Restaurant Delivery Charge and Tipping Driver

My Son & my Husband have both been delivery guys. The delivery charge is sometimes given to the driver or just a portion of it. Lots of places use the delivery charge towards packaging of to-go foods, as that is an extra cost to them. So, you really can't count on that to go to the delivery person. I am a bartender & tips ARE optional. But, I find 99% of people tip. I have never asked for a tip, ever.I always tip the delivery driver. I know that if I don't, my next order might not arrive the way it should.

First of all, you need to report that deliveryman to the owner of that business. NOBODY HAS TO TIP. He should never have said that to you or anyone else. However some restaurants keep the delivery charge for themselves because they gas their own vechicles for the delivery people to use. Other places split the delivery charge. A tip is something earned for prompt, hot delivered food with good service. I have friends that give 20-2 percent tip for their pizza plus orders. It sometimes comes to $5.00 or more.

What everyone has said is generally right-each store is different but most restaurants pay their drivers less than minimum wage or minimum wage because the restaurant expects the driver to supplement his/her hourly wage with tips. However, tips are optional and based on service-for instance i always ask what the delivery charge is and if a portion goes to the driver (my husband was a delivery driver in college and got min wage and so many cents per mile he drove to cover gas and wear and tear on the car-without tips he would've been destitute though). Then I usually give between $2 and $4 per order.

YET every driver knows that it is totally inappropriate to demand a tip-I would've told him to stick it, AND called the restaurant and complained and calmly told them they should explain their tipping practice, because it is up to your discretion how much, if anything, you tip.

The driver does not get the delivery charge. It goes to the store. The driver should get a tip, however, this guy was rude and did not deserve one in my opinion. It is more expensive with the delivery charge and the tip, but that is the price we pay for convenience.

I know a new business in Sarasota county that will deliver food to your door from any restaurant, for FREE, no delivery charge, tips only.

The two should not be confused. They are two different charges. One is a store charge and the other goes directly to the driver.

Delivery charge = They delivered it; doesn't matter about the proximity. They still had to schedule the driver to deliver it. This fee is usually a surcharge from the store and usually is not given to the driver. It is an added cost because it is not something that you would have incurred if you were dining in.

TIPS = Acronym meaning "TO INSURE PROPER SERVICE". TIPS go to the driver/delivery person. If the food was served hot and at the scheduled time, he pretty much fulfilled his job. A tip, on an average, should be around 15%, OR a flat fee of $3.00 for orders less than $20.00. These people, basically, work for TIPS so if the man was terribly rude, he shouldn't get a tip. However, he really won't see the cost of a delivery charge in his paycheck and this may have been his bone of contention, with you, if you unknowingly, didn't tip him when he fulfulled his job.

http://tipthepizzaguy.com/general/amount.htm

Wow, that is totally rude! I would have called the restaurant to complain! Or, even returned the food to him and asked for my $ back!!

It is my understanding that the delivery charge is collected by the restaurant, goes into their till.

The tip is for the driver. They are probably paid such a small wage that the tips make up for that. I usually give $2 for pizza- we are about 8 blocks away. That is on top of the $3 delivery fee. We don't order out much anymore in this economy, so when we do, I just pay it. Especially since I usually use a 2-for-1 coupon so I am getting more than I am paying for anyway.

Oh my...I would call the restaurant and tell them how rude the driver was.

Tips are optional. End of story. A driver is not entitled to a tip; it is the recipient's choice. Now, people who work for tips ought to be tipped for good service since most people who work for tips receive a fraction of the minimum wage with the assumption that the tips they receive will make up the remainder.

Now, this is just me but I would have told the driver "No, I do not have to give you a tip." and sent him on his way. Depending on how rude he was, I might have even sent the food back with him and refused to pay.

My husband actually saw this post and insisted that I respond to your question because he was SO upset! Tipping is completely separate from a delivery charge, and you should ALWAYS tip 15 - 20%. We always tip delivery drivers 20%, no matter what the bill or how far they are traveling from the restaurant. That shouldn't have anything to do with the tip.
Probably if you had ever worked in a service job, you would already know this, but it's never too late to do the right thing. Remember that many delivery drivers are working 2nd jobs to support their families! They don't keep that delivery charge (maybe a part of it.. but not all of it). They depend on tips! It's no different than tipping in a restaurant or at a hotel when they carry your bags to your room... We are certainly not a well-to-do family, but we never skimp on a tip. My advice would be that if you can't afford the proper tip, then buy frozen pizzas or make them homemade at home. Or keep whatever type of food you are ordering on hand at home to avoid ordering food.

Yes, your driver was rude and should never have asked for a tip! But how rude of you to not have offered one... I'd say you are both kind of at fault here...