How much to tip the pizza delivery person?

Question

I'm 25 and no joke- I've never had pizza delivered. My parents always went to pick it up when growing up because they didn't want to waste the money to tip the guy (and because the pizza place was only 2 miles away).

I'm going to order two pizzas + breadsticks for delivery tonight, what's a good tip for the pizza person? Is $5 good or should I go for more/less? Is there a rule of thumb or is it just basic generosity?

Thanks in advance for the comments!

Answer 1

I follow the same rule as you would a server.  You would tip a waitress 15 to 20% to walk your dinner to your table.  Why would you not give the same consideration to a person who DRIVES YOUR DINNER TO YUOR HOUSE?

Answer 2

15% - 20% is fine.

Answer 3

I usually do 15% or more if they are really fast.  Definitely more if the weather is crummy (rainy, snowy, etc.).  I view it like being served in a restaurant and my tipping the server.

Answer 4

Depends on how much the order is. I usually tip 4-5 dollars for two pizzas.

Answer 5

MYTHS AND TRUTHS OF PIZZA DELIVERIES AND TIPPING:

To those who said to tip nothing, I hope you enjoy your pizza the next time it's delivered to you, cuz there might be something "wrong" with it that you may not know about.  Trust me, there are spiteful people out there.

Drivers do not get paid well, nor sufficiently, to cover their costs.  You should consider a driver the same as the wait-staff in the restaurant... you tip 15% "regular" ... ranging from 10-20% for poor to great "service."  This idea that you tip "per pizza" is also ridiculous.  You tip on the TOTAL VALUE OF THE BILL... just as if you were figuring the tip for the wait-staff.

Oh, and the "Delivery Charge" IS NOT A TIP!!!

MOST of that charge goes to the Pizza place to covers things like INSURANCE for the drivers, and the "cost" of having the drivers OUT of the restaurant on the road.  In our place, we charge the customer $2.50 delivery charge, and only $1.60 of it goes to the driver... to COVER THE COSTS that he/she has for using THEIR OWN CAR.  Not all pizza places have company-owned vehicles.  The "expenses" of the driver's PERSONAL vehicle is not JUST the costs of gasoline, but wear and tear, and THEIR OWN insurance.  Yes... MOST insurance companies, if you use your OWN vehicle to deliver pizzas, add additional premiums onto their PERSONAL INSURANCE to cover the additional exposure.  The insurance that the pizza place pays for is only LIABILITY.  These added insurance premiums can really add UP!  This is why I STOPPED delivering pizzas.  WAY back, some 13 years ago, I started by delivering pizzas, and even when the price of gasoline was WAY LESS than it is now, I was spending over $60/mo on gas alone, and my tips were certainly NOT covering even THAT, plus my added insurance.

PLEASE, folks out there, have MERCY on these delivery drivers!  They are NOT making money "hand-over-fist" doing this.  For most of these people, this is a second or even THIRD job to help them make ends meet in their own lives.  WHY would you begrudge them a decent TIP?  Their base hourly wages are not much more than what we COOKS get paid... and the wait-staff.

Oh, and don't blame the driver if things go wrong with your order, even lateness!  A late order is often the fault of the cook who makes the order WRONG, and has to make it again, adding a second "make & cooking" time to your order.  Don't blame the driver for the cook's problem.  And if you do not give proper delivery instructions (wrong address, hard to find, etc.) don't punish the driver for something that's YOUR fault!  Furthermore, if the delivery time is given to you as "35-45 minutes," say, that is an ESTIMATE, and NOT a guarantee!!  Even Dominoes has ended their 30-min delivery guarantee because it was causing TOO MANY ACCIDENTS on the road.  FINALLY, if you are calling in your order during the PEEK DINNER HOURS (between 5-7pm) DON'T expect 30 minute delivery, especially on Fridays and Saturdays, their busiest days of the week. If you do, and you get your pizza in an hour, trust me, the pizza place is working as HARD as they can to keep up with ALL the orders (delivery, pickup, dine-in), and everyone's orders during those PEEK HOURS are going to be slow.  Don't punish the driver!!!

So, in short, whatever your bill comes to, add 15% for "regular" tip, 10% for bad service (which really is RARE actually!), and 20% for "good" service.

Have a polite day.

Answer 6

A friend who delivered for Domino's for 20+ years (really!) said that less than 3 to 4 dollars was not enough, so I think you're in the ballpark. You'd want to do better if you live out in the country, up 4 flights of stairs, etc.

Answer 7

Five bucks is alot. I usually give them the change left over and 2 dollars.

Answer 8

ok men...In my country we don´t need to tip....But  around the world the people give 10%.

Answer 9

don't bother.

in a restaurant is different. But home delivery don't get any tip.

Answer 10

Just like a restaurant. If he's a little early & nice 20%. On time or a little late & nice - 15%. Late & nice - 10% late & rude - zippo.

Answer 11

Nothing, they are already paid to do their job.

Answer 12

Five dollars is fine, that's what I usually tip. Its easy that way because I can just hand them a five dollar bill and take my pizza. Be sure to thank them too!

Answer 13

i always tip $2 no matter what i order!

Answer 14

I never do, that is their job, they are getting a paycheck for delivering it to you.  

Answer 15

$2 to $3 is good.

Answer 16

$5 is perfectly fine.

I tip $3 for one pizza.  

Answer 17

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Answer 18

Depends on how big the order is. If it's a couple of pizzas and comes to around $17.00 then give them $20.00. If the total is $21.00 give them $25.00. Just kinda round up to the next five unless it's a really small amount. I don't give them over $5.00 and some change. Just remember that the pizza guys/girls do remember you and if you are kind and tip well they'll make sure you get your order in good shape and as quick as they can safely get it there the next time you order.

Answer 19

$4 is average. You don't really have to tip based on how much you orde unless it is a very lage order.

Pizza drivers make minimum wage and almost none of the delivery charge goes to them. Please keep in mind that they have to pay for their own gas.

Answer 20

$3 - $5 would be about right in my opinion.

Answer 21

i usually give them $4-$6. mainly to help with gas.

&& it also depends on how long it took for the pizza 2 arrive.  

Answer 22

I usually tip $5.00

Answer 23

like 15%, i can't tell you without knowing how much pizza you ordered.