Expats -- how much are you tipping food delivery people?

[Jingthing]

I've been ordering more delivery lately and am unsure what the tipping customs are for this.

Usually there is a charge for delivery unless very close.

I have no idea if the delivery people get that money or also get extra money from the restaurant.

I'm assuming in the case of "free" delivery, the restaurant is paying them something.

Anyway, I always tip them on top of the delivery fee.

Nothing spectacular but I have noticed they usually look happy and give thanks to get the not spectacular amounts, like maybe lots of people give them nothing.

To me it's a big service driving food on a motorcycle and delivering to my door ... so I think they need to be tipped.

Just curious what you guys tip for this.

Say for a fairly short ride.

I don't call for long ride deliveries. I would think more for that.

Edited May 30, 2015 by Jingthing

[Dannyboy666]

I Tip Good, former Bartender,but don't do deliveries , so curios too

[manarak]

Honestly, I hate tipping for a commodity.

When my satisfaction depends on the person's good or exceptional performance, yes, I tip and sometimes even very good.

But for driving a pizza around?

Is it an award for not falling off the motorcycle?

[WaywardWind]

10% rounded to the nearest logical amount based on the currency denominations available.

[danmarnj]

These guys don't make that much, let loose the purse strings

[HeijoshinCool]

These guys don't make that much, let loose the purse strings

.

Not only because it is the right thing to do, but because if you are using the same restaurant, again and again, it insures priority service over other customers, and perhaps avoids cold or, uhm, adulterated food.

[Bellacissa]

I tip about 10% for deliveries as well. Maybe a little more if the denominations work out that way, but not less.

[ThaiBob]

Honestly, I hate tipping for a commodity.

When my satisfaction depends on the person's good or exceptional performance, yes, I tip and sometimes even very good.

But for driving a pizza around?

Is it an award for not falling off the motorcycle?

I don't tip for a commodity either but I do tip for service. About 10% for delivery service, rounded since these delivery people seldom have change.

[Dannyboy666]

Honestly, I hate tipping for a commodity.

When my satisfaction depends on the person's good or exceptional performance, yes, I tip and sometimes even very good.

But for driving a pizza around?

Is it an award for not falling off the motorcycle?

. Cmon People we get enough Bad Press, is a dollar or so gonna change your Life...

[EmptyHead]

20 baht does it.

[garvon]

!0% for me and happy to do it - is a good service.

[konying]

20 baht, all the big chains like pizza company charge 40 baht for delivery.

[wump]

I tip between 20 and 40, depending on the rounding (eg. for 270 I would give 300, for 380 I'd give 400). And anything over 500 I would try to give 40, except when the amount ends in X70 (like 570), then they only get 30.

This whole topic had me thinking a lot as well.

Now that Foodpanda purchased WOW and Door2Door there is no free delivery anymore and they charge a service charge?!

So a 400 Baht meal ends up costing 490 Baht (50 Baht for delivery and 10% service charge, 40 Baht). I never ordered with them but I would be very reluctant to tip in this case. Was is your take on this? Do you think the driver gets either of these fees?

[avidflyer]

Good question, JT.

I wish there was a way to know what part of the delivery fee that the driver is getting. Lacking that info then 20 baht minimum and usually around 10% although the "making change" transaction and small money on hand does influence the final tip. To be perfectly honest, some days I feel more generous than others. Those times when I wind up tipping less than 10%, I regret it. Oh my, guilt can be worthy negotiator!

What delivered food is worthwhile ordering, I wonder??? Perhaps there is a thread.

[scorecard]

Honestly, I hate tipping for a commodity.

When my satisfaction depends on the person's good or exceptional performance, yes, I tip and sometimes even very good.

But for driving a pizza around?

Is it an award for not falling off the motorcycle?

There's always the possibility (in Thailand and other places of course) that the deliverer gets no salary at all, just (in the words of the benevolant boss) gets the opportunity to make tips, in which case there's a high possibility the motorcycle boy / girl is also paying for the gasoline.

Reminds me of a case 20 years back when a scaly Malaysian woman was managing several company owned service stations near Rayong.

The kids / attendants on the forecourt were all underage shoeless street kids. They received no salary and no other support and had to give 50% of all tips they received to the scaly boss. And of course they had no knowledge whatever of the serious nature of fire or explosion with gasoline.

Someone reported it to the major oil company involved and they sent representatives with plain clothes police to check it out. The woman was jailed then deported.

The major oil company had egg on it's face also and punished their own regional / district staff for allowing this to develop.

Edited May 31, 2015 by scorecard

[phil2407]

10% always - even always in restaurants unless the food or service is terrible

[Srikcir]

Honestly, I hate tipping for a commodity.

When my satisfaction depends on the person's good or exceptional performance, yes, I tip and sometimes even very good.

But for driving a pizza around?

