[Alexigail]

Yes, the driver brings my food to me and deserves a tip. But that's all.

 

 

What?? No, that's not true. I have delivered pizzas and worked as a waitress and this is just not true at all. It is a different job, yes, but delivering pizzas isn't just delivery most of the time. A lot of the time I was working on prep, cleaning, doing dishes, making food for the next day etc. And the assumption is very often that a driver will still get tips to "make up" for not getting minimum wage. Even if there is a delivery charge, you can't assume that the driver is getting all of that. Also, if you're ordering for delivery, I'm assuming that that is saving you the hassle of going and getting it yourself. That's worth something. You just can't make the assumption that one job is harder than another. It's a service, and it's common courtesy to tip at least 15% for that service unless the service is sub par in some way.

 

I'm sorry, but I think it's really shortsighted to assume that someone's job only consists of what you see happening at your door.

[4kidlets4me]

I only tip the pizza guy $2.00. The pizza place is a large chain that is already charging me $2.00 as a delivery charge and it's only a block and a half from my house so he isn't driving very far. I regularly tip waiters 20-25% unless the service in incredibly poor.

[flyingiguana]

Tipping is one of the major reasons I don't like to eat out or get delivery. Figure out a fair wage, pay the wait people that, and charge accordingly. It's less demeaning.

 

An awful lot of those "young kids" hoping to get tips are college grads who also need to pay off their college loans that they got for degrees that now aren't providing them an income.

 

But it's not just wait people who are underpaid, and I'm guessing this board would not want to get into a discussion as to why our food is so cheap and what the labor is paid to grow it. The only reason tipping is a problem for many people is because they actually see the people who are working for slave wages.

[nertsmommy]

Forgive me, I haven't read all the posts. I do tip the pizza delivery person more than 15% because we only tend to have it delivered if the weather is not the nicest and the poor person has to climb 32 steps to get up to our house. I also make sure to thank them very much.

[Parrothead]

If one orders $20 worth of pizza to be delivered and one tips $2, well that is 10%. Three dollars is the equivalent of 15%. So if the OP is only ordering one pizza then the $2 is a bare minimum and $3 is average for tipping. No problem.

 

Some things to think about for tipping a delivery person.

• You could receive sloshed or upside down food.
  
• You could receive cold food.
  
• As has already been pointed out wear and tear on a vehicle plus gas has to be paid by someone.
  
• Delivery is a service. Services must be paid for. In the US it is customary to tip 10-20% for services which include delivery, servers, hair dressers, barbers, taxis, room service, bell hops, bag boys if they take your groceries to your car, etc.
  

The delivery driver does more than simply deliver your food. The same can be said about room service deliveries, grocery deliveries and any other type of service where something is delivered to your door with the exception of Fed EX and UPS. Drivers are not sitting around like taxis waiting to be told where and when to go.

[jujsky]

I remember a thread a while back about how much to tip the pizza delivery driver, and a news story this morning inspired me to look into it. From what I've learned, 15% is pretty standard. 15% is also pretty standard for tipping restaurant waiters/waitresses. What I don't understand is why the delivery driver should be tipped the same as the waitress. Yes, the driver brings my food to me and deserves a tip. But that's all. The waitress brings my food, sometimes multiple courses, brings me drinks, refills those drinks, brings me extra napkins and whatever else I might need, clears dishes as I finish with them, cleans up any spills, etc, not to mention doing all of those things for everyone at the table, including the kiddos. It seems to me that the waitress does considerably more work over a longer period of time than the delivery driver does. Why should they be tipped the same? FTR, I'm not talking about tipping extra for good service or tipping less for poor service or being a "good tipper" versus a "bad tipper." What I mean is why should both services be "worth" the same amount of tip when the driver does considerably less work?

