Why You Should Always Tip Your Pizza Delivery Driver
Posted: Tuesday, July 04, 2006
by Stephanie Harkins
Tea Review Blog
I sometimes like to spout out a good rant here and there, and I have got a doozy of an issue to lay on your plate this time. The issue would be tipping in general, and more specifically - tipping your pizza delivery driver.
Before I get too far on the subject I would like to say that I have worked as a pizza delivery driver four different times in my life. Twice for Pizza Hut, and twice at Dominos. I have also worked as a waitress. There are generally speaking 3 types of tippers: Those who tip well (either because they choose to for their own reasons or they have worked in a position that has relied on tips as wages before), those who tipped based on their perception of the quality of the service received, and those who don’t tip at all.
Be sure to tip! So it isn’t YOUR fault, but it IS your responsibility to tip your server when they serve you (you can thank Uncle Sam for that). Did they not meet your personal expectations? Too bad, next time cook at home where you don’t have to tip. Tipping is the ONLY way for these people to pay their bills, eat each month, and survive. Their surviving is slightly more important that whether you got your drink refilled fast enough. Don’t like the service? Fine, make a complaint, but you still need to leave that tip. When they raise minimum wages for servers to a respectable level you can then go back to your old ways.
As far as pizza delivery drivers go, this is where I go from rant to frenzied foaming-at-the-mouth mad. Now granted, pizza delivery drivers generally get paid more than servers do. They most generally get at least federal minimum wage ($5.15 per hour) or more. However here’s what gets under my skin. A customer orders a pizza. The delivery driver uses their own car, their own gas, to deliver your pizza to you. Most delivery places will deliver to up to 5-10 miles away, and some (such as our local Dominos) as far as 25 miles away. Down gravel roads, in the dark or in the rain or snow, and trying to get your pizza to you as fast as possible with likely 1 or more other deliveries with them. With the cost of gas nowadays, not to mention the wear and tear on their car, oil changes, etc $5.15 an hour just doesn’t cover it. This is a “courtesy" to the customer.
Be sure to tip! Generally speaking, the attitude of most (if not all) pizza delivery drivers is: If you don’t want to tip, come get your darn pizza yourself. Because delivery drivers are only at your door for 30 seconds or so, you can’t base your tips on “politeness" - what do you expect them to do, shake your hand and bow? Pizza restaurants do not pay for a delivery drivers repairs and maintenance on their car. Did you know that pizza delivery is considered a hazardous job by the US government? They are third most likely to be murdered on the job, right after police officer and taxi driver.
I’m honestly so very happy to say that I no longer work in the service industry. Some customers are truly wonderful - not only being good tippers, but being kind and understanding of their server - as well as seeing the server as a human being, not just an extension of the table. I always have been and always will be grateful to those type of people in the world. But the rest who leave pennies to show they hated the service, or don’t tip at all - those people have obviously never relied on tips before and need a good wake-up slap in the face!
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Stephanie Davies is a 27 year old Missourian with a loving husband and an 8 year old son. She currently owns and operates her own business, Mystickal Incense & More, which sells handmade candles, incense, bath & body products and other handcrafted products at http://www.mystickalincense.com
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More commentsIn large part I agree with you - however, I too worked in the service industry; I waited tables for 7 years & know how much servers rely on tips to pay their bills (rolled many coins at the end of the month). There were times that I ran my butt off for a customer ("runners") only to be treated to no tip or a handful of change (a few times scattered about the table, in food, cups, etc - loved it when the Baptist Convention came to town, they were the WORST to wait on & the WORST tippers). That is why it irks me when I go to a restaurant & get crappy service & the server expects at tip. I don't believe I should tip for someone who is not putting forth an effort. As a former wait-staffer, I observe their activity at other tables to see if they are slammed or not while I am dining. And if my glass sits empty while they are restocking their station or socializing with their co-workers, then they don't deserve a tip. Sorry. But I'm not paying part of their salary, which is what a tip is, for them to ignore my needs. I work for my money too and if I don't meet my deadlines, I won't continue to get paid. That being said. . . . if they are attentive or slammed ( & can't be attentive) or new (you can always tell if they're new), then I tip generously. As for pizza delivery drivers, I've never done that job before, but I always tip a min of $5 because of where we live.
If you DONT tip you end up on TipStiffers. com there is a consequence for being retarded.
Well you should get a better job than delivering pizzas don't you think?? and the people ordering the pizza already pay a delivery fee why pay extra to you when that is your choice of job.
Do you tip a pizza delivery driver the same amount as a waiter -- 18-20%?
