The truth about tipping the pizza delivery guy.
The reason behind a tip is simple. It puts the customer in a position of power, and rewards good service.
Suppose there were a pizza company whos employees did not work for tips, but were instead paid a flat rate of $10 dollars per hour. The driver would have no incentive to do a good job, because he could do as little as possible and still make his $10. Nor is the driver accountable to the customer. Keep in mind that the stores cost to pay the drivers $10 an hour would be reflected in the prices of its products, something that the customers would be paying for anyways. With the tipping system prices are down, drivers are rewarded, and customers get what they pay for! (and faster) Everybody wins! There would be no pizza delivery if drivers made 5 - 6 dollars per hour without tips, because they couldn't AFFORD to do their jobs.
Of course there are people who will take advantage of the system, they are known as stiffers. People that, regardless of reason, choose not to tip, or tip less than $1. These people exploit not only the driver, but also the tipping customers. If a driver didn't make tips, he would not be working; in effect, the tippers are footing the bill for the stiffs.
If you prefer not to tip for good service, please pick your order up at the store. If you can afford a pizza, you can afford a tip. If you still want something for nothing, you are being selfish.
A delivery charge does NOT constitute a tip, nor does it go to a driver! Nor does the driver want you to pay a delivery charge! Back when pizzerias advertized 'free delivery', drivers were still paid an allowance to help pay fuel/maintenance costs. The allowance paid was already 'built in' to the price of your order. Today the companies tack on a deceiving 'delivery charge', but its really just a price increase. This money goes into the pockets of store owners, and hurts the drivers!
Drivers can leave a store with 5+ orders in their vehicle. Guess who gets theirs last? first? The entire team stands to make more money by keeping the tippers happy first. If you don't tip, the system actually works against you.
Tippers pay lower prices, stiffs pay more! On the phone drivers will offer the best specials available to the tippers, include coupons, and juggle any available discounts to make the tipper happy. Stiffs will only be offered run of the mill specials on the phone, and coupons will be ripped off boxtops delivered to stiffs... its not just vindictive, but if stiffs stop ordering the team has more resources available to cater to the tips. Drivers can make more money by NOT servicing the stiffs!
If a stiff orders, the driver misses his 'turn' to deliver to a tipper. (read; more money NOT servicing a stiff)
Food tampering? Its not a threat, but with MILLIONS of deliveries per day, the odds say its happening.
Drivers remember stiffs to a degree I cannot fully express! If you were literally smacked in the face at someones house, you would never forget the place or person who did it. Even 3 years later, I can pull into a drive and know that this house is a stiff. 80% of the time I know as soon as the order is placed.
If you have stiffed drivers from a store more than twice, most if not all drivers already KNOW that you are a stiff. And they WILL remember you. Drivers let eachother know who the stiffs are.
Only about 1 in 14 deliveries are stiffs. Stiffs are usually the same repeat offenders.
$1 was a tip in the 80's, $2 is the recommended minimum. $2.80 has been about average for me. (stiffs averaged in) $5+ puts you on the a list. Forget tipping the pizza guy a percentage of your bill, the price of your order is not important. Its the job being done that counts. (the exception is for huge orders, say 10 - 100 pies... try divide the tip amongst everyone)