 

 

No, I don't think it's the same. The pizza guy would have to come to my house whether it's 1 pizza or 100 pizzas. It's still one delivery. I don't think tipping 10-15% is reasonable in that particular case (the case of the 85 pizzas -- for one or two I usually do tip about 10% --- most places are close by and we have a short driveway). For what? You drove to my house and brought me pizza. That being said, I WOULD give a bigger tip for 85 pizzas vs. 1 or 2, but NOT a percentage tip. I do think $10 is a really cheap tip. I probably would have tipped $30-$50 for the acrobatic feat of fitting 85 pizzas into his car and bringing them to my door.

 

Waiters and waitresses have a much harder job, and deserve a percentage tip that varies with the quality of service. If I'm going out to eat and the bill is high, I'm still going to give a decent percentage tip if the service was good.

 

Edited to clarify what the heck I meant.

[LaughingCat]

• Delivery is a service. Services must be paid for. In the US it is customary to tip 10-20% for services which include delivery, servers, hair dressers, barbers, taxis, room service, bell hops, bag boys if they take your groceries to your car, etc.

 

 

Just to point out that is also customary that some services that are tipped for are not tipped based on % - bell boys for example or the shampoo girl, or the bus driver at the airport. And I am old enough to remember a time that included pizza delivery too.

 

Now times change and you have to move with them - but I still do not and have never based my tip to the pizza guy by figuring out what I would tip the waiter or waitress because they are two completely different jobs -- and I can treat them differently without being cheap or feeling any angst or anger at delivery people or wait staff :confused1:

 

For OP, I think that is the mistake you are making - comparing the delivery guy to a wait staff. You are not tipping them because they are doing a wait staff job - you are tipping them because they are doing a job that our society has decided should be tipped. Just like you tip your hair dresser because society expects it but you don't tip your plumber or your cashier because society doesn't expect it.

[Parrothead]

 

 

Waiters and waitresses have a much harder job, and deserve a percentage tip that varies with the quality of service. If I'm going out to eat and the bill is high, I'm still going to give a decent percentage tip if the service was good.

 

 

 

 

In the same way I'll tip well even if the wait person is only bringing me a piece of pie and a cup of tea. My total bill might come to $5. I'm not going to tip less than $3. The person still has to see to me.

[DragonFaerie]

Just to point out that is also customary that some services that are tipped for are not tipped based on % - bell boys for example or the shampoo girl, or the bus driver at the airport. And I am old enough to remember a time that included pizza delivery too.

 

Now times change and you have to move with them - but I still do not and have never based my tip to the pizza guy by figuring out what I would tip the waiter or waitress because they are two completely different jobs -- and I can treat them differently without being cheap or feeling any angst or anger at delivery people or wait staff :confused1:

 

For OP, I think that is the mistake you are making - comparing the delivery guy to a wait staff. You are not tipping them because they are doing a wait staff job - you are tipping them because they are doing a job that our society has decided should be tipped. Just like you tip your hair dresser because society expects it but you don't tip your plumber or your cashier because society doesn't expect it.

 

Thank you. You have helped clarify what I was trying to ask. I never thought of pizza delivery as a percentage-based-tip service.

[HRAAB]

I confess I never gave much thought to tipping delivery drivers - a couple dollars for a large pizza and I was good. I had a wake-up call when my dd started delivering pizzas. She does way more than just bring the pizza to the door. Besides all the work she does between deliveries,there is also the wear and tear on her car, getting lost at night (makes mom very nervous),angry dogs, and still making sure the pizza is hot when it arrives at the door. She doesn't have down time between deliveries. I feel pretty bad for taking those drivers for granted and now make sure they get a decent tip.

[swellmomma]

I do not tip pizza guys at all, ever. Well out here there is no delivery anyway, but back in the city the company charged delivery fees, That is the tip imo. If you are going to charge $10 to delivery a pizza 3 blocks than yeah that is the tip. Wait staff in a sit down place I pay 15% but not the pizza delivery driver. Before the company started charging a delivery fee I paid 10-15% tip to the pizza guy but yeah then it changed.

[dakarimom5]

I used to deliver at a steakhouse. I made minimum wage, plus commission plus tips. I made more money delivering than I did when I waitressed at the same place.

