Delivery drivers?

[TemptationTammie]

How many of y’all make sure to tip food delivery drivers? How many won’t do so?

Why or why not?

Most places have a delivery fee, do you assume that goes to the drivers? Do you assume they make a decent wage, and feel that your tip won’t make or break them? Do you assume that all they do is deliver and they have no other responsibilities so they don’t deserve it?

[Fizley]

I occasionally order food from Uber Eats or other delivery services. I prefer to go to the restaurant and pick it up myself. When I do, I usually tip 5%. When I am in a restaurant a server refills my glass, asks if I need a condiment, asks if I want desert...ect.

While a delivery driver just drives and hands you.

[essence]

It's because they are paid so little they have to rush to the next job. Amazon are the worst. Drivers always under pressure.

[TemptationTammie]

Originally Posted by Fizley

I occasionally order food from Uber Eats or other delivery services. I prefer to go to the restaurant and pick it up myself. When I do, I usually tip 5%. When I am in a restaurant a server refills my glass, asks if I need a condiment, asks if I want desert...ect.

While a delivery driver just drives and hands you.

When it comes to Uber eats, favor, grub hub and similar, the company has larger delivery fees than the driver gets. With Uber eats, the food is already ordered and paid on the app, so you are partially correct in that all they do is drive and drop off. But keep in mind they are the ones to deal with traffic and weather to get it to you. With Favor, your driver has to put in your order and pay for it when they get to the destination.
Ive delivered with both companies during COVID. There are times that I’m not even close to either the pick up or drop off location and may have a 30-45 minute drive. Some of those deliveries offer less than $10, which means that may be all I made that hour. But then there are some that are quite a bit more. But the average that I would get per delivery is around $5-10.

What about delivery drivers that are hired by the place you order from - for example pizza delivery drivers?
I’ve worked for more than one pizza place. Hourly pay has been $4.25-4.50 when on the road, $7.25-7.50 when in the store.
All of the places add a delivery fee, which people assume goes to the driver, but that’s not the case.
Previous place, we had to take care of taking garbage out, folding boxes, doing dishes, cleaning, prep, answered phones, and stocking to go along with deliveries.
Second place, we did everything. Yes, we even had to make the pizzas if we were that busy or backed up. The only thing drivers didn’t do was manage the other employees.

Delivery drivers are out there in all weather, when it’s hot, rainy and cold. We deliver on all types of roads with construction and potholes that could almost swallow my car, not to mention apartments with speed bumps that you have to be a turtle going over. I’ve been to places where I did not feel safe, walked up two or three flights of steps with arms loaded so can’t use the railing, but some railings are loose so can’t use them anyways. We deal with people placing cash orders yet not having the money when we arrived, or they won’t answer the door. Some people answer the door in their underwear or lingerie. Some expect extras that they did mot order.

Just food for thought.

[TemptationTammie]

Originally Posted by essence

It's because they are paid so little they have to rush to the next job. Amazon are the worst. Drivers always under pressure.

Definitely underpaid and overworked.

[boardman]

Sounds like the supply of drivers is greater than the demand for them. Basic economics...

[essence]

I still keep in touch with a previous babe, we see each other when she is between boyfriends and needs attention, always have a great time and she has best body ever. She was working in hospitality (hotel reception etc.) trying to earn enough to continue her education, but of course with covid that folded, so her only option was Amazon driver.

So law of supply and demand has been crazy the last year, and it has been exploited miserably.

[gnadfly]

Yep, I had some free time a few years ago and drove Uber for a few days during a 2 week period. Not worth it. One night the app said I made $70 for about 3 hours of driving. Not too bad but I had put 150 miles on my car. Came 'home' to find the back of car trashed out.

Most of the customers are super appreciative. Say they wouldn't be able to live without UBER. Mostly from drunk driving convictions. However, if you make money from Uber its only because you get some nice tips.

Edit: I got say some of these young drunk women are just stupid. They lost their license/money. They don't know where "Becky" went of to; we can't leave until we find Becky." "Can we go back?" "Are you you my Uber driver? No, but I'll take you were you want to go. Get in the car. OK." Some of the Uber trips drivers have posted on Youtube are hilarious and infuriating.

[LexusLover]

Probably more productive in metro areas in which driving is not a habit and many don't even know how to drive ..... so they use Uber .... also for foreign travelers who need a lift to a business/professional meeting and can write-off the business expenses or obtain reimbursement.

