Tipping Pizza Deliverymen

Wow! If this thread has taught me anything, it is to increase my tip. I always tip 20% in a restaurant, but my pizza person get a standard $1, because I assumed they got the $1 I got charged extra by the pizza joint. And, I assumed they got mileage. This on a usual $10 pizza.

You have to remember I live in Akron, OH. so the million- dollar+ houses are a long way from here.

But my new tip will be $2. And I’ll keep track of how fast I get delivery. Let’s see if it makes a difference.

I usually tip between 3 and 5 dollars. I relate somewhat because I drive for a living myself, although I am not a delivery person. When I’m short on funds and can’t afford a tip, I order carry out, and pick it up myself (no problem since the local Pizza Hut is only about 1000 feet from my apartment).

I tip at least $2 if the pizza gets to me promptly, more sometimes if that’s the way the change works out. If it takes much longer than an hour, though, I won’t tip. At restaurants I tip very well, 20-30% at least, unless the service is bad. I was not aware that pizza delivery people were being paid less than minimum now, though - I had friends who were doing pizza deliver who were getting over $6 an hour when minimum wage was $4.25, and I always figured it was a pretty cushy job, for something that didn’t require any special skills or schooling - you get to sit down for a good portion of the time, which was something I didn’t get to do at a lot of jobs that paid less.

I may change my tipping habits now that I know this (though I may verify it with my local delivery place), but I will still refuse to tip if it takes a while. Yes, sometimes it’s not the deliveryperson’s fault, they may have delivered a half-dozen pizzas before mine. I figure they should expect to get tipped more for the first few than for the last, especially when the pizza is already cold.

I did delivery time back in the college days. Oh the aggravation.

Here’s some more ways to make your delivery guys’ life less of a living hell:

  1. Have your money and coupon ready. Why do people order pizza and then act surprised when it gets there? Speaking of coupons, tell the guy you have one when you’re ordering or at least don’t get beligerant when you’re quoted the full price and blurt out “But I have a coupon!”

  2. If you’re at a business like a hospital with lots of people, leave word that you’re going to order. I used to stand around at the hospital for 20 minutes waiting for them to find the person who ordered.

  3. If you’re going to stiff me, don’t try to make smalltalk about the weather to ease your guilty conscience. Also, don’t say “Man, it’s really coming down out there” when I’m standing in the rain soaked to the bone.

  4. Put highly reflective, big numbers on your mailbox. You would be amazed at whole streets that have no numbers on them. It’s even worse on main throughway streets where the driver can’t slow down to look.

I hate Best Buy for other reasons. But thanks for another reason not to like them. :D:D

Ah, but did you give him a knowing look afterwards when you delivered to his house? And get bigger tips? :D:D

Off topic, but dammit, I started the thread! :D:D

[ul]
[li]Addresses[/li]Poor placement - My subdivision is a good example of bad addresses. The numbers are in gold characters and mounted on the door. The porchlight does nothing to illuminate the numbers.

Spelled-out numbers - “Fifty-seven Hundred Fifty” is hard to read from 50 feet away, especially in a gold-colored Script font.

(This is a bitch to city gov’t, not customers) Even/odd - Most municipalities put even address on one side and odd on the other throughout the city. But there are the occasional streets where they reverse it.

Poor contrast - Gold letters on white doors. Or this new classic: the number is “chisled” into a sandstone colored block set into the house siding. But nothing further is done to the number to make it stand out. Even aiming a Q-Beam spotlight on it doesn’t help.

[li]Paying[/li]Check not written out - Sorry, we gave you 30 @!#?@! minutes to do it.

Children paying - invariably also when they don’t have enough for a tip.

Credit cards - OK, but tell the store first. we drivers don’t carry imprint machines nor modem connections.

(Minor) Writing a check, then looking 3 minutes for cash for the tip - the tip can be written into the check. we do get credit for the full amount of whatever you write.

[li]Being there[/li]Ran to the store, thought they’d be back in time - 30 minutes is just an estimate. It might take only 15.