[Brilliant]

 

 

This is what I mean. I'm trying to figure out why pizza delivery would be considered the same job, pay-wise, as waiting tables.

 

 

And several people have told you why.

 

The job is time-consuming, gas-consuming, dangerous, and sometimes pays less than minimum wage. You can choose to tip or not (or to order home delivery or not) but I think the argument has been made that pizza delivery drivers absolutely rely on tips.

[Brilliant]

I do not tip pizza guys at all, ever. Well out here there is no delivery anyway, but back in the city the company charged delivery fees, That is the tip imo. If you are going to charge $10 to delivery a pizza 3 blocks than yeah that is the tip. Wait staff in a sit down place I pay 15% but not the pizza delivery driver. Before the company started charging a delivery fee I paid 10-15% tip to the pizza guy but yeah then it changed.

 

 

You should find out who gets the delivery fee. It might not be the driver. If it isn't, I'd complain to the establishment before I'd stop tipping the driver.

[LibraryLover]

Since I've never seen a wealthy pizza delivery guy, I tip well. I'm guessing it's not one of those jobs one does because they love it. I also worry about them going into dicey areas. They never seem to be older than any of my older kids, so I would want my kids to get some bennies if they had that crappy kind of job. We don't have food delivered terribly much, so when we do it, I tell the kids they all need to pony up some tip money. I buy the pizza, they pay the tip. If I get 1 or $2 from each of them, that's a good tip. When a kid driving a pizza car gets an $8-10 tip, that is one happy kid. I like that the local pizza people know we tip well.

 

I am a 20% tipper in restaurants because my dh taught me to be. lol I used to do 15-18. We don't eat out a lot, so it's not a big issue.

[Forget-Me-Not]

One of my younger brothers currently works as a pizza delivery person. When there aren't deliveries to be made, he is helping around the store. I know for sure he cooks, but I imagine he probably also cleans/buses tables, etc.. He is in college and using the money for his expenses (not for "beer money" as was mentioned somewhere up-thread). We live in a fairly spread out area and his route takes him, literally, up to 30 minutes from the pizza place, out to dark, rural areas with dirt driveways/roads and poor or no street lighting. He is paid minimum wage and is expected to pay for his own gas (and other car-related expenses) out of his tip money. One night, an order came in 10 min before the end of his shift and he was required to stay on the extra 90 minutes that it took to make and deliver the pizza, and he got a measly .50 tip for his trouble. Yeah, he was frustrated.

[VeritasMama]

I haven't read all the posts, just my own experience and what we do.

 

My husband delivered pizza for a well known national pizza chain as his second job when we were in college. He also made pizzas, cleaned the place, waited tables, etc. when he wasn't on a delivery. I also have plenty of friends and family members who waited tables in college. He was paid less than minimum wage, but he was given given a per delivery stipend for gas and wear and tear, though it was only $.25 a delivery. I know that when they instituted a delivery fee, part of it went to pay for this. He did get to keep all of his tips though, some pizza places divide all the tips between the employees at the end of a shift.

 

I generally tip $3.00-$5.00 dollars when we have pizza delivered. Usually we just pick it up to avoid the delivery fee and the tip. I tip 20% at restaurants.

[ElizabethB]

We recently watched "America Revealed." One of the episodes showed the delivery paths of pizza delivery cars, it was very fascinating. Actually, the whole series was fascinating:

 

http://m.video.pbs.o...erica-revealed/

[Joanne]

 

Again, I'm NOT talking about not tipping. I'm talking about how much to tip.

 

You are *also* making inaccurate comparisons between jobs and determining what a person "should" get compensated based on those inaccurate comparisons. The content of those comparisons frustrates people.

[Arcadia]

Also, he might be paying for gas for his car from his own money.

 

 

My uncle used to do delivery as a second job and he has to pay for his gasoline. He delivers using his motorbike because it is cheaper and easier park on city streets than if he had use a car. The company gets the delivery fee. He gets to keep any tip.

