Tipping Point (for takeaway deliveries)

[reidos]

Last night I ordered Chinese food which was delivered promptly, well under the 30 minute estimate. It came to ?15.80 so I gave the chap ?17. My tip was based on the speed of delivery, not having had a chance to sample the food yet.

Unfortunately the food was pretty terrible and I regretted paying anything at all - let alone a tip - regardless of how quick it was delivered.

So what is the protocol in regard to tipping for takeaway deliveries? Do you tip? If so, how much?

[SeanMacGabhann]

yep - I always tip at least 10% - usually rounded up to next ?1

Unlike bars and what not there is a pretty good chance that the money goes directly to the poor schmoe who is out there in the weather on the scooter

If I can afford ?20 or so for some curry then I can afford the 10%

(and it's not like, say the post office where salary, benefits etc are part of the deal.. in some cases I wouldn't be surprised if these people don't get paid at all)

On a related note, with an odd rare exception, the delivery people in the area are pretty friendly I find...

[lozzyloz]

I usually tip the deliverer between ?1 and ?2 depending on what change I have in my pocket as I normally pay for the food by cc.

Out of curiosity reidos which Chinese did you order from?

[Keef]

I always tip the delivery guy. Remember, they haven't cooked the food if it is bad, they just got it to you quickly.

[Brendan]

I generally give about 10%. A few days ago though I got in from the pub and it was bucketing down. I was starving and I desperately wanted a pizza but I didn?t have any cash on me (it was all in the till at the CPT). As it was raining I didn?t feel like going out again to the ATM so I ordered a pizza and paid with my card over the phone. The pizza man arrived at my door 20 minutes later and I had nothing to tip him with except for the jar of pennies. I thought that would just be wrong though. It was raining and cold and dark and the poor guy was soaked. So I just had to take my pizza into my warm house and send him off into the night sans tip. I felt really guilty for a while but at least I had some comfort food.

[reidos]

Out of curiosity reidos which Chinese did you order from?

It was from Gold Lee on East Dulwich Road. They've always been very good in the past so maybe I just caught them on a bad night.

[downsouth]

I rarely do to be honest. If I do it's normally ?1-?2.

[TillieTrotter]

Same for me, between 1-2 pounds. I would imagine they get very poorly paid.