Question: Should I Tip Delivery Drivers?

[retiredbosn]

one thing the wife and I always do also is tip in cash even when paying the bill by card. We use our atm/debit card for everything usually little cash on us but if we go out to eat we always make sure we have bills to leave a tip. I don't like leaving it on the card because I don't trust owners that they will put that into the servers check or how ever that whole system works.

Great point. BTW where my son works wait staff are paid something like 2.80 an hour + tips, until the tips exceed minimum wage then the 2.80 goes away, I don't think its right maybe not even legal, but that's how he's paid.

[Sam]

We always have tipped the pizza delivery guy.

We do not tip the UPS or Fed-X guy.

Tips are tax free.

Enjoy them!!!

[SirSnookalot]

Cash tips work out real well for the employer, less of an hourly wage to pay and probably no healthcare, pension or other bennys. Waitstaff are independent contractors, employers probably pay no workman's comp, the employee may be on their own due to an injury on the job. I'm not sure if the waitstaff gets a w-2 ,1099 or files quarterly estimates, if it's the last 2 the employer again probably pays nothing in to Social Security. A portion of cash tips should be reported as income and such SS taxes are due, in the event the employer paid nothing, the waitstaff pays the entire 14%, being a self employer independent contractor. Skirting the taxes is a red flag, sometimes it waves.

I'm not a CPA but I spent 40 years as either an independent contractor or business owner in cash business. To my knowledge I never met anyone including myself that was 100% above board, it's the nature or the game, I ran to the mailbox for 40 years in fear of getting a "letter". The downside is Soc Sec collection time,(if there is one for the next generations) one is going to have a greatly reduced benefit.

In the end, working for tips isn't so good, unless a really fantastic income is derived or a hs or college student.

[Fishing Rhino]

We don't have food delivered, but from what I've read, it's the owners who make out by skimming the tip, or portion thereof that the driver would have received by adding a delivery charge.

But, speaking of deliveries, should we tip the UPS or FedEx driver when they drop off a parcel?

What about the tip canisters on the top of the counter at Dunkin Donuts and other establishment where you place your order, and pick it up yourself at the counter?

[tyrius.]

this is a great thing. i do the same b/c i worked in the industry. servers do get the credit card tips however they are taxed. cash tips are not taxed so you do them a huge service (it is up to the waiter to report his/her cash tips).

The only way they're not taxed is if they're not reported and if they're not reported then you're lying on your tax return.

That's not something that I condone so I'm not going to pay you in cash so you can avoid paying your share of income/social security/medicare taxes.

[tyrius.]

If we actually get food delivered then we always tip. The only circumstance where we wouldn't tip is if the food was very late and the company did nothing about it. If they comped the food or gave half off then I'd tip the driver. We hardly ever get delivery though because the places that we order from are so close that it doesn't make sense to pay the delivery fee and the tip. We can just pick it up on the way home from work or run out quick.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

one thing the wife and I always do also is tip in cash even when paying the bill by card. We use our atm/debit card for everything usually little cash on us but if we go out to eat we always make sure we have bills to leave a tip. I don't like leaving it on the card because I don't trust owners that they will put that into the servers check or how ever that whole system works.

I do prefer cash tips. Like others have said, you dont have to claim them. I do keep track of them and I claim a good portion but Uncle Sam has no way of knowing how much cash I made. I would be very surprised if many people who make cash tips claim all of them.

Great point. BTW where my son works wait staff are paid something like 2.80 an hour + tips, until the tips exceed minimum wage then the 2.80 goes away, I don't think its right maybe not even legal, but that's how he's paid.

Im pretty sure its legal. In most restoraunts minimum for servers is around 2 or 3 bucks. As far as delivery drivers, most make less on the road. I make minimum in the store but only like 3.50 on the road.

But, speaking of deliveries, should we tip the UPS or FedEx driver when they drop off a parcel?

What about the tip canisters on the top of the counter at Dunkin Donuts and other establishment where you place your order, and pick it up yourself at the counter?

Ups and FexEx guys, no. I guess I propbably would but I can't remember the last time I was home or awake when they dropped a package off.

As for tip jars, yes. Dunkin Donuts or Subway or whatever. Usually only a dollar and the coin change. I tip delivery people more because gas is really expensive and waitstaff more because I know they're only making 2 something an hour.

[Root beer]

this is a great thing. i do the same b/c i worked in the industry. servers do get the credit card tips however they are taxed. cash tips are not taxed so you do them a huge service (it is up to the waiter to report his/her cash tips).

You know, if you find a $100 bill on the road, you're suppose to claim that as income on your tax form. No one does it, but "found money" is taxable income when reported. My point? If that taxable, so are tips paid in cash. lol Anything that constitute as income is taxable, no way around it. Money you made from yard sales, peddling drugs, etc is all taxable. It just a matter of how you report it or not report it. I could care less whether one reports their cash tip or not. I rarely carry cash, so all of my tips are written on my card and in theory there is a paper trail. Sorry if you waited or delivered me and you're one of those that don't report their tips in cash.

[I.rar]

We always tip.

