Here's How To Tip Your Driver For Delivery Under $20

Chances are, you've had a home delivery recently. Perhaps from DoorDash or Amazon, or maybe a local pizza shop. And you aren't alone in your love for business-to-home deliveries. Grocery and food deliveries have increased significantly since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to lockdowns and social distancing measures. According to Statista, in 2022, roughly 150 million shoppers, or a little under half of the U.S. population, shopped for food online — and that number is only expected to grow. In fact, Business of Apps reports that Uber Eats, a popular food delivery service, has approximately 81 million users.

Brick Meets Click says that grocery delivery ballooned from 2019 to 2020, going from $500 million to $ 3.4 billion, and research company McKinsey reports that during the COVID-19 pandemic, food delivery increased more than double. If you are one of the people who rely on food or grocery delivery, even at least some of the time, you probably already know that tipping your driver is not only a nice thing to do, it's expected — and it can get your delivery to you sooner and handled with more care. But how much are you supposed to tip, and what do you do if your order is less than $20?

So how much do you tip for a delivery service? There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the amount you choose to tip a driver can depend on several factors, including the quality of service you received and your personal financial situation. Bankrate says that even if the service you receive is poor, it's recommended to tip at least 10% for drivers and a minimum of 15% at a sit-down restaurant. Grub Street suggests that for food delivery, you should tip a minimum of $5, or 20%, whichever is the greater amount.

Consumer Reports supports says that $3 to $5 is standard, or 20% of the total bill, based on whichever is higher. GrubHub says that you should tip at least 20% of the delivery order, or no less than $5 if the amount is $20 or less. If your driver is delivering to you in bad weather, you should tip even more. 

Not everyone will follow these tipping guidelines, though. Moneypenny reports that the average American tips 15% of their total order amount, or they round to the nearest dollar for orders that cost less than $20. To break this down, that means if you order a $15 take-out meal from McDonald's and have it delivered, you would tip at least $2. This is because 15% of the bill would be $2.25, then rounding to the nearest whole dollar would bring the tip down to $2. 

According to The Atlantic, tipping amounts have exploded over the last three years, up by more than 25% for full-service restaurants and up 17% in quick-service locations, like Starbucks. However, a FinanceBuzz survey found that, on average, only 15.7% of Americans tip their food delivery drivers, and 64% of those will tip a percentage of the bill, not a flat rate.

It's worth remembering that delivery drivers put effort into getting your items to you, and when they are delivered on time, with care, and, when warranted, still hot from the oven, a decent tip is appropriate.