How Much to Tip Your Delivery Driver
You’ve agreed to order takeout. You’ve even agreed on which restaurant to order from, what to order, and which bottle of wine to open. You might think all the decisions have been made, but there’s still one decision left and it’s one that has led to fierce debate in many households. How much should you tip the delivery driver? Fortunately for you, we have all the answers, starting with a few considerations to keep in mind before you decide how much to tip.
It’s always important to tip
Before we get into the details of how much to tip your delivery driver, let’s just agree on one thing: it’s always important to tip. Many delivery drivers make less than minimum wage, and they’re often expected to pay for their own gas and car maintenance as well. Tips likely make up the majority of your driver’s weekly earnings, so be sure to remember that next time you’re ordering from your favorite local restaurant and don’t forget to tip.
Where possible, cash is king
Lots of delivery apps now include the option to add a tip within the app, but you never know exactly how much of that tip will make its way to your delivery driver. If possible, try to have some cash on hand whenever you’re ordering a delivery meal. Even if you do tip within the app (it’s sometimes required or already included) an extra few bucks in cash will make your driver’s night.
Don’t blame the driver for incorrect orders
If your order is incorrect, it’s very unlikely that it’s the driver’s fault, so don’t penalise him or her by neglecting to tip. Call up the restaurant and ask them to send the correct order (ideally with a discount for the inconvenience) or issue a refund. Then tip your driver as you normally would. If the service is truly bad, you may decide not to tip, but you should be sure to pass your feedback on to the restaurant or delivery app you ordered from.
You might want to tip a little extra sometimes
Our recommendation is the minimum for a standard takeout order, but there are times when you might want to consider tipping a little more. For example, are you ordering takeout during a rainstorm or blizzard? Is there a baseball game on, meaning your driver is probably working extra hard to deliver your order while it’s still hot? Finally, did your driver go above and beyond? All of these are reasons why you might want to throw in a little extra.
How much to tip:
For smaller orders under $10, we recommend tipping at least $2. In terms of a percentage, this may seem high – but remember, regardless of how much you’re ordering, the driver has to come all the way to your house, which takes time and money.
For larger orders, we recommend tipping at least 15-20%, as you would in a normal restaurant. While delivery drivers might not refill your water glass, they do drive all the way to your house so that you can enjoy your favourite meals without even having to leave the house. That’s arguably even more work, so if you ask us, your driver deserves just as much as any other restaurant server.
