SL explains most of it. I just bought a couch, loveseat, chair, ottoman and a couple end-tables a couple weeks back.
It’s being delivered this week.
Does one tip the delivery people? And if so, how much is standard?
Furniture will need to be carried up one flight of stairs, if that matters. Also, I’m in the US.
It depends.
If it’s the guy’s from the store, no.
If they’re contract workers, yes.
I always tip delivery people. I don’t know if it’s expected or not, but no one has ever refused.
I have a tip ready. If they aren’t dicks they get the tip, if not it stays in my pocket. I also always ask if they want a cold soda, water or juice.
I never have, for the same reason I tell our customers NOT to tip my delivery people (if they wanna toss the guy some cash, fine, but as a policy I ask them not to, I also won’t add it to the bill, and personally don’t accept a tip when I do deliveries*) my guys (and your furniture delivery people) aren’t waiters, they make at the very least minimal wage, and probably more then that, so I don’t feel compelled to give them more money, especially when I already paid someone a ton of money for the delivery to begin with.
*the only time I accept a tip is when it’s something that called in very late, as in, "Can you deliver a lunch to this place 45 minutes away, and be there in an hour. And even then I split it with the people that MADE the lunch in 15 minutes.
ETA, I just made it sound like were a pizza delivery place or something. No, we cater lunches into office buildings for sales reps.
If I get charged for delivery I don’t tip. If delivery is free I tip depending on if they were careful with what they were moving, for example, not banging my walls, not the dropping the furniture, everything being in excellent condition, the order being right, etc.
I’ve only had furniture delivered a few times and it never occurred to me to tip. Same deal on the 3 occasions we had movers. Is it so wrong to assume that people doing a job are being paid for whatever they’re doing?
I expect if a delivery involved walking up and down several flights of stairs carrying heavy stuff, I might think differently. But a ranch? Nope.
Last month I bought a dishwasher. The store told us to be at home from 9AM. The delivery guy showed up at 9PM.
He did not get a tip.
No tips, no beverages, no borrowed tools, please keep your shoes on and don’t ask questions about stuff you see in my house.
My rationale, these are people who get paid to deliver, they also should know how to keep themselves fed and watered and to mind their own business.
But if you want to tip go for it!
I’d never even heard about it until reading a previous thread about it. It’s never occurred to me either.
A votre here for cold soft drink and juice on hand (perferably that they can take away and consume at thier leisure) also cookies.
If there is something difficult about the delivery, or they amazingly impressed you in some way tip, otherwise don’t bother.
I never knew this was expected. Now I feel bad. I’m a big fan of tipping, but I thought these guys make a decent wage and that it wasn’t a regular practice.
Shit.