There was one time at a restaurant where we had some food and drinks but the service was absolutely terrible. The only tip that waiter received was a half a dollar bill and some change.

[mod479]

I delivered furniture for 10 years before taking my current job.

I can count the number of times I got a tip on my fingers and toes. Cant tell you how many times customers watched me fall, trip, sweat buckets putting their stuff together and where they wanted it. Never asked for a tip once in those 10 years.

Here's the conclusion I came to after many days of busting my ****...the people who legitimately have money to burn will almost NEVER tip. The guy with his shirt falling apart and off his back will give you his last fiver.

/Glad to be done delivering.

[Jake P]

I love giving when I can, as much as I can. Pizza guys get 5-10. Waiters/waitresses get anywhere from 15-30 with good service depending on the Bill of course. For my wife and the Bill is usually 50$ Max. To go orders don't receive tips from me. I don't see any real work being done. My wife on the other hand tips everyone in a restaurant provably because she has worked in the business for 8 years now.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

I delivered furniture for 10 years before taking my current job.

I can count the number of times I got a tip on my fingers and toes. Cant tell you how many times customers watched me fall, trip, sweat buckets putting their stuff together and where they wanted it. Never asked for a tip once in those 10 years.

Here's the conclusion I came to after many days of busting my ****...the people who legitimately have money to burn will almost NEVER tip. The guy with his shirt falling apart and off his back will give you his last fiver.

/Glad to be done delivering.

Thats very true. And for the record, Ive given movers and and people delviering furniture 15-20 dollar tips. They're destroying their bodies hauling a heck of a lot of weight that I definitly don't want to.

Im glad to hear that so many of you give good tips. I kinda assumed that most here would because its a good group of people here on the forums. In this business you learn to read people pretty well. Like 9 out of 10 times, if i take someones order over the phone, I can tell whether or not they're going to tip.

[clayton86]

Wow that's crazy with the furniture delivery. I used to install and deliver granite countertops and got tips all the time usually they would give us 30-100 depending on the crew we had and just tell us to get lunch/beers on them. I only did that for like 9 months but tips were common. Same goes for when I worked at the paintball field private party's would tip me as a Ref biggest tip I got was 120 for being the only Ref for a party of 40 12 year olds shooting eachother.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Wow that's crazy with the furniture delivery. I used to install and deliver granite countertops and got tips all the time usually they would give us 30-100 depending on the crew we had and just tell us to get lunch/beers on them. I only did that for like 9 months but tips were common. Same goes for when I worked at the paintball field private party's would tip me as a Ref biggest tip I got was 120 for being the only Ref for a party of 40 12 year olds shooting eachother.

I wouldn't make it as a paintball ref. I'd end up shooting the 12 year olds.

[clayton86]

I wouldn't make it as a paintball ref. I'd end up shooting the 12 year olds.

Who says I didn't................... Them little brats would play on or shoot me and I'd grab a gun coming off and shoot them lol

[Tuckahoe Joe]

lol....nice. show them little punks whats what.

[SirSnookalot]

I've done my share of tipping to people in a wide range of occupations, including furniture deliveries, but kinda always wondered why. Unlike a pizza deliverer, an individual working for furniture store is not using their own vehicle, gas, and spending money for insurance and maintenance. The employee is investing their time and energy for a wage, whether it be hourly or salaried, not saying that it's easy work, but all work has it's own difficulty. Do people tip stockroom help when they purchase groceries, tip the pharmacist for filling a script and typing out a label?............no because those people are doing their job and being paid by their employer, it's no different than someone delivering furniture.

Before going in business for myself I worked for scrap metal company, handling drums weighing many 100's of pounds each often times without the aid of a forklift, most stops were at least 10,000#, driving the trucks as well, not easy work by any means. I never got a tip, nor did I expect one, I was paid a wage. Carrying a couch with 2 guys, wheeling in a dresser on a hand truck and so on IMO isn't all that hard, sure an entire house of furniture gets delivered once in a while, but mostly not. I'm sure I'll tip them again, but it really isn't my responsibility, they are not on my payroll.

[BASSclary]

I kinda wish more people tipped the insiders at pizza places as well. Especially on Fridays when they can see us working our butts off. We do most of the work, the drivers only deliver them. We do make more than the drivers for base pay, but not much. On the inside we make 7.25, and drivers make like 6.10 on the road. Im not saying we need 5$ tips for carryout, but a dollar here and there for soda's really does brighten my day.

[retiredbosn]

I kinda wish more people tipped the insiders at pizza places as well. Especially on Fridays when they can see us working our butts off. We do most of the work, the drivers only deliver them. We do make more than the drivers for base pay, but not much. On the inside we make 7.25, and drivers make like 6.10 on the road. Im not saying we need 5$ tips for carryout, but a dollar here and there for soda's really does brighten my day.

Put a tip jar out if you don't have one already. If there is a tip jar I typically throw a buck or two in. I pick up a lot as the pizzaria is only two blocks from the house and pay with a debit card often when I get the receipt for signature the tip area is already filled in at 0, don't know if it's policy or what, no tip jar either. But the local Five Guys burgers, best burgers in town btw, has a tip jar which I use.

