Supermarket delivery driver - do you tip or not?

fabforty

sulkisu wrote: »

Thank you for your replies - at least now I know that it's not just me. OH wasn't saying that I should tip the driver, he just assumed that I would (not sure why), but then again, he tips Pizza delivery men whereas I don't.

It hadn't crossed my mind either until I read this thread. I have never done it and have no plans to start now.

Just spotted the signature Su, congrats (can't believe you still have the energy to post!!!)
:T:T:T

Tiddlywinks

daisiegg wrote: »

I never tip the Ocado man. My road is very easy to access, I have a huge driveway so he can pull right up to the house, and I always pick the delivery slots where it says 'we are already delivering in your area at this time'. I carry the bags in to the house - he is here for less than a minute.

And even after reading this thread, today I DEFINITELY wouldn't be tipping as I just had a phone call telling me my delivery will be THREE HOURS late! So much for making the Christmas cake today. However, I will still be kind and sympathetic to the driver as I know it's not his fault. I would never shout at anyone.

Now, you see even if I didn't normally tip then I would definitely make an exception and tip in these circumstances as the driver will be having a really, really stressful day. He'll be home late, will be getting grief from customers (and his manager probably as well) and may get an ear bashing from the Mrs when he finally gets home.

In the summer, I also give them a bottle of cold water for their journey and in the winter offer a quick top-up of their flask. They are on the road for so long that I just want to help if I can.

No, I'm not a soft touch but I knew a deliver driver once who used to spend a fortune on drinks throughout his 8 hour shift - particularly if it was really hot or really cold.

Abbafan1972

There are a few takeaways round our area and a particular delivery driver from one of them would still hang around after you had given him the amount for the curry, we reckoned he was waiting for a tip. Hubby always used to go to the door, but never gave him anything.

I went to the door once when he delivered and I just gave him the takeaway money and said "thank you, goodnight" and closed the door. Haven't seen him for a while actually.

Mint1955

daisiegg wrote: »

That's interesting, how did you find out that that is the case for all online grocery shops?

I asked before I used them. I have had deliveries from Tesco Asda Sainsbury and Waitrose.

I have also done mystery shopping for all the big supermarkets.

I was also a duty manager for me of the big ones in a former life ;-)

andygb

Abbafan1972 wrote: »

I went to the door once when he delivered and I just gave him the takeaway money and said "thank you, goodnight" and closed the door. Haven't seen him for a while actually.

What a nasty piece of work you are:mad:

daisiegg

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

Now, you see even if I didn't normally tip then I would definitely make an exception and tip in these circumstances as the driver will be having a really, really stressful day. He'll be home late, will be getting grief from customers (and his manager probably as well) and may get an ear bashing from the Mrs when he finally gets home.

In the summer, I also give them a bottle of cold water for their journey and in the winter offer a quick top-up of their flask. They are on the road for so long that I just want to help if I can.

No, I'm not a soft touch but I knew a deliver driver once who used to spend a fortune on drinks throughout his 8 hour shift - particularly if it was really hot or really cold.

He didn't stick around long enough or come near enough to the door for me to tip him even if I had been going to - dumped the bags on the doorstep, rang the bell and was almost back in his van by the time I opened the door! Just called 'the receipt is in one of the bags' and off he went, poor bloke.

I was mightily p*ssed off (not with him) as the amount of items I had missing was ridiculous - including toilet roll! Now, they may have been out of the exact type I ordered, but they are meant to give you a substitution - I refuse to believe that the whole of Ocado had NO other type of toilet roll to give me instead! Not to mention all the other stuff missing, but the toilet roll is the worst, as I have to go out for some today and the whole point of ordering shopping online is avoiding going to the supermarket! Anyway, grumble grumble, I am going off topic now...

gregg1

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

I get my groceries from Ocado and I always give a tip to the driver - it's a stressful job for minimum wage and I want to show my appreciation for them doing the job.

"Stressful"? really?!!!!!!!:rotfl:

gregg1

Mrshalliwell wrote: »

For those of you who say being a delivery driver is a relaxing job, I can assure you it isn't. Sometimes we have 10 or so drops in a 2 hour time slot and it can be anything upto 15-20 miles between drops on some of our more rural drops. then you have to find a suitable place to park, sometimes dicing with death trying to unload the side loading vans on a main road when you can only park with the side into the main road. That's if you can actually find the place your looking for because it ain't always easy and the sat navs aren't brilliant.

Also Bear in mind that if you put on your own car insurance that your a delivery driver it puts it up a hell of a lot ( mine goes up £250 a year just by changing that one thing).

I have only one customer who tips on my round, I have tried to refuse but she gets very offended and says she wants me to get some breakfast with it. I don't expect tips at all though, I like my job, getting out and about and speaking to new people but Before I started the job I thought it would be really easy, how wrong was I! sometimes we have to make sure we leave store early and do the first few customers early to make sure we manage to fit the ones in further down the list before the end of their time slots and I very rarely get to take the legal breaks I'm entitled to these days, most of the time I have a bottle of water with me and you'll find me eating a sandwich while I'm loading my van to go out as I literally don't have the time to sit down and eat it.[/

I realise you are a newbie, but come on.....!!


No time to sit and eat or take the legal breaks you are entitled to?

Welcome to our world!!

JustKeepSwimming_2

I'd never thought of tipping until I read this thread. I used to work for Mr T years ago & used to help a few people around the store shopping with them (way before internet shopping) & we we're never allowed to accept any tip, nor would I have expected one.

I don't get a grocery delivery very often, but when I do its a big, heavy one stocking up with tins, washing powder etc (as I don't have a car now). Even so, I feel the driver is just doing his job, so he gets the offer of a drink (only usually taken in summer) & a chat, but I do like Tiddlywinks' ideas below & can't think I've not thought of it myself :doh:

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

In the summer, I also give them a bottle of cold water for their journey and in the winter offer a quick top-up of their flask. They are on the road for so long that I just want to help if I can.

No, I'm not a soft touch but I knew a deliver driver once who used to spend a fortune on drinks throughout his 8 hour shift - particularly if it was really hot or really cold.

I do also offer them the use of my lav if they need it - if I offer input it seems only fair to offer output too :rotfl:

I'm not a fan of tipping generally, & only tip for meals out if I know the tip goes to the actual waitress rather than the company (& it is vile that some companies take these tips so it is worth checking - especially with tips added onto credit cards :mad:). My hairdresser gets wine & chocs at Christmas, but I do tip my milkman as he is a regular, & delivers in all weathers (unlike the supermarkets).

Meadows

NO, I don't tip as I pay (or free from some companies) to have the goods delivered and that person is paid to do the delivery by the supermarket.
If you were to tip do we tip every delivery man that comes to the door as some have some big or heavy packages?