I’m becoming more and more of a New Yorker (despite my efforts to fight it), so I’m ordering in more and more. I’m not sure what to tip the delivery guys. Should I take into account the distance from the restaurant? (I’m in the outer edge of most delivery zones.) How about the number of stairs climbed? (I’m in a six-floor walk-up.) Thanks for your responses.
Do they charge for delivery in NYC? I forget. Here in Chicago most places charge $2 or so for delivery–I usually tip at least $1 extra, but I only tip much more if delivery was extra speedy or if the weather is horrible. If there were no delivery charge I’d probably tip 10%.
Neither of the places I order from regularly have delivery charges and I generally tip between $2 and $4.
I use the standard restaurant %15-%20 rule, rounded to the nearest dollar. Add another dollar or two for bad weather or if the guy came on a bicycle. So for a $12 pizza:
$2 standard tip
$3 if raining or the guy came on a bike
$4 if raning and the guy came on a bike
I don’t think $16 is too much to pay for a pizza delivered to my doorstep on a dark & stormy night.
I usually know what I’m purchasing and how much it’s going to cost. When I order a large pizza and a order of wings that comes out to sixteen something. I just give the delivery person a twenty and be done with it. They get the change I was going to get anyway. I’ve never ordered from places that have a delivery charge though but I usually tip about four bucks. Keeps them happy, keeps my food safe and I’m usually their first stop rather than the fourth or fifth.