How Much Do You Tip a Delivery Person?

You should tip food delivery people 10 to 20 percent of your total check.

People from the U.S. practice the custom of tipping in many different ways, using a gratuity system that is primarily based on percentage. Tipping is not required, but it is a common social practice and can be an important source of income for service providers receiving minimum wage. You should tip certain delivery people, depending on their specific job.

Food Delivery

You should generally tip a food delivery person the way you would tip a waiter, which is between ten and twenty percent. If you order from the same restaurant and often get the same delivery person, you may want to tip a little extra during the holidays.

Regulars

You should tip regular delivery people on holidays and special occasions such as Christmas or New Year's. Your mail delivery person, regular shipping deliverers and people who make regular deliveries to your home or work should all receive a tip or small gift. You do not necessarily need to tip delivery people every time they make a delivery.

Exceptions

You do not need to tip occasional delivery people and one-time delivery people outside of the food industry. The only time you may want to consider tipping a one-time delivery person is if they go out of their way to help you, such as lifting or moving large boxes.

References

• Washington Post: Gratuities 101
• BBC: h2g2: Tipping Etiquette in the USA