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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think tipping the delivery driver is a good thing to do

118 replies

Ohbehave1 · 12/03/2016 22:28

I have just had a debate with a friend over whether or not take away delivery drivers should be tipped or not.

She says they are paid to do a job so why should we pay them extra. She never does. I think it's worth tipping if the service has been good.

OP posts:
Original poster
Ohbehave1 · 13/03/2016 09:09

Our local Indian pays quite well. £6.50 per hour plus a sliding delivery scale depending on distance. And to make things better for the drivers they give the driver 2 or 3 deliveries in the same area but still pay per drop. He is one of the good guys

On a good night the driver can (after fuel) get £40 for 4 hrs on a good night but on a bad night they can get as little as £20. (If they get sent home because it's dead).

And the number of houses with no number on the door/who don't listen for the door/don't answer the phone when called to say you are trying to deliver slow the deliveries down.

My partner has done delivery work ( which is why I know the above) and always made sure the customer knew by phone if there was a delay. The tips can make a difference.

I never used to tip but knowing the difficulties the drivers face, and how bad it is in poor weather I now tip takeaway drivers as much as I can afford. Even if it's just rounding up to the nearest pound, they appreciate it.

OP posts:
MrsJayy · 13/03/2016 09:17

We only get 1 type of takeaway same place usually i always tip a pound or so they dont get paid much and often have to put their own petrol in

firesidechat · 13/03/2016 09:18

So we are talking takeaways here? Yes I tip them, but never tip other deliveries because I would assume that it's against the rules of the company for them to take extra money.

Orda1 · 13/03/2016 09:34

We don't. If it's a dominos it's paid online, nowadays I don't really have physical cash much.

Orda1 · 13/03/2016 09:35

But we are only walking distance so usually collect.

HappydaysArehere · 13/03/2016 09:56

I give a pound if receiving a free delivery. Tip other people who give good service.

Piemernator · 13/03/2016 10:00

Both DH and I always tip for good service.

When there was a mini heatwave I had iced water in the fridge and offered it to the bin collectors who were happy to have it.

Being on low pay or having an unpleasant job must be shit and being nice doesn't take much of an effort.

leelu66 · 13/03/2016 10:05

firesidechat there was an article in the guardian about a supermarket delivery man and how grateful he was for a £1 tip. I think you're allowed to tip.

corgiology · 13/03/2016 13:02

I don't tip. I earn minimum wage too.

I think tipping encourages some businesses to not pay nmw as the worker is subsidised. If everyone stopped tipping the pay conditions would probably improve IMO :)

Organon8 · 13/03/2016 13:14

I don't tip

Tax has to be paid on tips

www.gov.uk/tips-at-work/tips-and-tax

EddieStobbart · 13/03/2016 13:30

We usually collect but I didn't realise delivery drivers could just be paid the delivery charge rather than an hourly rate. That seems really wrong! Fuel and time taken could be influenced by level of congestion, space to park etc. What constitutes good service when it's a busy Friday night, the kitchen is understaffed and the person who took the order underestimated the time it would take to prepare?

My friend works for minimum wage in a children's shoe shop. It's very hands on in terms of serving the customer with time discussing requirement with the parents then running back and forwards, up and down ladders and lots of time spent on her knees. She never tips waitresses, hairdressers or anywhere because she says no one ever tips her. I generally do tip but never when I'm buying the DCs shows and I don't know why!

janethegirl2 · 13/03/2016 13:34

I tip takeaway drivers but not supermarket deliveries, always have done.

SingingMyOwnSpecialSong · 14/03/2016 00:03

Organon, working almost full time for take-aways and declaring every penny of tips to HMRC (against the wishes of the take-aways who were probably not), DH still came in well below the tax threshold last year.

Organon8 · 14/03/2016 13:22

I still wouldn't tip

Katedotness1963 · 14/03/2016 13:28

I always tipped the supermarket delivery driver. There's no food delivery in the town I'm from, if there was I'd tip though, I've always heard they make crap wages.

jay55 · 14/03/2016 13:47

I tip takeaway drivers but not supermarket ones, never occurred to me.

Bellasima20 · 14/03/2016 13:51

I tip around £1.50 and this is usually greeted with massively grateful smile. Apparently their bikes with heated storage are worth a small fortune and always getting nicked too.

BarbaraofSeville · 14/03/2016 14:58

I thought supermarket delivery drivers weren't supposed to accept tips?

There's lots of 'wrong' in independent takeaway deliveries and probably a significant percentage won't be legal in all aspects of car insurance (can you imagine how much insurance would be if you told them your job was a takeaway delivery driver using your own car?), employment law (a lot of them are falsely self employed - ie takeaway claims they are self employed when they are considered to be employed by HMRC so the workers miss out on NMW, sick pay etc) and income tax, not that many will earn enough to pay tax.

Where I am they often do free delivery from £5/6 up to 3 miles away and the economics just don't stack up to have someone make and bring you a pizza for that amount of money. OK, there will be some sharing of deliveries but the drivers will probably be earning very little.

Original poster
Ohbehave1 · 15/03/2016 05:17

Organon. So why won't you tip?

OP posts:
GlindatheFairy · 15/03/2016 05:37

I have offered but they are not allowed to accept tips.

Ifailed · 15/03/2016 05:56

Isn't minimum wage now a requirement for all jobs?
Not if you are classed as 'self-employed'

CanYouHearMeNowWhatAboutNow · 15/03/2016 06:52

I don't tip anybody. I pay the delivery fee or spend the required amount for free delivery so why on Earth would I pay more?

You don't go into Tesco and give the cashier extra money because she's only earning minimum wage do you so why woul you give extra money to a delivery driver?

DirtyHarrietOnABike · 15/03/2016 06:54

I tip, aim for £2, sometimes it's £1 if I don't have £2. Not sure if it's enough though. Especially for the supermarket delivery guy who delivers heavy pack of water to us...

Flashbangandgone · 15/03/2016 07:14

Tipping should be for exceptional service rather than as a matter of course imo.... Really don't want to turn in the states! So no, I don't tip delivery drivers as a rule. Strange this 'rule' so many seem to have about tipping takeaway but not other delivery drivers?

Trashleeface1308 · 15/03/2016 11:58

I used to work for Dominoes Pizza. All drivers get paid NMW and get £1 per drop, even if they do multiple drops they will still get £1 per order delivered.