I recently checked out a website called Tip The Pizza Guy. The main premise of the site seems to be that pizza delivery driver, and the service they provide, are underappreciated by most people. On the site, the Pizza Guy says:
Please tip the driver. Some people are not aware of this. I didn’t know for a long time. You’re supposed to tip the pizza delivery driver like you tip the waiter. They rely on tips and use their own car. This site will explore your questions about tipping and how you can speed up the delivery time. Your tips are greatly appreciated. It’s what keeps drivers moving.
Do they earn the tip? Absolutely. Drivers perform a service by bringing dinner to your door. They take on financial costs and difficulties, more than most people realize. Pizza delivery is considered a hazardous job by the US government. They are third most likely to be murdered on the job, right after police officer and taxi driver.
The pizza guy also compares the services a pizza delivery driver provides compared to servers at restaurants. He also gives his take on tipping etiquette and when you shouldn’t tip the pizza guy. He also shares some great insight on reasons why people don’t tip (or tip poorly). Overall, I liked the content on the website. The Pizza Guy shares a lot of knowledge and insight that many people don’t think about consciously. I agree with him that drivers don’t get as much respect as other jobs. Many of the people that work are college kids or adults working a second job, one that does have significant safety risks. Coupled with gas prices, insurance and maintenance costs, it’s not the easiest way to make money these days. One thing that amazed me when I read this site is how many of the drivers that post in the discussion boards get stiffed a lot. I have delivered pizzas the past and have always tipped out well, rarely getting stiffed (maybe the neighborhood I delivered in was better?). I will say customer service goes a long way regardless of which job you are doing, which is why I think I made good money doing these jobs. From my experiences, people are more likely to leave a flat amount on a pizza delivery (i.e. a $3 tip whether the total is $15 or $50), whereas they leave a percentage to a server at a restaurant. So how do YOU tip the pizza guy or the server at your local restaurant?
