# What do you tip a pizza guy? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 18, 2004, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712 "2004-07-18T19:48:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/21 "2004-07-19T01:04:48Z")
Sometimes I pay for a delivered pizza on my credit card (the driver brings the two-part receipt for me to sign). There’s usually a line for a tip. Does the driver care if I put the tip on the credit card, or do they have a strong preference for a cash tip? ---
**Author:** ![tygerbryght](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@tygerbryght](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygerbryght)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/22 "2004-07-19T01:21:23Z")
> [@OtakuLoki](#): > > I usually go with 10%. I’ll tip more when I can afford it, but for me the norm is 10%. The thing of it is, I think you’re asking on the SDMB is asking the high end of the pizza customer bell curve. > > I do know that one time I was short (about a buck) for a pizza order, my usual delivery person told me no problem and she’d cover it for me. Somehow I suspect I may be more generous than most. I tend to agree that on SDMB you’re probably getting the upper half of the curve, at very least. In the last ten years, I lived first in Ann Arbor, then (now) in “suburban” (hah!) Mississippi. In both places, I’ve always gotten very good service from drivers who remembered me, and I tip $1 per pizza. I suspect that at least some of those who are accustomed to tipping higher live in areas where the CoL is high. Had I lived in W. Bloomfield instead of A[sup]2[/sup], I suspect it would have taken something much closer to $2/pizza to get the same eager service. 🙂 And ditto were I now living in Madison, MS, instead of one of the blue collar suburbs. A[sup]2[/sup] is a college town with a very high percentage of foreign students (and next door to another college town where many of the students come from blue collar backgrounds), so lots of their customers either can’t afford as much, or don’t understand our customs. And of course where I’m now living, in modest sitdown restaurants (e.g., Shoney’s), the waitstaff see enough flat tables and $1/person tips that 15% seems like a big spender, much less ~18% or so. My final conclusion is that it depends on where you live, and whether your neighborhood is primarily po’folks or yuppies. :dubious: 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_You_Big_Red_Fire_Engine)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/23 "2004-07-19T02:31:38Z")
[hijack] > [@presidebt](#): > > waiter makes considerably less than minimum wage, where I live $2.11 an hour, whereas pizza delivery people make at least minimum wage and get reimbursed for milage. I must admit, I now understand this tipping phenomenon. $2.11 :eek: That’s nuts. That’s so crazy. Here it’s AUD$8+ It all makes sense now. Why would anyone work for $2 bucks an hour? 😕 [/hijack] Obviously, because of my lack of knowledge of tipping ettiquette, I have no idea what I would tip them. Perhaps something along the lines of [Good wage per hour (minus) his wage per hour] multipied by percentage of hour taken for full delivery. let’s say, reasonable wage = $8, his wage = $4, Time taken = 45 minutes… (so 8-4)\*0.75 = $3 I’m going too much into this aren’t I. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/24 "2004-07-19T02:40:01Z")
For a $23 pizza, delivered in a timely fashion, I’d tip $5 (loose 20%). ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/25 "2004-07-19T02:47:02Z")
Buck a pizza (or item). Which is usually about 3 dollars. ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/26 "2004-07-19T02:53:01Z")
Maybe I should clarify, two pizza’s and cinnamon stuff is about 18 dollars here. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/27 "2004-07-19T02:57:50Z")
Just ordered a $16 pizza, tipped $2. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/28 "2004-07-19T03:46:14Z")
> [@AbbySthrnAccent](#): > > Maybe I should clarify, two pizzas and cinnamon stuff is about 18 dollars here. That clarifying statement confuses the hell out of me. Is it one of those Southern U.S. things that mystifies everyone else, like rye whiskey with mint? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/29 "2004-07-19T03:48:15Z")
(In my defense, the location field doesn’t show when you’re replying to a message. I still don’t get it, though. What “cinnamon things” get delivered with pizza in Texas?) ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/30 "2004-07-19T04:25:08Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > (In my defense, the location field doesn’t show when you’re replying to a message. I still don’t get it, though. What “cinnamon things” get delivered with pizza in Texas?) Domino’s, I think, has cinnamon bread sticks with a dipping frosting, meant as a dessert item. ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/31 "2004-07-19T04:26:53Z")
$0.00 - since I live in Australia there is no expectation to tip. Thank god. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_You_Big_Red_Fire_Engine)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/32 "2004-07-19T04:47:59Z")
> [@antechinus](#): > > $0.00 - since I live in Australia there is no expectation to tip. Thank god. Hence my post above 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/33 "2004-07-19T17:22:41Z")
How does the inclusion of a “delivery charge” in the price affect your tipping? I still give the $1/pizza; but I am less enthusiastic about it since I’m also paying a delivery charge. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/34 "2004-07-19T17:27:17Z")
$5 each delivery. More if it’s a ton of food. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/35 "2004-07-19T17:52:00Z")
I’m in the UK, and if I’m paying with cash, I’ll round up a bit (depending upon service); if I’m paying by card I don’t tip, mainly because paying by card indicates that I don’t have cash on me. ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/36 "2004-07-19T18:15:07Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > That clarifying statement confuses the hell out of me. Is it one of those Southern U.S. things that mystifies everyone else, like rye whiskey with mint? Several pizza places down here in addition to pizza and salad serve some sort of cinnamon, bread stick/dots/roll type thing with icing for dipping. At one place it is like breadsticks topped with cinnamon and sugar, at another it’s more like cinnamon rolls. I apologize for the confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Spurious\_George](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Spurious\_George](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spurious_George)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/37 "2004-07-19T18:23:51Z")
> [@qts](#): > > … if I’m paying by card I don’t tip, mainly because paying by card indicates that I don’t have cash on me. Why does having cash on you or paying by card change the tip the delivery guy deserves? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/38 "2004-07-19T19:14:53Z")
> [@Spurious George](#): > > Why does having cash on you or paying by card change the tip the delivery guy deserves? There’s no room on the card slip that I sign for a tip for a start, but beyond that, I’m not entirely sure. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/39 "2004-07-19T20:31:42Z")
3-5 bucks for 2 pizzas. More if the weather is bad. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712/40 "2004-07-19T21:48:25Z")
I usually tip $2 on a normal order (one pizza, sometimes breadsticks or suchlike). Another question for pizza delivery types: is it better to tip in cash or in the check? Am I making it hard on you when I put the extra $2 or $3 in the check total? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-tip-a-pizza-guy/255712.md?page=3)