How Much Should You Tip For Pizza Delivery – Tip Calculator
Even though I run a blog about making delicious artisan pizza at home, I still like to sometimes order takeout pizza from the big chains.
Takeout pizza is definitely a guilty pleasure of mine – there’s something special about the cheap, salty, sugary pizza you get from places like Domino’s and Pizza Hut. The worst part of it, besides my stomach later that evening, is figuring out how much to tip the delivery driver. This is something I really struggle with and second-guess myself about. Thankfully, I have answers if you’re struggling with the same thing.
In the United States and Canada, pizza delivery drivers should be tipped the same as you would a waiter at a restaurant. This means 20% for excellent service, 15% for average service and 10% for poor service. However, if your order is inexpensive, you should tip your pizza delivery driver a minimum of $3-4 per delivery.
Why You Should Tip Your Delivery Driver
There has been a common misconception among North Americans that pizza delivery doesn’t deserve a big tip. For some reason, we tend to lump pizza delivery into the same pile as ordering fast food, where tipping isn’t the norm. But this really couldn’t be further from the truth.
Pizza delivery is a dangerous job. The US government has listed pizza delivery driving as one of the most hazardous jobs in the US – the 7th most hazardous job as of 2018. These guys definitely earn their tips.
That might seem weird, but it makes a lot of sense when you think about it. When you order a pizza, the delivery driver has no idea what kind of neighborhood they’re going to. They also have no idea what kind of residential hazards are present at or near your home such as aggressive dogs, icy steps or extreme weather.
These are just some of the reasons why pizza delivery drivers deserve every penny they earn, including whatever you decide to tip them. You should consider your tip as a kind of hazard-pay, for asking another human-being to take a risk going into the unknown to deliver you food.
Final Thoughts
Please. Tip your pizza delivery driver. These guys are taking a huge risk coming to your house just to deliver you a delicious meal.
I recommend a minimum 15-20% tip for average to decent service, just as you would tip a waiter bringing food to your table at a restaurant. And if your order is cheap – just make it a flat $4 tip, if not more if you can afford it.
I know we all wish tips were included in the price of the food, as it is in Europe, but right now that’s not the way it works in North America. So don’t cheat the delivery driver out of a tip just to make a point about tipping.
