# Tipping the movers
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [March 11, 2011, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330 "2011-03-11T20:52:41Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2011, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/1 "2011-03-11T20:52:41Z")
Ok, at extreme risk of starting a shitstorm :D, I am going to move in a couple weeks. No biggie, small 1 bedroom apt, one flight of stairs down (none IN) , lots of books, not much furninture.
I know one does tip, but how much? A $20? Fifty each? 😕
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### Author:  [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/2 "2011-03-11T20:54:26Z")
I would say, 20.00 each (given to each personally, not to the supervisor to split), plenty of cold beverages (plain water, soda, diet, gatorade) and an offer to pick up lunch (subs, pizza, etc).
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### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/3 "2011-03-11T20:55:22Z")
I’d say $10 each for every room and flight of stairs, so $20 each is probably sufficient.
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### Author:  [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/4 "2011-03-11T20:58:38Z")
> [@Glory](#):
>
> I would say, 20.00 each (given to each personally, not to the supervisor to split), plenty of cold beverages (plain water, soda, diet, gatorade) and an offer to pick up lunch (subs, pizza, etc).
Pretty much what I did five years ago. It was three professional movers with their truck, hauling my heavy goods across town. I helped them load the truck and unload it, and I was whipped by the end of the day. I bought them a couple of good quality pizzas and some sodas for lunch, and at the end of the day I gave them each a $20 bill. Those guys worked _hard._
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### Author:  [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/5 "2011-03-11T21:22:21Z")
When we had movers for a smallish apartment, we provided water, Gatorade, and pizza, and $20 each for two movers. They probably spent about 4 hours dealing with our shit, so not a bad tip, IMHO.
Joe
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### Author:  [@n00b420](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/n00b420)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/6 "2011-03-15T19:37:21Z")
20.00 each is a good tip for a 2-3 hour job.
4-6 hours 40.00 tip
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### Author:  [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/7 "2011-03-15T19:44:49Z")
Do movers stick to just soft drinks these days? I’ve always broken out some beer a about halfway through the move when the big stuff was already moved and they were busy with boxes of kitchen stuff and books.
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### Author:  [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/8 "2011-03-15T19:56:21Z")
Just beer. Hell I don’t ever even pack the bar, me and the mover’s just finish that off before we head to the strip clubs after dropping off the load at the new house.
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### Author:  [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/9 "2011-03-15T20:02:18Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#):
>
> Just beer. Hell I don’t ever even pack the bar, me and the mover’s just finish that off before we head to the strip clubs after **dropping off the load at the new house**.
No need to euphemize it. We’re all adults here.
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### Author:  [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/10 "2011-03-15T20:38:27Z")
Everyone seems in agreement so far but I will warn that you might want to limit the beer. Not only do you have to consider your move, but even if you wait until after the move and they blow over on the way home you could be on the list of those sued.
I vote for softdrinks/water for the move and cash so they can buy their own beer if that’s what they want.
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### Author:  [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/11 "2011-03-15T20:41:58Z")
> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> shitstorm
> [@wheresgeorge04](#):
>
> shit
> [@Omar\_Little](#):
>
> dropping off the load
Hey, I didn’t start it.:dubious:
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/12 "2011-03-16T03:11:20Z")
Great ideas, dudes, thanks!🆒
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### Author:  [@A.Gwilliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.Gwilliam)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/13 "2011-03-16T10:19:26Z")
Dumb question by stupid foreigner:
Why do you all consider it necessary to tip movers?
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### Author:  [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/14 "2011-03-16T10:24:41Z")
> [@A.Gwilliam](#):
>
> Dumb question by stupid foreigner:
> Why do you all consider it necessary to tip movers?
Same here, you are paying them anyway aren’t you?
When we moved I think I made them some coffee and got a pack of hob-nobs out. they seemed happy enough with that.
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### Author:  [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/15 "2011-03-16T10:58:57Z")
We were just pro moved. Didn’t tip them, but we did buy lunch (party tray 1st day, pizza 2nd) for them because of the remote location we were leaving.
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### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/16 "2011-03-16T13:48:48Z")
> [@A.Gwilliam](#):
>
> Dumb question by stupid foreigner:
> Why do you all consider it necessary to tip movers?
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#):
>
> Same here, you are paying them anyway aren’t you?
Tipping movers is not [socially] compulsory like tipping waitstaff or [food] delivery-persons. It’s not something they necessarily expect, but they’re performing a physically taxing service for you involving your personal items. It’s a nice thing to do if you can afford it and is always greatly appreciated, as being a mover is generally a low-paid, difficult, often high-pressure job.
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### Author:  [@A.Gwilliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.Gwilliam)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/17 "2011-03-16T16:17:05Z")
> [@DCnDC](#):
>
> Tipping movers is not [socially] compulsory like tipping waitstaff or [food] delivery-persons.
Wait, what? Do you mean that you also tip supermarket staff delivering your food to your door? :eek:
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### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/18 "2011-03-16T16:40:30Z")
> [@A.Gwilliam](#):
>
> Wait, what? Do you mean that you also tip supermarket staff delivering your food to your door? :eek:
I was talking about the pizza/chinese food guy, but if I did use the grocery delivery service, yes I would toss him a couple of bucks.
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### Author:  [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/19 "2011-03-16T16:55:02Z")
> [@A.Gwilliam](#):
>
> Wait, what? Do you mean that you also tip supermarket staff delivering your food to your door? :eek:
Well I’ve ordered groceries to be delivered to my home before through a company called Peapod and you are supposed to tip the driver, yes. He wasn’t supermarket staff though, he was a delivery driver.
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### Author:  [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-movers/574330/20 "2011-03-16T16:56:24Z")
> [@A.Gwilliam](#):
>
> Wait, what? Do you mean that you also tip supermarket staff delivering your food to your door? :eek:
_blink_ Of course. Why wouldn’t you?
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