Can someone honestly explain pizza delivery fees??

[pure]

As most of you may know, all of the major pizza chains (pizza hut, domino's, Papa Johns, etc) charge a delivery fee, an average of $2.50 or so. Does anyone work or has worked at a pizza place that can explain this fee? When I order online, they state that this fee does not go to the driver, so why do I have to pay extra for delivery if it's not paying the driver or paying for gas for the driver (or is it?)

[Thunder]

I think it goes toward the gas funds where the workers file on record how many miles they drive.

[skyrick]

You're a piker if you don't tip your delivery person at least $3.

[Joe Kimball]

You're a piker if you don't tip your delivery person at least $3.

And for whom do you deliver?

The expectation that a delivered pizza cost upwards of 5 dollars extra with all of its associated fees has driven me from having delivered pizza, especially since all of the pizza places are but less than a mile away from many addresses in town.

[skyrick]

And for whom do you deliver?

No one, we go pick up our Papa John's because I like it hotter than if it has ridden around with 2 other deliveries before I get it.

I just think all service people are underpaid. If someone is lazy enough to whip out their iPhone and order a pizza, they should think about the guy schlepping around in his own car (even if he gets a mileage allowance) because it's too much trouble to climb in the F-150 and trundle down the block.

[Easy180]

5 dollar minimum delivery tip...Chinese or Pizza

[Joe Kimball]

On one hand, pizza delivery can be a dangerous occupation---deadly in some instances, I'm afraid.

On the other, I refuse to submit to paying in any instance what the company should already be paying the driver; in essence a bribe to get one's pizza faster on a future visit and not before 2 other deliveries as you put it (and as is often true), and also taking the flak for others perceived "laziness", as there are many other instances by which one might ask a pizza delivered---never mind that they are offering it to begin with, sometimes 'free'.

Pizza delivery is what it is, and while I feel for those drivers who might be on the short end of the stick with this, to pay more than half again as much in many instances is ridiculous. To attempt to answer the actual question of the thread, I'm not nor ever have I been a pizza driver, but I understand that many times when a delivery fee is involved, it's nothing more than a money grab by the company, leaving the driver to fend for themselves with a possible tip.

[Achilleslastand]

As most of you may know, all of the major pizza chains (pizza hut, domino's, Papa Johns, etc) charge a delivery fee, an average of $2.50 or so. Does anyone work or has worked at a pizza place that can explain this fee? When I order online, they state that this fee does not go to the driver, so why do I have to pay extra for delivery if it's not paying the driver or paying for gas for the driver (or is it?)

Maybe someone in the know can explain but ive heard the same thing. The big chains charge that delivery charge and part goes to the driver for time,gas and wear and tear on car and if im not mistaken the other part goes to the business to help with insurance cost etc.
I always give the driver a generous tip to help with gas wear and tear on car and for bringing my dinner to my door in his own personal vehichle.

[skyrick]

Maybe someone in the know can explain but ive heard the same thing. The big chains charge that delivery charge and part goes to the driver for time,gas and wear and tear on car and if im not mistaken the other part goes to the business to help with insurance cost etc.
I always give the driver a generous tip to help with gas wear and tear on car and for bringing my dinner to my door in his own personal vehichle.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This.

[oneforone]

I only have one out of every 10 pizzas I order delivered. It's easier to go to the place and pick it up. By the time I order it and drive up there it's just coming out of the oven and being put in the box. By the time I get home it has cooled down just enough to where everything tastes perfect.

[Joe Kimball]

Indeed. What's the usual turnaround on a delivery, 40 minutes? I've walked pizzas back home faster when I didn't have a vehicle.

[oneforone]

I have had wait times range from 30-90 minutes over the last year.

[RadicalModerate]

Lots of good thoughts here.

I agree that $5 should be the minimum tip for the delivery driver.
(Great section in the book, "You Want Fries With That?" by Priloux Alexander on just that topic.)

However, it is an expense that I will probably never incur as I, too, just pick up my pizza at the nearby Papa Johns (now that Perri's is no longer around).