 

ETA:

"in most cases, the pizza companies are plowing the additional delivery income right back into the till. The delivery fees are not going to the drivers."(Source)

[redsquirrel]

I do not tip pizza guys at all, ever. Well out here there is no delivery anyway, but back in the city the company charged delivery fees, That is the tip imo. If you are going to charge $10 to delivery a pizza 3 blocks than yeah that is the tip. Wait staff in a sit down place I pay 15% but not the pizza delivery driver. Before the company started charging a delivery fee I paid 10-15% tip to the pizza guy but yeah then it changed.

 

 

I would ask if the delivery fee goes to the driver. I would expect it goes to cover the cost the business incurs for insurance, take out containers, some to the cooks etc.

 

And you all do realize that waitresses, bartenders, and delivery people etc are expected to 'tip out' right? If you make tips it is expected in lots places that the wait staff give part of their tips to the kitchen staff, busing staff and bar backs. In other places the tips are pooled and divided among all staff. In some places senior wait staff is given a percentage of the tips of new staff. And in lots of places, the owner collects the tips and then gives out what he or she thinks the staff deserves.

[FaithManor]

I saw that story. I was wondering how much was involved in the delivery..if it was rack transfer, like a caterer or school district does, I really can't see tipping $100. If it was a lot of work in transfering, then yes.

 

There is a school district one county west of here that for a period of two years had "Pizza Friday" at the high school. They ordered every single Friday, 200 large pizzas from a local pizzaria. The delivery driver had to make several trips to get them all there and not.one.single.adult. ever helped carry them in. He had these big bags that would hold 8 pizzas each - heavy to carry - and he made many multiple trips to the car to retrieve the pizzas. The owner was interviewed due to this other story making the national circuit and said not one single delivery person received a tip from the school. Never.

 

Faith

[swellmomma]

 

I would ask if the delivery fee goes to the driver. I would expect it goes to cover the cost the business incurs for insurance, take out containers, some to the cooks etc.

 

 

A few people suggested doing this. Perhaps if I still lived in the city but since I moved away nearly 3 years ago and like I said these is no delivery out in these parts I won't.

[Spryte]

I try to tip the pizza delivery guy very well. Anyone who brings hot food to the door is a hero around here.

 

 

 

I also tip any caregivers of people with pneumonia, WendyK - oops! that was meant for another thread. :)

[mommaduck]

 

There is a school district one county west of here that for a period of two years had "Pizza Friday" at the high school. They ordered every single Friday, 200 large pizzas from a local pizzaria. The delivery driver had to make several trips to get them all there and not.one.single.adult. ever helped carry them in. He had these big bags that would hold 8 pizzas each - heavy to carry - and he made many multiple trips to the car to retrieve the pizzas. The owner was interviewed due to this other story making the national circuit and said not one single delivery person received a tip from the school. Never.

 

Faith

That is disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. I'm so sorry to hear about not just an individual, but an institution such as a school not doing this one courtesy.

[armymomma]

My college boy delivers pizza. He has to pay for his own gas. They deliver one order at a time. With gas prices, if the tip is less than 3.00, he is just covering his gas. Nothing more. He stands outside in the rain and snow. People don't answer the door. They order on the way home and he arrives before they do. He waits. Vicious dogs. Credit cards where people actually write in 0.00 tip. Yes, he is a college boy but is not making beer money, but tuition money. I never tip a pizza guy less than 5.00, they don't get the delivery fee!

[Joker]

We ordered one large pizza today with a side of breadsticks. The total was $15 and I tipped $5. I don't think I've ever tipped less than $5 anywhere. I will also add that our pizza delivery people appear to be hardworkers who really need the job and money. They're also always very nice. They are delivering me lunch/dinner that I can eat in my pjs and so deserve a good tip. I can't eat in my pjs at a restaurant. :tongue_smilie:

 

I also don't see that big of a difference between waitstaff inside a restaurant and delivery drivers. They both do extra work that you don't see. They both are working hard so that you get good food in a timely manner. A waiter runs around inside and a delivery driver runs around outside. They're both busy, working hard, and are deserving of a decent tip.