As the title says, bought some nicer furniture which is being delivered and curious if I should tip the delivery driver.
Edit: I’m in the USA.
No.
Don’t normalize the spread of toxic tip culture.
If you’re in the US it’s expected to tip everyone.
Please don’t forget to tip your landlord - inflation is hitting them hard right now.
My landlord is really awesome, I didn’t realize tipping them was a thing we should do. What’s the etiquette for this? Monthly? Only when a service is needed? Etc
Hourly, set it up on auto-pay.
What relationship do you wish to cultivate?
In order to detach your contribution from their behavior, or in order to attach your contribution to their behavior?
My coarse understanding is that decades ago the gratuity was originally before service, so that one could establish the quality of service they were requesting.
This can be achieved by what you intend and practice.
Everybody loves a landlord Everybody’s bosom friend
Why tip someone for doing the their job?
Because America is fundamentally broken and making life harder for a laborer isn’t going to change shit except their ability to feed themselves.
In US and Hell no. I paid for the furniture, I paid for the delivery. My side is done.
If it’s coming via FedEx, UPS, or USPS, I’d say no, unless for some reason they come into your house to help, then yeah if you’re generous. Moving company 100% yes tip. Normal corporate delivery service I’d say no unless they did something extra.
I have never tipped cash or been asked for a tip for furniture or appliance delivery. That said, having had lived in Louisiana and Texas, I always offer refreshments like water or fresh lemonade. It gets fucking hot!
Yes.
Yes. Absolutely. There’s a fuck ton of things you shouldn’t tip for. This is not one of them.
Curb/dock drop: no.
Into home: yes, but at that point you’re “tipping” for an additional service usually purchased separately (eg, moving service, appliance installation)
I find this difference interesting, in the UK if someone has a home delivery it’s into your home, not left at the kerb.
That’s a good point. There is a type of delivery in the US that’s all-inclusive, where more than one delivery person show up and it’s assumed they bring it in and install it.
Standard delivery though is often some form of freight where final delivery is handled by a local carrier/vendor. Usually they arrive with a commercial delivery truck rather than a van or pantechnicon.
Unloading from the trailer to a loading dock is the easiest. Curb delivery is possible if the trailer is outfitted with a lift or a slide out ramp. But any further and the delivery can become a lot more involved, enough to throw off their delivery schedule.
Drivers often still offer to do it unofficially as a side-hustle, but if I don’t have cash on hand I won’t ask them to do it just as a favor.
I dont want to be part of toxic tipping culture but alsowanrt to be nice.
Therefore -if service was good- i would offer a coffe / fresh lemonade /cookiesb etc.