Honey, I hate to tell you this, but it is NOT the "responsibility" of the consumer to make up for the lack of salary one gets paid in the food service industry. You are not "due" a tip; those who receive tips are those who go above and beyond their usual duties. In other words, just because you show up at my door with a pizza in your hand doesn't mean you DESERVE a tip from me. I agree that those in the food service industry have very low wages and that they "rely" on tips from the general public. I've certainly BTDT myself. I believe restaurant owners are obligated by law to ensure your salary equals that of minimum wage, should your tips not be adequate enough to do that. Food service personnel do not "deserve" more than minimum wage; after all, what kind of intellect does it require to set a plate of food in front of someone, or a drink, or to deliver a hot pizza to someone, with all the right side items and drinks, napkins and condiments? There are some waiters and waitresses and cocktail servers and bartenders who make almost as much as physicians and attorneys do, in some of the nicer restaurants and country clubs. Anyone who tells me it is "my responsibility" to make up for their lack of salary, particularly when they oftentimes show up late, with the food cold, the order wrong, and an indifferent attitude at best, all I have to say is wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which one gets filled up the fastest. If you don't like the money you make delivering pizzas, then get an education and get a better-paying job.Absolutely! I could not agree more! Ms. Davis is obviously an emotional person, without too many critical thinking skills. Her first notion would indicate that I, as the customer, have a moral obligation to make up for the lack of marketplace equity in the restaurant businesses. Or, to make up for the fact that many Administrations have displayed no concern for the minimum wage. That sector seems to think that "tips" are a given....I think not.First, I live two miles away from Dominos, and occasionally order from them. Dominos pays their driver inadequately, uses their car and fuel, and morally sees fit to give them minimum wage. In addition, Dominoes charges a $1.50 delivery fee, which then makes my "additional fee for service" as $3.50 for a ten-dollar pizza, if I give 20% (which I almost always do.).However, in the event of cold or burned food, rude, employees, forgotten items, etc.....I will deduct from the tip. I will not get into the "blame the only possible victim around" mentality. Stephanie, give up your negative view on life, and put all your energy into educating yourself into a different position. I did it at age 45, then went on to graduate school. And....get in touch with the world as it is today. Most everybody suffers in some way. While it may not seem that way to you, most people are losing a rather significant percentage of their income. I use the word percentage because THAT IS A REALITY. The person who makes $200k a year, who has lost 30% of their salary, can have just as much anxiety during these times, as if you lost 30%.Right now, you are part of the problem....not part of the solution....because of your mindset.full info on tipping--- 1) its not a delivery charge its a store service charge--- 2) the driver gets 0-35% of that charge the comp. gets the rests--- 3) cost of divery is gas,car expenses,and the preping,making,washing of your dishes,taking your order and oh ya bringing it to you as far as the driver(just so you know he dosnt just drive) and for the comp. extra ins. and a average of 20min of min. wadge pay--- so no tip means driver makes less than min. wadge---why charge? not realy fair to pay the same amount as carry out people pay---the comp pays $2.25 average pay plus higher work comp ins. to have dilvery servace available to you and the driver has $2.25 average expenses to get it to you- he gets payed min. wadge so no tip means he makes less than min. wadge--- so if you dont like the fee and tipping you can talk to corperat about there policy, get it yourself or keep the driver(and his son) in poverty cus. the driver is the only one you can hurt never the comp. but thats life the rich get richer by making the poor poorer(im a single dad and i cant afford to order a pizza,,,sorry son)i just wish i could get a tax deduction for doing charity work cust i feel like meals on wheels not a delivery person and thats just sad!!!
I'm owed, I'm owed... so off to work you go ... and pay my way .... I'm owed, I'm owed .... Can you hear the tune of sooo many people that have this everyone owes me attitude. I call this the "poor-man" mentality. A mentality that everyone, or the majority has money and should give it away even when it is truly not deserved
I don't think the driver should get tipped for delivery. Yes, it can be a dangerous job, but that's a career choice. Do you tip the police officer when he pulls you over? The convenience-store clerk?I tip wait-staff since they tend to me personally, like making sure my coffee is filled, my table is cleared, the order is taken correctly, etc.If anything, we should tip the person who made the pizza (AFTER I've tasted it.) Not the guy who jumps out of his car (which he writes off or gets paid mileage), runs to my door for a minute and gone the next.We're already paying delivery fees (which is the way to companies get back what they pay) and yes, the drivers do sometimes get a small portion of that besides his wage.So, at the risk of needing my pie inspected for DNA, I say we should STOP tipping drivers for doing nothing more than their job. Rather hard for them to offer services above that.(Or, to be fair, tip every delivery that comes to your door. UPS and would love that!)fI delivered pizza for a couple years when i was in college. The Pizza guy uses his own vehichle and gas. The UPS driver is using a company truck where he gets paid alot of money. The Police use city vehichles, nothing comes out of their pockets. Are you dumb or just stupid.!!!! Trust me when i say if you dont tip the driver, he will let people know you are a cheap SOB!! Whether its tampering with you food or just letting it sit out to get cold. I would be in no hurry to deliver your crap maybe an hour or longer. Guess what your gonna do!! Go somewhere else!!! The Pizza man owns your ass so you might as well pick it up or tip the guy well. Be a freakin man by using your name CHeapAss!!!My sentiments exactly Bill!once about a time there wasthis @#$@#&*a place that deliverd. it charged a fee so it could pay its dvers.the people started to stop tipping the drivers. one day all the drivers came down with th 2 week flue.he store couldnt deliver and the people had to go et there own pizzas. after that the divers never all got sick at the same time ever again.can you tellme why? .. they now could afford nyquill...you dont know what you have till its gone...food for thoght
If you don't want to work in the service industry, don't.If I don't want to tip you, I won't. (I almost always do unless you provide terrible service)Basicallly, we all make our own choices in life. I have no obligation or responsibility to tip you. You have a responsibility to yourself to make your own choices: if you don't like it in the service industry, get an education and get a decent paying job. Don't try to tell me what I'm "obligated" to do.
As some others have mentioned, I used to be a waitress myself. There are situations will I will NOT tip. If my server is standing in a corner socializing with his/her friends and then acts annoyed just to come and take the order, along with an attitude for the rest of the meal. . . sorry--no tip. Get another job. If he/she is super busy or the food isn't good (not his/her fault) I have no problems with that, but don't stand behind the bar talking about your party plans for that night while I can see my meal waiting...waiting...waiting to be delivered and expect a tip.
ok all dilivery people quit..let them get there own pizzas...then everyone will be happy...dont know what you got till its gone
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