On a different note and maybe an idea for some enterprising individual, there is a local guy that will deliver your food from anywhere!. Call him, he is in the yellow pages with the pizza joints, I can't remember off hand how it works, don't know if you prepay the restaurant with a card and then tip him when he delivers or what. But he will deliver anywhere and anything, I used his services once as at that time we were not in the delivery area, he brought it out and of course he was tipped generously from our short conversation at the door he is very busy and typically doesn't get stiffed.

[BASSclary]

Put a tip jar out if you don't have one already. If there is a tip jar I typically throw a buck or two in. I pick up a lot as the pizzaria is only two blocks from the house and pay with a debit card often when I get the receipt for signature the tip area is already filled in at 0, don't know if it's policy or what, no tip jar either. But the local Five Guys burgers, best burgers in town btw, has a tip jar which I use.

On a different note and maybe an idea for some enterprising individual, there is a local guy that will deliver your food from anywhere!. Call him, he is in the yellow pages with the pizza joints, I can't remember off hand how it works, don't know if you prepay the restaurant with a card and then tip him when he delivers or what. But he will deliver anywhere and anything, I used his services once as at that time we were not in the delivery area, he brought it out and of course he was tipped generously from our short conversation at the door he is very busy and typically doesn't get stiffed.

We're actually not allowed to have a tip jar, ive suggested that before. Go figure. Its either they fill in a tip on the receipt, or cash. I actually made a dollar today in tips, I was happy so I could get a soda from the back

[Tuckahoe Joe]

I kinda wish more people tipped the insiders at pizza places as well. Especially on Fridays when they can see us working our butts off. We do most of the work, the drivers only deliver them. We do make more than the drivers for base pay, but not much. On the inside we make 7.25, and drivers make like 6.10 on the road. Im not saying we need 5$ tips for carryout, but a dollar here and there for soda's really does brighten my day.

I sometimes get tips when Im handling carryout customers. Usually they're written in on credit card slips. Dont get too much cash on the inside. Were not allowed to do a tip jar either. I wish I still made 6.10 on the road. I used to when I lived in Baltimore and worked for a coorporate store. Then I moved and all the stores around here are franchise so the standards are a little different. Your right about insiders working extra hard when its busy. I enjoy helping out on the makeline and all but when its a crazy busy weekend, Im usually pretty relieved when my delivery is ready. Its kind of like I get to take 20 minute breaks all night long. If I had to stay in the store all the time, I'd go crazy.

[clayton86]

The one pizza shop I like the best over my wife's favorite has a tip jar I usually throw what ever ones and change I have never less then 2 dollars for the simple fact you pointed out they are the ones busting there butts.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Did ok on tips tonight but this one lady really got me mad. So I get to this house and theres 2 little 8 y/o girls in the yard. I always try and talk to people kids when I deliver so I say "is this pizza for you?" The one girl says it is and pulls out a 20. I've had small children pay me before (usually their parents are standing right there though) so I figure "ok...I guess the parents gave the kids the money to pay me" so I tell them the total is $14.82 and they give me the 20, take the pizzas and run off to the house. Now I always give the customer change but if they walk away without saying anything, I assume that means 'keep the change'. So I put the 20 in my pocket, get in the car and head back to the store. When I get back, my manager is like, 'hey Joe, that lady said you didn't give her any change". So basically, I ended up having to go all the way back to give it to her. Went from thinking it was a 5 dollar tip to not getting anything and having to burn up extra gas for my trouble. Im not saying shes not entitled to her change, but if she would have just dragged herself off the sofa and away from the tv to pay for her food instead giving her money to a small child, the situation would have played out a lot differently.

And as long as were on the topic of children, why do people insist on calling for pizza while sitting in a room full of screaming kids? I can't stand that. Im trying to hear what your saying but all I here is the noise your kids are making. Either that or people are placing their order and yelling at their kids at the same time.

[Scorcher214]

I delivered for a a few months too. My place charged $3 for delivery. I'd have bad nights too, where ya do 10 deliveries and only get like 10-11 dollars out of them. Other days ill make 20 in two deliveries. It's how it goes. As a driver, I always tip 3 at least.

I remember I delivered to this one guy, total was $14.96. Handed me $15 and told me to keep the change.... Also had one guy ask for change back, exact change, like .36 cents. Got all mad when I didn't have. I'm not required to carry it. Not about to deliver pizzas with a fanny pack full of change.

Also, do you guys tip the dudes that dry your car at a carwash?

[Stasher1]

I delivered inflatable bounce houses, water slides, cotton candy/sno-cone/spin-art machines, etc. for birthday parties a couple years ago, and usually received decent tips...especially since we made it a habit to show up with a dozen balloons for the birthday boy/girl. If a bounce house was scheduled from 10am-8pm, the ones that tipped would have their pickup time extended to 9pm, 10pm, or sometimes the next morning, if they were a (good) repeat customer. The ones that stiffed us got to see the big white van roll up 15-20 minutes early.