Do you tip Tesco delivery drivers?

[Wolfie11]

It’s just dawned on me that I don’t tip the drivers who deliver my food shop. I’ve only been doing it since January but I’ve never tipped them and now I feel a bit mean not doing so! I tip everyone else - takeaway deliveries, taxis, waiters, hairdressers etc. It just never occurred to me to tip them too as I don’t with Amazon delivery drivers etc.

AIBU, should I start giving them a few pounds tip? What does everyone else do?

@HollyDayDream

I looked into this for my Christmas delivery. Found a twitter post where someone asked and Tesco replied it is against the rules for staff to accept tips so customers shouldn’t put staff in that position.

Tesco really have no way of knowing if drivers have been given tips, in reality.

Usually, we get tips at Christmas and New Year. Often we're given chocolate too. There's one customer who tips a tenner each delivery throughout the year too.

Drivers don't expect tips, but are always, always very appreciative of those who do tip.

@britneyisfree

Do you lot tip the the postman too????????

Jfc just making it harder for everyone one else

I know of postmen who get really good tips at Christmas. Can be up to £500 if they're lucky!

So, yes, it does happen.

twitter.com/tesco/status/1404694346063138817?lang=en-GB

Morning. I understand why you may want to tip our drivers especially now but I'm afraid this is against company policy as our drivers aren't allowed to accept tips or gifts from our customers. Ty - Karen

On a very hot day, I have offered a can of coke which they appreciate, but I wouldn't give a tip

I hate the backwards tipping culture. It has its roots in oppression and is still used that way in the US, to railroad workers to not being paid a living wage for their work and to extract an extortionate amount from clientele for unbalanced work load. A waiter at an expensive restaurant gets paid a larger percentage than one at a cheap restaurant but the skill level isn't hugely different. They both have knowledge of their menu and bring you food.
We were charged £7 tip for lunch recently and they literally just brought over one plate and poured a drink. I commented at the time that the person who picks up our shopping does more but gets no tip. There is a living wage in this country so there was no requirement to pay for this service especially as the price was so high to start with.
The delivery driver doesn't do as much as the person picking the food so why should they get the tip over them? The only fair thing is to abolish regular tipping, keep fair wage and, as we do now, tip when so.eome has done an excellent and over the top job as a bonus or seasonal gift.

No. Why would you? The person who flogged round the shop gathering the goods has done much more work than the driver, and you don't tip them.

No, of course not - why would I tip when I've already paid a delivery fee?

@Sparklybanana

I hate the backwards tipping culture. It has its roots in oppression and is still used that way in the US, to railroad workers to not being paid a living wage for their work and to extract an extortionate amount from clientele for unbalanced work load. A waiter at an expensive restaurant gets paid a larger percentage than one at a cheap restaurant but the skill level isn't hugely different. They both have knowledge of their menu and bring you food. We were charged £7 tip for lunch recently and they literally just brought over one plate and poured a drink. I commented at the time that the person who picks up our shopping does more but gets no tip. There is a living wage in this country so there was no requirement to pay for this service especially as the price was so high to start with. The delivery driver doesn't do as much as the person picking the food so why should they get the tip over them? The only fair thing is to abolish regular tipping, keep fair wage and, as we do now, tip when so.eome has done an excellent and over the top job as a bonus or seasonal gift.

Excellent post, 100% agree!

No... but here they just wheel the crates to my door and stand there with their arms folded in silence whilst they watch Me struggle to lift all the shopping out since there’s no bags anymore 😒 so definitely not

Came to say what @sparklybanana said. The article and podcast below give a really good rundown of the history of tipping and where it came from, nowadays US restaurant workers who are not receiving minimum wage but previously railroad workers. It has never been as common in Europe due to minimum/living wages. Personally I rarely tip, a few quid in a restaurant but nowhere else. www.npr.org/2021/03/22/980047710/the-land-of-the-fee?t=1650356421119

I don't understand this tipping obsession. I don't tip anyone unless I'm in a restaurant.