[TemptationTammie]

Originally Posted by boardman

Sounds like the supply of drivers is greater than the demand for them. Basic economics...

Not for this company, there are always requests from other stores needing drivers. They do not have enough, which why some deliveries may take longer.

The place I work has two daytime drivers, which is fairly normal. Evenings vary, some nights there are only two, which is not enough to handle deliveries promptly. There are days that I’m scheduled 10-5 and don’t get out until 7 or later because we don’t have enough staff. But end up only making $20-80 in tips for an 8-10 hour shift. And up to 100 miles a day on my car, dealing with speed bumps, pot holes, etc.

[boardman]

Originally Posted by TemptationTammie

Not for this company, there are always requests from other stores needing drivers. They do not have enough, which why some deliveries may take longer.

The place I work has two daytime drivers, which is fairly normal. Evenings vary, some nights there are only two, which is not enough to handle deliveries promptly. There are days that I’m scheduled 10-5 and don’t get out until 7 or later because we don’t have enough staff. But end up only making $20-80 in tips for an 8-10 hour shift. And up to 100 miles a day on my car, dealing with speed bumps, pot holes, etc.

The point is that the laws of supply and demand are pretty universal.


The fact that the company you are working for chooses not to hire more drivers doesn't necessarily mean there aren't drivers available to take on work. It most likely means management is making a decision that an occasional late delivery during an unexpected demand is better than having a driver sitting idle during unexpected lulls. It seems there is no problem finding drivers who will work for the pittance they are paying they just don't want to pay the pittance to idle drivers. So management is taking into consideration the supply and demand of their customers along with supply and demand of drivers. Make sense?
I'm sure there is a whole "science" of this type of need for "just in time" delivery availability being studied. Slightly different industry but I'm always fascinated by John Taffer's (Bar Rescue) knowledge of the science of delivering drinks and eats to customers at failing bars.


Dominoes is rolling out self driving robots. I'm sure a lot of thought, and frustration with drivers availability and keeping them working at the right time, went into the decision to put the money out for R&D of those robots, also spurred on by Google. I imagine in the next couple of years they will have that rolled out to most locations. From there it will only be a matter of storage for offline robots which can be summoned at a moments notice to supply unexpected demand and little to no cost of operation for idle time.


As far as tipping goes, that's a very personal decision and the driver, waitress, masseuse, bellhop, etc has to take that into consideration when making a job choice. They can also better their wages by being the best they can be and creating a demand for their services. One may start out as a Uber eats driver but if they work hone their skills as a service industry worker he/she may end up as a waiter at Rainbow Lodge for instance. I know for a fact those waiters are tipped very well. On the other hand if a driver sees a gig as just another gig and puts no thought and no work into providing a better customer service experience they will not move up that ladder.

[TemptationTammie]

Originally Posted by boardman

The point is that the laws of supply and demand are pretty universal.


The fact that the company you are working for chooses not to hire more drivers doesn't necessarily mean there aren't drivers available to take on work. It most likely means management is making a decision that an occasional late delivery during an unexpected demand is better than having a driver sitting idle during unexpected lulls. It seems there is no problem finding drivers who will work for the pittance they are paying they just don't want to pay the pittance to idle drivers. So management is taking into consideration the supply and demand of their customers along with supply and demand of drivers. Make sense?.

In this case, drivers are hard to find. This particular chain seems to bf understaffed. They have ads on indeed and zip recruiter. But we can’t seem to get applicants. Or they work one or two nights and quit.

Nowadays, with contactless deliveries, people tip when they place the order online. They don’t know if the driver will be pleasant or not.

[boardman]

Originally Posted by TemptationTammie

In this case, drivers are hard to find. This particular chain seems to bf understaffed. They have ads on indeed and zip recruiter. But we can’t seem to get applicants. Or they work one or two nights and quit.

Nowadays, with contactless deliveries, people tip when they place the order online. They don’t know if the driver will be pleasant or not.

Are there any reviews of the chain on Indeed or similar sites? That may give some insight as to why you can't retain drivers.

[TemptationTammie]

I worked for the same chain before moving to Houston, but a franchise. Moved here and transferred to a corporate store. It is not a small company, it’s one of the major chains.

[r66]

some drivers get good tips.


https://www.cbsnews.com/news/robert-...ivery-car-tip/