Money & Manners: 10 Tips for Tipping for Pizza Delivery

What is the appropriate approach for tipping pizza delivery drivers? These individuals carry food orders, often in their own vehicles, to customers' homes and workplaces. Orders may take them through bad weather, dangerous neighborhoods, traffic congestion and other potential hazards.

How can pizza delivery customers determine how and how much to tip? Try these 10 tips.

1. Customers usually need not tip for pizza pick-ups.

First, tips are customary for off-site delivery of pizzas, but not for in-store pick-ups. Strictly pizza joints differ from other restaurants here. In many carry-out restaurants, with the exception of fast food locations, patrons customarily offer 10 percent tips for carry-out orders.

2. Pizza delivery tips are not required, but generally expected.

Across the board, pizza delivery drivers earn less per hour than many other workers, simply because they are expected to take in tips. Customers who understand this are more likely to tip generously.

3. Tips are not the same as pizza delivery charges.

Usually, delivered pizza costs at least a few dollars more than pick-up pizza. Many customers wrongly assume that these surcharges go to the delivery drivers as gratuities. In fact, pizza shops often use the delivery charges to pay the drivers' hourly wages.

Unlike large-group restaurant tabs, even massive pizza delivery orders do not include automatic gratuities. If customers intend to tip, as they should, they must do so deliberately.

4. Courteous delivery customers tip 15 percent, or at least $3.

Like restaurant patrons, pizza delivery recipients are expected to tip approximately 15 percent for timely service. For smaller orders, a minimum tip of $3 is a good rule of thumb.

Tip the Pizza Guy offers an easy-to-use online tip calculator. For example, a $3 tip is appropriate for pizza orders costing $20 or less. For a $25 order, a customer might tip at least $3.75. A $30 order would warrant a $4.50 tip.

5. Tips may be higher under special conditions.

Pizza delivery drivers venture into bitter cold nights. They often miss holiday celebrations and major TV sporting events. They travel and trudge through pelting rain and blustering blizzards. Customers may choose to reward these efforts with higher tips.

Of course, better service might warrant higher tipping, as rudeness or unusually slow delivery might lead to a smaller percentage.

6. Rounding up tips is always appreciated.

Most pizza deliverers carry at least $20 in small bills for making change. It's certainly appropriate for customers to suggest a certain number of dollars back, pointing out the intended tip on top of the cost of the order.

Generally, it is considered petty to ask for coins in change for pizza delivery, so customers are likely to round orders up for simplicity's sake.

If a pizza order costs $23.75, and a 15 percent tip brings the total to $27.31, the customer might hand the delivery driver $30 and ask for $2 back or offer that he keep all of the change.

7. Tips should be calculated before discounts.

Customers using coupons or other discounts for delivered pizzas should point this out when ordering and figure appropriate tips on the totals before applying the savings. Likewise, drivers should be tipped for free delivery orders when such promotions occur.

8. Pizza tips may be offered many ways

Tips are acceptable in multiple forms, including cash, check and credit or debit cards. Gratuities should be clearly indicated on checks or receipts, so pizza delivery drivers can claim them back at home base.

9. Tipping is not necessary on replacement orders for store mistakes.

What if a pizza shop makes a mistake on a delivery order? What if a customer orders anchovies, but receives pineapple, on a pizza?

When a customer rejects an order, and a replacement order is sent, the second driver usually does not expect a tip. However, a small gratuity is always appreciated. After all, even the follow-up driver made the effort.

10. Generous tippers generally receive better repeat service.

Pizza delivery tends to be a repeat business, so it pays to tip well. Customers who frequently order and appreciate prompt delivery of hot pizzas are likely to reward those providing good service.

These pizza delivery tipping guidelines may also be applied to those bringing other food orders to homes or workplaces for customers' convenience.

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