Took a shower after ordering - really, I won’t be offended if you’re dirty. I’d rather you be there to answer the door.

[li]Entry codes - If your security system keys off of your name and not apartment number, please either tell us your name, or just the entry code.[/li]
[li]Phone numbers - don’t give us your FAX number. it’s not pleasant getting a modem squaeal in the ear in case we need to call.[/li]
[li]Ordering[/li]Know what you want before you call - Although I’m a driver, I often answer the phone at the store between deliveries. Spending 5 minutes waiting for you to poll all your friends is 5 minutes longer someone else has to wait to get the pizza I’ve been routed for.

Are you in our delivery area - if you’re unsure, ask first. We’ll gladly direct you to the store that will serve you if we can’t. Please don’t order, then have us find out we don’t deliver to Pennsylvania Ave NW.
[/ul]

The state mental hospital was within my delivery area (That would be Western State Hospital, for any of you in the Lakewood, Washington, area.). I once had a delivery to the criminally committed ward and had to wait while they checked in a guy wearing lots of chains, and not for decoration.

Amateur my ass.

I love these crazy pizza stories … keep 'em coming!!

As for tipping, working as a barista (and one who put the show and flair into that trade, as is so seldom seen in this day of Starbucks and McCoffee) I appreciate a tipper! Given that, I tend to tip high. It pays off! Places I frequent recognize me and I tend to get if not better, at least friendlier service (although in most cases better too).

I lived off my tips solely for 2 months one summer… working at a business where the average order was around $2.50 … and I do mean live (rent / hydro / food / entertainment / etc.)

I wish someone would do that to me. But then, my favorite pizza is chicken and jalapeno. :slight_smile: I can’t stand pepperoni on delivered pizzas anymore. Makes for one greasy, soggy ass mess.

When I worked at the VA, the entire ward staff would often order out because the cafeteria was closed. Because of the hassle of finding our ward, and because, well, that’s just the kind of people we are, we’d figure out total bill, plus tax, and each person would kick in a dollar or two (usually two). So, the delivery person would get a tip of about twenty dollars or so for the entire order.

If I pay by check, I’m always very careful to note if I put the tip on the check. This is because my brother, who delivered pizzas for a week, was stiffed more than a few times by people who did put the tip on the check, but management did not notice this when they put the check in the deposit bag. It also lets the delivery person know he’s not being stiffed.

Robin

It sounds like they had a screwy system if he didn’t get his tip.

At my store, we’re basically middlemen. When we check out, we’re presented with an amount that we have to pay, equal to our delivery total minus our commision. We get full credit for all the checks and charge slips, so any tips on them is reflected in more on the cash side. E.g., if I only had one delivery for $15.03 and the customer gave me a check for $17.03, I’d be charged $15.03 - 4% = $14.63. I’d present the check, and I’d have a $2.60 credit which they’d pay me, which represents my tip and commision.

I’m usually pretty good with tips ($3-$5 for deliveries, and $16-20% in restaurants) but just tonight I got the crappiest service/ripoff ever from this chinese place we order from at least once a week. My roommate and I usually get one appetizer, 3 entrees, and rice for two. Depending on what we order it comes to $22-$24 plus their $2 delivery fee. I usually give them $30 and leave it at that.

Tonight we call at 6:15. The lady says 45-60 minutes and does not quote a price. Roomie and I put together 30 bucks and sit down to watch Ebert and Whats-his-face. At 7:30 the food’s still not here. I call to see if he’s left yet, she says he’s on the way. We watch the end of 60 Minutes. We watch the Simpsons. Still no food. Roomie calls to see what’s up. The lady tells her that the guy is on the way. At 8:45 he shows up and says it’s $38. I disagree about the price, he says I must have “the old menu” - which is the same one we ordered from last weekend. I ask to see the new menu. He goes back down to the car to get it. I had decided not to bother with the food at that point, but Roomie is starving so she gives the guy $38. He leaves, I look at the new menu, which does in fact have new and improved prices, rice is a nickel more, and each of our entrees is 35 to 50 cents more. I haul out my handy calculator and discover that the total should be $26.05. I call the delivery number and the guys says that they can’t do a refund tonight, how about we take a credit on our next order? He seemed hurt when I informed him that credit probably wouldn’t be useful since I doubt I’ll be ordering again from him any time soon. He then told me that it would be at least 2 hours before he could get back here. The place closes at 9:00 so I called his bluff and said I’d still be up in two hours, and that I expected to see him by 10:45. He was here in 10 minutes. He didn’t even apologize when he gave me my money back. Definitely not getting a tip, or my business in general, any time soon.

