Tipping Etiquette: Pandemic Edition
By: Alexander Song
Tags: Food, Delivery, Coronavirus, Restaurant, Covid 19

Arguments about how and what to tip are as old as tipping itself. Whether you think 15% or 20% is the sweet spot or whether you calculate tip based on the total or subtotal, there is only one real rule during the pandemic, tip what you can and tip generously.

People who are under financial hardship still need delivery services and it would unreasonable to expect a 20% tip across the board in that situation. Nobody should make you feel guilty for tipping what you can, if that means a 5% tip then at least you tried and you should feel good about that.

Many people generally only tip waiters and not delivery people. Whether there is dine-in service or not, now is the time to tip people if you can afford it. Most “essential workers” are actually low-wage hourly workers that probably don’t even have health benefits but they have to work dangerous jobs just to keep from drowning under bills and debt.

Make no mistake, delivery workers and restaurant workers are risking their lives each time they step out of their homes to provide a necessary service. People can only stay at home because of these workers.

Restaurant Workers

I’ve spoken to many people who opt out of delivery and choose take-out orders to save on delivery charges. As long as you’re staying cautious when you pick up your food that’s a great way to save on some money. The problem is when people then do not tip restaurant workers. Just because they are not serving you tableside does not mean they don’t deserve to be tipped.

The majority of restaurants pool tips earned during a shift then distribute the money across all the hourly workers including the kitchen. In many cases, when someone orders delivery through a third-party app like Grubhub, Uber Eats, or Postmates they end up tipping the delivery worker, not the restaurant workers. Due to the majority of orders now being delivered, wages are likely significantly lower for hourly workers.

If you can afford to, tip what you would normally tip a waiter even for take-out. An extra dollar or even a few cents more than usual might not mean that much to you but it means a lot to the workers.

Grocery Delivery Worker/Gig Worker

Grocery delivery has exploded during the pandemic. Most platforms that rely on a gig economy found success by making tipping truly optional with little to no expectation of tips. That means many people still do not tip grocery delivery workers. Food shortages of popular items also contribute to rising complaints from users.

It is easy to stick to the merit tipping based mentality. You didn’t get perfect service so they don’t deserve a high tip or any tip at all. Depending on the size of the order they’re fulfilling they may be getting paid just a few dollars to burden the risk of shopping for you. It may cost you more but nobody should have to perform dangerous, strenuous, and thankless work for just a few dollars an hour. Please consider tipping these gig workers even if your orders aren’t perfect.

Also, under no circumstances should you be baiting-and-switching tip amounts to get faster service from grocery workers. This disturbing trend starts by posting a very high tip amount so grocery workers will quickly take the job and then once the delivery is completed the user changes the tip amount to a paltry sum or none at all. This undermines the trust users have with the platform and is a dishonest act.

Delivery Drivers/Package Couriers

Tipping delivery drivers and package carriers isn’t as widespread as tipping restaurant workers but you absolutely can.

USPS workers cannot accept gifts with a value greater than $20.

FedEx workers have a tip value limit of $75.

UPS has no value limit but prefers if you give gifts rather than cash to their workers.

Cash is normally well appreciated but there are some concerns that COVID-19 might be spread through bills. There is little evidence to support this so it’s probably safe but if you want to err on the side of caution a gift card that can be easily disinfected and is just as good. Experts recommend leaving tips in an envelope that is clearly marked so the delivery people know it’s for them.

Another option is if you know your neighborhood has a regular package delivery worker you can leave a hefty tip during the holidays as well.

Healthcare Workers

Healthcare workers are the face of frontline heroes during the pandemic. Generally speaking, healthcare workers like nurses and doctors are not permitted to accept cash tips. However, if you have a burning desire to thank these essential workers providing gifts for the entire staff like lunch or snacks is permitted as long as they can be verified to be uncontaminated.

Every single worker that takes care of the sick or enables you to stay at home and stay safe deserve our gratitude. If you can afford to, please tip generously as most essential workers are severely underpaid and shouldering all the risk of getting seriously ill.

Remember, you can show your gratitude through more than just money. A sincere thank you can also help bring a little positivity to a worker’s day as well.