Complete Guide to Tipping Delivery Drivers
Food delivery tipping can be confusing. With apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and GrubHub, you might wonder how much to tip—and whether those fees already include the driver's pay. This guide covers everything you need to know.
⚠️ Critical: Delivery Fees ≠Driver Tips
The "delivery fee" charged by DoorDash, Uber Eats, GrubHub, and other apps does NOT go to your driver. That fee goes to the company. Your driver relies on your tip for the majority of their earnings. Always tip separately.
Standard Delivery Tipping Guidelines
The Standard: 15-20% with a $3-5 Minimum
- Standard delivery: 15-20% of order total
- Absolute minimum: $3-5 even for small orders
- Bad weather (rain, snow): Add $2-5 extra
- Large or complex orders: 20-25%
- Long distance (5+ miles): Add $5+ more
Why the $3-5 Minimum Matters
Even if your order is small ($10-15), always tip at least $3-5. Here's why:
- Gas costs: Drivers pay for their own gas, which can be $3-5 per delivery
- Time investment: A "quick" delivery takes 20-30 minutes (pickup, drive, find parking, deliver, return)
- Vehicle wear: Miles add up, and drivers cover maintenance costs
- No hourly wage: Most drivers earn only what you tip plus small base pay ($2-3)
Example: If you order a $12 sandwich and tip 15% ($1.80), the driver might earn $4 total for 25 minutes of work—about $9.60/hour before gas costs. A $5 tip brings their earnings to a fairer $12-14/hour.
Tipping by Delivery App
đźš— DoorDash
How it works: DoorDash shows drivers the estimated payout (base pay + tip) before they accept. Low tips often mean longer waits, as drivers skip those orders.
Recommended tip: 15-20% or $5 minimum
Pro tip: You can adjust tips after delivery for up to 30 days. If service was exceptional (or terrible), you can change it.
🍔 Uber Eats
How it works: Similar to DoorDash, drivers see expected earnings upfront. You can tip before or after delivery and adjust tips for up to 1 hour after.
Recommended tip: 15-20% or $4-5 minimum
Pro tip: Uber Eats suggests tip amounts, but these are often on the low side. Consider rounding up.
🥡 GrubHub
How it works: GrubHub shows drivers the full payout including your tip. Low or no-tip orders often sit unassigned for long periods.
Recommended tip: 20% or $5 minimum
Pro tip: GrubHub drivers report that the platform has higher service fees but lower base pay, making tips even more critical.
🍕 Pizza Delivery (Domino's, Papa John's, Local Shops)
How it works: Direct from the restaurant. Drivers are often restaurant employees but still rely on tips.
Recommended tip: $3-5 for standard orders, 15-20% for large orders
Pro tip: Tip in cash if possible—drivers appreciate immediate money.
🥗 Instacart & Grocery Delivery
How it works: Shoppers pick your items AND deliver them. This is more work than restaurant pickup.
Recommended tip: 15-20% or $5 minimum, more for heavy items or large orders
Pro tip: Add $5-10 extra for heavy orders (cases of water, dog food, etc.) or apartment deliveries without elevators.
When to Tip More
🌧️ Bad Weather (Rain, Snow, Ice)
Add $2-5 extra or tip 25%. Drivers are risking their safety to bring you food. Show appreciation.
🏢 Difficult Deliveries
Apartments without parking, gated communities, offices with complex entry—add $2-3 extra if your location is tricky to access.
🚶 Stairs Without Elevator
3rd floor or higher? Add $2-3. Carrying food up multiple flights is hard work.
📦 Large or Multiple Orders
15+ items or multiple bags? Tip 20-25%. More items = more weight and effort to carry.
🛣️ Long Distance (5+ miles)
Add $1 per extra mile beyond 5 miles. Gas and time add up quickly.
⏰ Late Night or Early Morning
Ordering at midnight or 6am? Add $3-5 extra. Fewer drivers work these hours.
🎉 Special Requests
"Extra napkins," "ring doorbell 3 times," or "don't let the dog out"—these take extra time. Add $2 extra if you have specific instructions.
Common Delivery Tipping Mistakes
❌ Don't make these mistakes:
- Assuming delivery fees cover tips - They don't. Tip separately.
- Tipping based on discounts - If you got 50% off, tip on the original price.
- Not tipping for "free delivery" - "Free" means the app waived its fee. Driver still deserves a tip.
- Lowering tip for restaurant mistakes - Wrong order? That's the restaurant's fault, not the driver's.
- Forgetting cash tip if paying cash - Drivers can't see tip ahead of time with cash orders. Mention it in notes.
Pre-Tipping vs. Post-Tipping
Most apps ask you to tip before delivery. This affects how quickly your order gets picked up:
âś… Pre-Tipping (Recommended)
- • Faster pickup (drivers see good tip, accept quickly)
- • Better service (driver knows they're compensated well)
- • Can adjust after delivery if needed
⚠️ Post-Tipping
- • Longer wait times (drivers skip no-tip orders)
- • Order may get cold
- • Less motivated drivers
Best practice: Pre-tip generously. If service is poor, you can reduce it afterward on most apps (usually within 24 hours).
What If Service Was Bad?
Before reducing a tip, identify the problem:
- Cold food: Likely restaurant's fault (slow prep) not driver's—don't lower tip
- Wrong items: Restaurant's mistake—don't lower tip
- Late delivery: Check if restaurant was slow. If driver took multiple orders or detoured, okay to lower tip
- Rude driver or damaged food: Valid reason to lower tip and report to app
- Wrong address delivered: Driver's fault—lower tip and report
Most delivery issues aren't the driver's fault. Contact app support for refunds rather than punishing drivers for restaurant mistakes.
Cash vs. App Tipping
đź’µ Cash Tips
Pros:
- • Driver gets it immediately
- • No app taking a cut
- • Appreciated by drivers
Cons:
- • Need to have cash on hand
- • Drivers can't see tip beforehand (slower pickup)
- • Requires contact delivery
📱 App Tips
Pros:
- • Convenient (no cash needed)
- • Faster pickup (drivers see tip)
- • Can adjust after delivery
Cons:
- • Driver waits for payout
- • Fully reported income (taxed)
Quick Reference: Delivery Tipping Cheat Sheet
| Scenario | Tip Amount |
|---|---|
| Small order (<$20) | $4-5 minimum |
| Standard order ($20-50) | 15-20% |
| Large order ($50+) | 20% or $10+ |
| Bad weather | 20-25% + $5 |
| Long distance (5+ miles) | 20% + $1/extra mile |
| Apartment stairs (3+ floors) | Standard + $2-3 |
| Late night/early morning | Standard + $3-5 |
| Grocery delivery (Instacart) | 15-20% or $10+ |