Wow now I know why the pizza guy always smiles whenever he leaves after me and Mrs. Tiki tips him. Our order comes to about $11 and some odd change. We always tup at least $3 maybe more if the person is nice. Now when we go outt o a place like say Applebee’s we always tip minimal 25%. Oh yeah we are broke ass college students also who don’t get a dime from mommy or daddy (well me anyways). I know what it’s like to work like that and have people treat you all poopy like.

I am a great tipper. I always tip at least $5 and if the delivery person is nice I add a few dollars. I am always polite and friendly, I get REALLY good pizzas because of this. I had one bad night, I was writing a check for my pizza and I wrote it for the exact amount but had cash for the tip. I only had a certain amount in bank so I couldn’t add the tip to the check. Well before I could hand the delivery guy the tip money he just dropped my pizza on the floor and walked away. I called the pizza place and complained, they were very apologetic and sent another guy out with a fresh pizza. I was so glad they did that I tipped the guy $20. I told him to be sure to tell his fellow delivery guy about the great tip! I never cheat delivery people though, ordering Chinese one night I realized I was low on dollars so when the guy got to my house I asked if he would mind change, he smiled tightly and said not at all. He was shocked when I handed him $10 in quarters.
I’ll be honest though, until I read this thread I thought I was a bad tipper. I just knew everyone tipped at least $5, I thought I was being cheap.

True story:

A friend of mine was supposed to be coming over to my house later in the evening, and he was bringing a friend, I guy hadn’t met. I was feeling lazy, decided to order a pizza, but I didn’t have enough for a tip. I decided, “Hell with it. I always tip a buck or two, this one time I’ll stiff the guy. Heck, odds are at least 50-50 he’s a jerk, or yells at his dog, or something, right?” Guy brings the pizza, 9 dollars and change, I give him ten and close the door.

Two hours later, my friend shows up, with his friend. Who just got off his shift (you guessed it) delivering pizzas. Same guy I had stiffed earlier in the evening. The only time in my life I activly wished for an anyeurism. Needless to say, my tips since then have always been as generous as I could afford.

Use a chunk of habanero.

I tip a couple of bucks. Don’t significantly increase it for multiple pies, unless order is quite large. Is there a reason delivering 2 pies “costs” the driver more than 1?

Also, what are the economics of a delivery charge? Should that affect the size of your tip?

My favorite joint is a short car ride away. I generally prefer to pick up myself.

There are some serious management issues if your food costs are running 40%!!!

I managed 2 pizza places, one was a chain, one was a stand alone shop, and at both places, we kept food costs at less than 25%, except for one period when dairy prices went up and cheese became more expensive. Even then it only added 2% to our overall costs.

Then again, are you working for Domino’s or Papa John’s? I could see the 40% being correct considering the low cost to the customer of the food ordered there.

I get the message: ALWAYS tip the delivery guy, no matter what. I don’t think I’ve been guilty of undertipping, but I’ll sure pay a lot more attention in the future.

I always tip well in restaurants. The place I usually go, where we had the most recent Seattle Dopefest, is owned by friends and we’re regulars so we know all the waitstaff too. At least 20%, regularly. And of course we always get great service.

But here is my burning question: Do you tip when you pick up carry-out?

My husband always does, usually $2-3. I never used to, all they’re doing is taking two steps to pick up a bag and give it to me. Now I sometimes do and I sometimes don’t and I’m really conflicted about it.

So help me out. Do you tip for carry-out?