How Much Should You Tip NJ Food Delivery Drivers at Christmas?

When you have food delivered, are you tipping the person who brought it enough?

It’s easy to sometimes just round up the bill for a tip, or maybe you don’t ask for change back, but is that the right amount?

I was thinking about this the other night when I was too lazy to go get pizza myself. I ordered it online and there was an option for a tip. What I ordered was around $22 and standard tipping options were part of the check-out process: 15, 18, or 20%.

I always go with at least 20% (after all, I’m the lazy one here), but on a $22 order, a 20% tip is around $4.

These days, what the heck can you do with four dollars, especially in this state?

Not to mention, the holidays are here and you should probably be adding a little bit more.

Christmas dinner table – Photo by Libby Penner on Unsplash

Christmas dinner table – Photo by Libby Penner on Unsplash🎄 NJ Holiday Delivery Tipping: Are You Being a Grinch?

I did a little digging and found an article from tasteofhome.com. They did some research and the absolute minimum that you should tip a delivery person…

Five bucks.

Even if someone is brining you a $4 cup of coffee, be prepared to fork over five.

Hot Christmas beverage – Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash

They say,

If you think about the time it takes a driver to grab the food from the restaurant, drive it to your place, wait for you to come to the door and then head back to the restaurant, you’re looking at 20 minutes, but probably more. Ask yourself: Would I take that trip for less?

That’s a very valid point. If you’re taking pizzas all over town and you depend on tips, isn’t a 20 or 30-minute trip worth at least five dollars? Even with that, you might just be breaking even after paying for gas.

🚗 Why a $4 Tip Doesn’t Go Far in New Jersey

They also say 20% is the absolute minimum if you are getting an entire party’s worth of pizzas delivered at one time or if the weather is really lousy or now around the holidays (think of the pizza delivery scene in Home Alone).

🍕 Bad Pizza? Why That’s Not the Driver’s Fault

If your pizza is awful, it’s best not to take it out on the driver. Unless he or she does something horrible specific to your order, it’s best to call the restaurant and figure it out with a manager.

Here’s a taste of the NJ pizza joints Dave Portnoy has reviewed

Dave Portnoy, commonly known as El Presidente, is the founder of Barstool Sports. Somewhere along the way, he decided to start reviewing local pizzerias, and the concept took off. This isn’t the entire list, but it’s a small sample to get you started.

Gallery Credit: Joe Votruba

12 Great Pizza Places in Atlantic City

Gallery Credit: Eddie Davis