Is it an award for not falling off the motorcycle?

Maybe a reward for not getting killed delivering a Bt300 pizza or fried chicken. Delivery person is probably only making minimum wage Bt300/day. A Bt20 tip goes a long way.

Edited May 31, 2015 by Srikcir

[ThailandLOS]

10% on top of the delivery person is female, attractive and smiles

[timmyp]

For deliveries, I let them keep the change if it is between 10-50 baht. If it is less than 10 baht, I add on 20 baht.

I don't get lunch deliveries, I am usually ordering larger volumes of food or products.

I make sure I have close to the correct amount, because it really bugs me when I feel someone is feigning that they don't have change.

I tip taxi drivers by allowing them to keep the change, but usually the tip is about 10-50 baht, the same.

I never go out to eat, and if I do, it's not a place where tipping would be appropriate, so I never tip when I go out.

I don't particularly like the custom of tipping. I'm guessing that it doesn't get me better service, I'm guessing that once I start giving tips, the folks I tip start to feel that the tip is owed to them. Nobody thinks, "Oh, this timmyp, he always tips, and so I want to do a better a job so I keep getting those tips." But knowing how much their works sucks and knowing what those folks get paid makes me feel obliged to try and pay a tiny extra without rocking the norms.

[torpedo1970]

Good question, JT.

I wish there was a way to know what part of the delivery fee that the driver is getting. Lacking that info then 20 baht minimum and usually around 10% although the "making change" transaction and small money on hand does influence the final tip. To be perfectly honest, some days I feel more generous than others. Those times when I wind up tipping less than 10%, I regret it. Oh my, guilt can be worthy negotiator!

What delivered food is worthwhile ordering, I wonder??? Perhaps there is a thread.

The delivery fee is the restaurants way of trying to recover (and most times do) the cost of a delivery service

Common guys, have you ever seen a Thai work for free??

All the delivery guys from companies of certain size (not the small one on the corner) they all have minimum wages of 300 a day plus tip.

I always round up or give like a 20 Baht tip, but have noticed that they actually seems unhappy it is not more... so i stopped tipping all together... hate the greed and it is just like feeding the trolls, the more you feed, the more it want....

[mick01827]

It's my understanding that those sort of jobs are kept mainly for university students, I believe if someone is prepared to help themselves then I'm more than happy to give them a little help especially if it's pouring down with rain and It saves me going out

[The Big Mango]

Have always rounded it up to the nearest 100.

If the billls 490 then its only 10thb if its 410 then its their lucky day i guess.

I do order pizza once a week or so and over the last several months always been the same guy delivering. For sure they have multiple workers , guess this guys sees our adress and wants to deliver as the bill is x30thb so he gets 70thb everytime he delivers to us.

For me it works both ways , never been even close to late , the foods always been correct and hot.

Im happy , hes happy. Win win to me

[bazza40]

If you hear the word "kiniow" it means you're a Cheap Charlie

[Xonax]

I assume that when I have to pay 40 Bath for delivery, it's because the restaurant is paying the driver this amount. Why would the restaurant even think of making a profit on delivery, when they aught to offer free delivery, because I don' t occupy a seat in the restaurant? I only pay a tip if it's raining.

[Rimmer]

An off topic post post in pidgin Thai has been removed

[peterb17]

Always tip- I hardly imagine these guys are making a vast wage. It's an indulgence having a pizza delivered ( mind you the last one I had was terrible ) .

If the guy smiles- he gets 100 baht !

[TommyUK1960]

I try hard to not to tip. As I said to my Thai wife "You don't get rich by giving money away". I am very proud to say she is just as tight as me.

As for food delivery. we never use that service as our food is far superior.

[Pattaya28]

The delivery person works for the restaurant that supplies the food, and gets paid by that restaurant.

Irrespective of this, I do not tip the delivery person.

And many a time, the change the delivery person gives me is short. When \I point this out, I get a smile and the rest of the change.

Tipping for what ? Doing a job that is a paid job ? Not really an answer they are lowly paid. This is Thailand. That person will live a lifestyle according to their pay. The jobs are lowly paid by Western standards. Average for Thai standards.

I see large tipping in Go-Go Bars. For what ? For paying a high price for a drink ? Funny and Strange.

[Ludwigdd]

Tipping is bad for business , I tip but not always .

I stay in China for some times , no tipping ,and I went out much more .

It's ok to leave 20 bath , I even give the gasstation people a tip if the nice and smile .

Many nice people around .

But tipping not good for business , I would have a business I would have a Singh and say no pipping necessary !

But I would pay my people a good wage too . Not just 15000.00 a month I would start every one at 25000.00

To bad I can't owne a place 100 % oh well time to take it easy .

[hawksway]

My Wife tells me it's against Thai culture to tip but commonly 20 Baht is appreciated.