I guess the "Delivery Fee" is another expense I won't incur.
(In fact, I didn't even know it existed until I encountered this thread.)

[tuck]

Seriously...? You are paying for convenience, having the pizza delivered to your home. There's a value there and these pizza places charge for it; a very, very small fee at that! They also staff their restaurants with delivery drivers every day expecting to be busy with deliveries; sometimes these drivers aren't as busy. They are still paid an hourly wage.

[earlywinegareth]

Yup...delivery fee plus tip? No thanks, we now make our own pizzas at home and is very fun & easy experimenting with different toppings.

[kevinpate]

To each their own. For my own, if I willingly pay 7.00 or more shipping/handling on online purchases to cover 3.40 postage, it would be odd to quibble over a similar convenience charge for home delivery of food.

[MartzMimic]

In college several years ago, I was a delivery driver for Domino's in Ada. At the time, I made an hourly wage and received an additional amount for every order (pizza?) I delivered. I also made a little extra on every delivery if I put the sign atop my car. My favorite customers were drunks and bikers, as they seemed to tip better. When I happened to deliver to drunk bikers...bonanza!!

I don't recall that we charged an additional fee for delivery back then. Like many others, I choose to drive a mile or so for carryout, as I don't think of a 25-percent surcharge as insignificant. However, when I am too lazy to go pick it up, I do tip the driver between $3-5 per order as I remember all too well how much my tips let me keep the lights on back then.

[Thunder]

I think the people that refuse to tip need to be taught a lesson. Put them in the delivery drivers' shoes to see how it feels to do the extra work for the customers, then they will realize how important and life-saving the tips will be. How about the non-tippers that stay at home during a major blizzard, not thinking twice about the safety of the delivery drivers when they call in to order pizzas and not tip? Drivers are forced to come into work (not really much of a choice) when heavy demand skyrocket with call-in orders and its sad when people don't tip them for driving through ice, snow, wind, and cold extreme weather. Even the hot summer days, they either have to decide to use their ac to waste more gas delivery to the people or tough out the extreme heat with no ac to conserve gas. Just because they are paid hourly wages does not make it right by not tipping them. In fact, not tipping them make a person extremely disrespectful and immoral.

[skyrick]

I think the people that refuse to tip need to be taught a lesson. Put them in the delivery drivers' shoes to see how it feels to do the extra work for the customers, then they will realize how important and life-saving the tips will be. How about the non-tippers that stay at home during a major blizzard, not thinking twice about the safety of the delivery drivers when they call in to order pizzas and not tip? Drivers are forced to come into work (not really much of a choice) when heavy demand skyrocket with call-in orders and its sad when people don't tip them for driving through ice, snow, wind, and cold extreme weather. Even the hot summer days, they either have to decide to use their ac to waste more gas delivery to the people or tough out the extreme heat with no ac to conserve gas. Just because they are paid hourly wages does not make it right by not tipping them. In fact, not tipping them make a person extremely disrespectful and immoral.

I don't know if I entirely agree with your first and last sentences, but everything in between gets a hearty, "What he said!" from me!

[BlackmoreRulz]

Are the pizza companies on the hook if a driver has an accident while driving with a companies sign strapped to the top of the car? I would think that they have some sort of insurance overhead for cases like that.

[Thunder]

Are the pizza companies on the hook if a driver has an accident while driving with a companies sign strapped to the top of the car? I would think that they have some sort of insurance overhead for cases like that.

Delivery drivers are required to carry insurance during whole time of employment. I would think its the driver's responsibility to have adequate insurance. If not, then the injured victims will possibly sue the company, but I doubt the company would be held liable...but to be on the safe side, I'm sure the companies also have insurance....just in case.

[USAF]

My coworker's son works for dominos, the $2.50 goes to the store, not the delivery driver. I would imagine the other chains do it the same way. Any car accidents are covered the employees individual insurance vs the company. Drivers do get at least minimum wage.

[RealEstateCop1]

I started using Papa Murphy's where you just go pick it up yourself and bake it at home.

[Of Sound Mind]

I would spend more in gas going to pick up the pizza myself than paying the nominal delivery fee.

[Larry OKC]

How true!