how much do you tip for restaurant delivery? (flat fee, house)

[ehmom]

What's the going rate these days? I usually tip around $3 - although sometimes that seems a bit generous for delivering a $18 meal to my home...

[kletter1mann]

Originally Posted by ehmom

What's the going rate these days? I usually tip around $3 - although sometimes that seems a bit generous for delivering a $18 meal to my home...

That's a hair over 15%. NOT generous if you plan on using them regularly and expect continued good service. Tip these guys well and they'll bend over backwards for you. Such has been my experience with literally thousands of delivery pizzas and (Italian stuff, wedges, etc.). By being known to tip 20% my delivery guys will leave other customers hanging to get me my stuff. If service punctuality and going the extra mile is unimportant to you then by all means go with 15%.

[ehmom]

Well that's a good question - do people give a percentage of the check when tipping for delivery, or a flat fee?

In a restaurant I usually tip around 20% - but there I'm being served throughout an entire meal, often by a group of people (if you count bussboys, etc). I don't really think of the service involved in a meal delivery as the same thing. Although maybe I'm in the minority here.

FWIW, I haven't noticed when I tip more that I get faster delivery (or worse delivery when I tip less). I just want to do the right thing by the drivers.

[kletter1mann]

Originally Posted by ehmom

I don't really think of the service involved in a meal delivery as the same thing. Although maybe I'm in the minority here.

FWIW, I haven't noticed when I tip more that I get faster delivery (or worse delivery when I tip less). I just want to do the right thing by the drivers.

Depends on how often you use the same place and whether you want to receive preferential treatment. If you want to get preferential treatment then you need to establish yourself as a premium customer. Otherwise you're not. For me that's critical. Hence, I tip as a percentage and the delivery guys (and repeat-use restaurants) trip over themselves to get us our stuff fast and hot. FWIW, my wife disagrees and follows the flat-fee approach. She also figures she'll never see the same guy twice.

[bg7]

I give a flat fee for delivery - $3. If its raining or blowing a gale etc, I'll go up from there.

[bmwguydc]

If it's a small order on the order of $10-$20, I will give a minimum of $5, and adjust upwards depending upon the size of check, number of things in the order, and driver. If it's a regular delivery person who is punctual and polite, I am more inclined to give $10. I never go below $5, no matter how small the order.

[ShouldHaveLeft914]

I tip 50%, and I tip $10 at the minimum.
They are not overpaid waiters who get paid 20% to walk 10 feet with a plate of food.
$10 is not to much to ask to drive to your god damned house in the middle of winter, for chrissakes.
Gas prices are $4/gallon.

[Finnishmum]

I am relocating to the area soon and keen to understand a bit more how tipping works. I know this is a big thing in the USA and a sure way to offend if got wrong. However, this really isn't something that happens in UK or Finland, the two places I have lived for extended periods of time, and I will be completely honest it would not have occured to me to tip a food delivery person $10. I admit I am completely ignorant here - do they not get paid to do the delivery job? Do they have to pay the car & gasoline themselves rather than being paid by the restaurant they work for? No-one here tips drivers, good service is seen as a way of securing your repeat custom rather than you going elsewhere, the drivers are compensated by their employer & drive restaurant's cars etc.

Bit of an open question - what else should I tip for when we arrive? And how much? I knew about restaurants from hols to US and have always doen 20% there (in UK norm is 10%), tipping at a bar & taxis.

The only other tips I do in the UK is for our cleaner, it is not the norm but she is brilliant so I tip her generously twice a year at Christmas and before her main holiday (I wish I could move her over too!). In Finland, most people don't even leave tips at restaurants and it really isn't expected.

These are just cultural differences and different ways for people to be compensated for, so please don't think I am ungenerous. I am just trying to find out what the norms are there so I do right by people, I most certainly do not want to offend them!

[ponytrekker]

Originally Posted by Finnishmum

I am relocating to the area soon and keen to understand a bit more how tipping works. I know this is a big thing in the USA and a sure way to offend if got wrong. However, this really isn't something that happens in UK or Finland, the two places I have lived for extended periods of time,

In those two countries people get paid a living wage and have national health care. Not the case in the states.

In fact waiters generally do not even get paid our rather low minimum wage. So tip 15-20% if the service is good. I would stick to that rule (and maybe round up to avoid change) for delivery people and cab drivers.

[jjre]

ShouldHaveLeft914,

Where do you deliver out of?