People have tried to tip me in the past. I'm a underground station supervisor in West London. It baffles me. We are not allowed to take any money or gifts. I say, if you are that desperate to show your appreciation, donate it to a London charity. Fares are really expensive, why do you want to give me more? I get a very good wage, so please, help those who actually need it, not me, who is just for doing the very job I'm paid to do.

No... why would I? I don't tip my Amazon delivery driver or the bus driver or the supermarket worker?

Restaurants and hairdressers only IMO. Postie and cleaners at Christmas.

Otherwise what's the point of things having prices if we constantly have to tip? Nobody tips me 😂

My h was a postman during lockdown. People don’t tip like they say.

@Phos

No. I tip in restaurants if the service was good but I don't tip anyone else like hairdressers, delivery drivers, takeaway drivers, taxi drivers etc.

Same here. I don't get many deliveries and only occasionally use taxis, but I don't tip them. I tip in restaurants for really good service, that's it.

Have never tipped anyone, not starting now.

I’ve never tipped them and now I feel a bit mean not doing so!

Don’t feel mean. It’s actually against company policy and they could be sacked if they accept a tip and they are found out. They are subject to random staff searches and are not supposed to have cash on them.

@FloraPostePosts

No, I was told by one they can’t accept, the time I tried when a very kind person went over and above when I had a broken arm. I always offer them a can of drink, though - in summer most are grateful for one, as their cabs aren’t air conditioned.

I do the same, always offer a can of drink.

Never crossed my mind to tip when I’m paying for delivery and they don’t bring it in anymore or pack it

They aren't allowed to take tips, if they're caught doing so then they're in trouble.

Tbh most of the Tesco drivers I get are grumpy as hell and stand there like a statue while I struggle to load everything into bags to carry upstairs (live in a converted house) so no, I don’t feel bad not tipping them!

With the cost of living increases I won’t be tipping hardly anyone. Maybe if we go for a (now rare) meal out and get exceptionally good service. But even then maybe not. I haven’t had a pay rise and I can’t afford to be subbing anyone else’s wages.

Tipping is the main reason I’d be reluctant to visit America again. I hate how it’s expected everywhere. In one place we got horrendously bad service. My meal was stone cold and when I said something the server just shrugged! So I didn’t tip and he was actually quite verbally aggressive as we were leaving! It really put me off going there again.

@FloraPostePosts

No, I was told by one they can’t accept, the time I tried when a very kind person went over and above when I had a broken arm. I always offer them a can of drink, though - in summer most are grateful for one, as their cabs aren’t air conditioned.

I don't tip but I have sometimes tweeted/emailed a company when I've had excellent service.

I agree about them being grumpy, most of them stand there and just stare, they’ve recently been coming really early where I am and I pointed it out to one of them the other day that they are suppose to call if coming early and he said “are we?! ”

I started tipping in lockdown. £2 and nobody has ever refused. I keep saying I will stop but feel really bad that everyone else got a tip up to now. I am not especially well paid and really want to stop having read this thread. I also want to stop tipping taxi drivers. I know I am a mug but I even tip when they don't help with shopping or even get out to open the boot. I am going to toughen up.

@AccommodatingAlice

I’ve never tipped them and now I feel a bit mean not doing so!

Don’t feel mean. It’s actually against company policy and they could be sacked if they accept a tip and they are found out. They are subject to random staff searches and are not supposed to have cash on them.

Tesco staff ARE allowed to carry cash, so I don't know where you got that from. There is no rule that states they can't and they require delivery drivers to have cash and/or their own card on them so they can use whenever they need to, e.g. breakdowns, accident, etc.

Shopfloor staff cannot carry cash or card on their person in store, true.

Wow, I had no idea people would tip the drivers. I'm a supermarket shopper, I get up at 3am and hurtle round the shop against almost impossible pick speed targets, and I get paid quite a bit less than the drivers, who turn up at a decent time, pick up the keys to their already loaded van and drive around with very achievable targets.
Everyone in store knows that drivers have a nice job with enviable wages.
It REALLY annoys me that any drivers are accepting tips. They're not allowed, and could absolutely be disciplined for it. It's so wrong to me that they get all the credit for the service when they are just the only person you see.

No. I don't tip anyone though and neither does anyone I know. I never realised it was a thing in the UK until I came on here.