Well, as much as I hate to admit it, I'm delivering pizzas to pay the bills for now. I'm still awaiting the lengthy (2-3 months) hiring process for a few police departments (emergency services dispatcher) and realized that I need some way to pay the bills...naturally.

Here'* my question: how much do you tip your delivery driver? Let'* use this scenario, which is common for me. I work for one of the big 3 (it starts with a "D" and ends with "omino'*"), my delivery area is quite small compared to others, so chances are, I can get your order to you in a mere 15-20 minutes after it'* ordered, even on a Friday night. Your total is $21.45. You open the door to see my smiling face, and a shiny Bonneville parked on the street.

I don't know what it'll be like for you, but as a domino'* driver, I would get ~$20-50 a night weeknights, $40-70 a night weekends, $60-100 on holidays working 5-9 hour shifts. I would work open-close on Sundays and make around $80. That'* including fuel compensation ($1.25/delivery)

I usually tip whatever is the first number of the bill - within reason. I usually don't tip less than $3 either. So, if my bill was the $21 you mentioned, I'd give $3. If I ordered for a group of us hanging out, and our order was larger - say $50, I'd do at least $5...

Back when I used to deliver for Dolly'* Pizza (a growing franchise in the SE MI area), I used to get about $2-$3 a run. That was back in the mid-90s. I'd typically get 40 runs a night and get ~$110 in tips. 80% of it was apartments so it was quick cash. Plus a buck a run and minimum wage....it added up nicely. Gas wasn't as expensive then, either.

I tip outrageously because I like to see people smile. That, and it'* fun watching delivery people/waitresses at the places I frequent argue over who gets to serve me I have yet to have bad service at a place I've been to more than once because of this.

I'm the assistant manager at pizza hut so I don't order pizza out (I get e nough of it already.) But, my drivers report usually an average of $2 per run. It depends on the size of the order really. Last night my driver made $50 in four hours and 12 runs excluding his hourly pay. It was a good night for him.

Try to get the big orders for businesses if you can..

I think a driver when I worked @ davanni'* got a 30-40 dollar tip once taking $200 in pies to a car dealer..

I drive for Papa John'* and been doing so for many years. If I get about $2-3 per run, I'm OK, plus the $1.35 per run. It'* not really what is proportional to the total, just a good average tip is what is important. You get good ones, you get bad ones, you move on.

It doesn't always work out that way. The drivers are on a rotation, so if you get the big one, great. If not, sucks to be you. The rotation system'* there for the sole purpose of keeping things fair. Otherwise, everyone would hold out for those big runs.

I always found lunch time deliveries to be the best for big orders. Nothing like taking $130 of pizza to a machine shop and getting 15-20% tip because nobody wants to take the time to figure out exactly what they owed. You don't see runs like that at night unless those shops run 2nd or 3rd shift.

I tip 3 dollars regardless unless I know him. If I know him, he'* getting 5.