Need a tipping guide to figure out how much should you tip pizza delivery?
With the growing popularity of food delivery smartphone apps, there are more options than ever to have food delivered to your door, especially during the pandemic.
And, of course, there’s still traditional pizza delivery from your favorite pizza joints like Dominos, Pizza Hut, Little Caesars Pizza, Papa John’s, and Papa Murphy’s.
You probably are wondering how much to tip pizza delivery? While most people tip 15 to 20% of the total bill, there’s no set rate for tipping, so it usually is determined by several factors.
We’ll break down those factors here so you know that you are treating your delivery person fairly, no matter the time or circumstance.
Is the weather bad outside?
Take the weather into account when trying to determine how much to leave for tip.
For example, if you don’t want to pick up your pizza because it’s raining outdoors, leave a few extra bucks to your delivery driver for the convenience of getting your pizza dropped off.
So instead of leaving 15%, consider leaving 20% for tip for your driver.
That means if your total bill was $20, then instead of leaving a $3 tip (15% of $20), leave $4 (20% of $20) for your driver delivering during inclement weather.
How far did the delivery driver travel?
One pizzeria could be right door to your home, but another pizza shop may be across town. Take this into consideration, because a pizza delivery driver has to travel a longer distance, use more gas, and should get a higher tip than one who just drove down the street.
So if you want to order from your favorite pizza shop that is across town, consider leaving more than 20% for the delivery driver delivering the pizza for you and saving you time.
Is it during a big sporting event?
It could be the big fight night, and you cannot imagine having your watch party without some large pepperoni pizzas, cheesy garlic bread, and wings.
As you place your order, you should know that the driver is going to have a few orders on his route.
If the food makes it on time (or even a few minutes late), it’s good to go the extra mile by tipping 25% of the total order for getting the pizza delivered on time.
Did you order close to closing time?
There are times when you might be ordering a pizza close to closing time.
Even though the restaurant is still technically open, your order might be causing the delivery driver to stay late for his shift.
If your food arrives on time and the delivery driver has a smile on his face despite the inconvenience, consider offering up a few extra dollars their way to show your gratitude.
Is your order wrong?
One thing to remember that it’s is not your driver’s fault if your order did not come out right.
You can follow up with a phone call to the pizza restaurant and tell them about the mistake so they can rectify the situation.
However, don’t skimp the delivery driver for this as it isn’t technically their fault. The only time where you should scale back on a 15% is if the driver is super late or delivers your food to the wrong address.
Why Should You Tip Pizza Delivery Drivers?
You might be wondering if you need to tip your pizza delivery person.
After all, you paid for the order and the driver is getting a paycheck, right?
Well, just like restaurant servers, delivery drivers depend on these tips to make ends meet. Here are three reasons why you need to tip the delivery person.
1. They don’t make much
Most restaurants know that pizza delivery drivers are tipped employees, so they generally earn minimum wage.
The other challenge with these delivery drivers is that they only work during meal times, so most aren’t even making a full-time income.
An average tip for pizza delivery of 15% will raise their pay to $11 per hour (on average), so you can see how tipping can make a difference for the driver – and motivate them to bring your food to you in a timely manner.
Think of your tip as a convenience fee, since the driver is bringing the food to you, you don’t have to get in your car and go pick up your pie yourself.
2. They incur a lot of wear and tear on their cars
Most delivery drivers use their own car for delivering pizzas right to your door.
That means they are paying out-of-pocket for expensive gas, car insurance, and putting wear and tear (plus mileage) on their vehicle.
Any tip that you give to these drivers goes a long way in minimizing some of these expenses.
3. They are often very busy
Traffic can be absolute madness during specific events, holidays, and even during the dinner rush hour.
If you order food on a holiday (or even an unofficial holiday like Super Bowl Sunday), you will be having a great time with your family and friends, but the driver will be on the road working to serve you.
It is good to reward that commitment and even dole out a few extra bucks to your driver during holidays to show them their good spirits won’t go unrewarded.
What a Pizza Delivery Driver Thinks
Let’s hear from the source themselves. Here are questions and answers from a real pizza delivery driver.
How much to tip for pizza delivery when there already is a delivery charge?
Most people wonder whether it is right to tip when you are already paying a delivery charge.
In most cases, the driver will receive a small amount of the delivery charge.
On top of that fee, it is customary to tip 15% to 20% for good to excellent service from the driver.
If you want to be sure about the delivery fee before you account for your trip, you can ask the restaurant how much is going to the driver.
Should you tip less if the driver is late?
You should still tip the driver if he is late by a few minutes. However, if they are over 30 minutes late then you should definitely consider only giving a 5 or 10% tip.
While the delay could stem from a hold-up in the kitchen or a traffic block, it isn’t always the driver’s fault. So be sure to leave the delivery driver a tip, always.
Should you tip less if the order is wrong?
If the order is wrong you should still leave the driver a tip and get the order corrected by calling the store.
How much should you tip for large catering orders?
You should still leave a tip if it’s a catering order. Some would argue you could leave a 10% to 20% tip since catering orders are much higher than regular pizza orders.
Why are delivery fees so much?
Delivery fees are higher due to the expenses and wages that come with getting pizza delivered right to your door.
If you do not want to pay for high delivery fees then you can opt to pick up your pizza from the restaurant.
Can you use your credit card for tip?
Usually, pizza delivery drivers would prefer a cash tip. But if you sign your receipt and add a tip using your credit card, that still works.
Using apps like Instacart, DoorDash, Caviar and UberEats
Tipping remains the same across all of the delivery applications like Instacart and Caviar and all other delivery app jobs. For normal tipping, you can give 15%, with a minimum of $3. For great service, consider tipping 20%, and give 10% for poor service.
Things to Remember
- Should I tip for pizza delivery? If there is a problem with the order, remember that it isn’t the driver’s fault. You shouldn’t take it out on the driver and work things out with the restaurant. You should tip the delivery driver the usually 15 to 20% and take it up with the pizzeria.
- Don’t blame the driver for being only a few minutes late: There could be a massive traffic jam on the road that makes the delivery driver late with your food. Remember, you have an option of going to sit in the traffic yourself, and you chose to avoid that by ordering your pizza for delivery. So don’t ruin the delivery driver’s day by skimping them on a tip.
- The truth about delivery fees: Most of these drivers get 50% (at most) of the amount that you pay in a delivery charge and the other half goes to the restaurant.
The Bottom Line
The main difference is that pizza delivery drivers have to use their money – for car wear and tear and gas expenses – to deliver your pizza. Therefore, you have to make sure that you tip these pizza delivery drivers at least 15 to 20 percent.
With this tipping guide, you now know how much to tip your pizza delivery driver. These workers make most of their money from the tip, so appreciate their effort by tipping them fairly.
