Tipping Delivery Driver...

[PaulPerger]

I just took delivery of a new bed for my daughters today, and as I always do for folks who deliver something to my home whether it is Pizza, a bed, or a kit car, I tipped them.

That got me to thinking about how much to tip an OTR trucker who is delivering something to my house, like my Goblin... I mean $10 is a GREAT tip for a pizza guy, $20 was sufficient for a local guy driving a truck locally with my daughter's bed, but what is appropriate for a driver who will be spending several days on the road to bring my car to me? I'm thinking 10% of the delivery charge would be appropriate, but I was wondering what you all have done or plan to do...

 

[Gtstorey]

I pretty much only tip in restaurants since I know their pay is really set up around tips. I don't have food delivered but would probably tip them. It would never even occur to me to tip a truck driver for delivery (unless I ask for something extraordinary hard to get it delivered).

 

[r3drckt]

I didn’t tip my driver. Truckers’ pay is set up as a normal living wage. The reason we tip delivery drivers and waitresses and waiters is because that’s normalized in America and their pay has reflected that normalization. If you tip a service worker in Europe, it’s sometimes considered arrogant and disrespectful because they’re wages aren’t structured around tips, they’re given living wages. So for someone to tip them, it’s seen as “You’re below me and you need the money more than I do.”

 

[Sluggonaut]

After the dude unloaded the kit by himself, wheeled it down my street, and knocked on my door so we could put it on jack stands in the garage, I handed him enough cash for dinner and an adult beverage or two.

I didn't think of it as a tip, it's just the normal 'pizza and beer' paycheck I'd give anyone helping me out with something I needed an extra hand doing.

 

[PaulPerger]

After the dude unloaded the kit by himself, wheeled it down my street, and knocked on my door so we could put it on jack stands in the garage, I handed him enough cash for dinner and an adult beverage or two.

I didn't think of it as a tip, it's just the normal 'pizza and beer' paycheck I'd give anyone helping me out with something I needed an extra hand doing.

This is what I was initially thinking.

I agree with what everyone is saying about not needing to tip. My sister was an OTR driver and made decent money. This is one of the reasons I'm asking... I wanted to say $40 or $50, but got "Tip Mentality" and started thinking 20% (a normal service tip for me), which would be too much, and settled on 10%, but still thought that was a bit much. But your thinking is exactly where I was initially I just got distracted in my own thoughts!

$40 it is. Two $20s. Enough for a decent dinner and a few beers.

 

[Mahkoi]

Same thing I did. My driver worked around my schedule and helped me load and strap it on a trailer in an old K-mart parking lot since I didn't want him to go through the hassle of unloading on my busy road that has no shoulder. I threw him $40, said thanks for the help, get a good burger and some a couple drinks.