Tip for the Lowe's delivery guy?

[princessmorgan]

This is an interesting thread. I'm having a mattress delivered this week and was wondering the same thing since they'll be climbing stairs and taking the old mattress away.

 

[littlebit0863]

I know they are not allowed to accept tips, but doesn't mean they won't.I would say tip according to what they did. If they drop it off and leave maybe $5 each? If they install it, more. If they haul off the old one, more still. That's just me.

 

[cornflake]

Ok, it'd not occur to me to NOT tip delivery people outside of like mail-type (UPS/courier/etc.).

Usually $10/pp for appliances, large deliveries (mattress, something assembled, etc.).

I have had a couple of people refuse a tip over the years, that's fine - but that's their call to make, not mine.

 

[happygirl]

It is definitely not my responsibility as a consumer to know the differing rules of every single retailer. If show my gratitude for hard work well done with a tip the worker has the option to refuse based on his/her own judgment. I don't think I will use the fact that some retailers may discourage tipping to justify skimping on tips.

ITA. I always tip delivery drivers work hard.

 

[disneychic2]

I tip the delivery guys, but the last time I tried to tip a couple of guys from Lowe's who delivered my washer and dryer up a flight of stairs and a fridge that ended up in the garage since it wouldn't fit through the basement door, they said they couldn't take a tip. The other Lowe's guys took it every time. I didn't know it was a policy until these guys said no thank you.

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

I have tipped delivery guys both in $ and drinks (if it's hot). I honestly don't care whether it's "allowed" or not. If the delivery person doesn't accept, that's fine. If the tip is accepted, I doubt anyone will find out whether or not I tipped. If tipping is not allowed, how am I supposed to know? But no one, including Lowes, is going to tell me whether I can tip or not. I bought their fridge, they didn't buy my choice of whether or not to tip.

 

[emksmama]

Nope, never have. We had a refrigerator delivered and installed in February and they hauled away the old, but considering there's usually a charge for it (I think we got it free with a President's Day sale), it never occurred to me to tip them. They didn't pause or act like it was expected either. I think I gave them each a couple of cookies, as the girls and I were baking when they came, but that's it.

 

[dunbarfamily]

I've had kitchen stuff delivered twice from Lowe's, and appliances once from a local biz (love keeping money local!), and furniture once as well, and have never tipped. Never even occurred to me.

 

[sara mom]

I know it's their job, but I usually tip. They drag the old stuff out and put the new stuff in without any damage to my floors or cupboards...and you bet I am going to thank them with some extra cash!

 

[BBandDisney]

So far 14-11 in favor of the frugally biased.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I had a fridge delivered in May from Lowes. I was told at the store while I was scheduling the delivery that no tipping was allowed.

So I didn't tip the guys. I did want to though. Those poor guys had to work hard to get that fridge in the kitchen because I didn't see a 1/2 inch lip on the back of it when I measured to make sure it would fit through the kitchen door.
We had to take the trim off the door! I did most of it but they helped.

 

[ceecee]

This happened at our Lowes (I know someone who works there). A lady had several appliances delivered. She asked the delivery guy to move a heavy island and another piece of furniture while he was there and he did. She tipped him $20 and then called Lowes to tell them how pleased she was with what he did. Somehow it was said that she tipped him and he accepted, he was fired for it.

 

[NYCDiane]

uhhh that's their job. I don't think any of them were surprised to find out what they would be doing when they took the job and started to work. It is also their job to get it into my home safely! That is a given, not an extra.

Well, it's also the job of a waitress/waiter to bring you your food. Your hairdresser to do your hair. Your cab driver to get you to your destination. Your Chinese delivery person or pizza guy to get the food to your home. Your bell hop to bring your luggage up. You tip all these people don't you?? Why would you cheap out on an appliance or furniture delivery person????? Or do you just cheap out altogether and not tip anyone because "uhhh, it's their job"???

So, uhhh, yeah, it IS their job but it's also nice to show some appreciation for what they do.

 

[NYCDiane]

This happened at our Lowes (I know someone who works there). A lady had several appliances delivered. She asked the delivery guy to move a heavy island and another piece of furniture while he was there and he did. She tipped him $20 and then called Lowes to tell them how pleased she was with what he did. Somehow it was said that she tipped him and he accepted, he was fired for it.

This sounds like a "story"... If anything, he was probably reprimanded for moving this person's furniture since, if he got hurt while doing it, it would have been on Lowe's time and insurance.

 

[NYCDiane]

"Store policy" or not, I would always tip the guys. Always. Why wouldn't you???? And, honestly, I have NEVER been told at any store --- appliance, furniture, etc --- that you can't tip the delivery person. What kind of store would have a "policy" like that?? If any store has a policy like that, PLEASE post a link to that policy on their site so I can never shop there again.

I can't imagine in my wildest dreams watching a delivery guy lugging appliances or furniture into my home, making sure it's in perfect condition, etc etc etc and just signing for it and saying "thank you". Hells to the no. There is a "thank you" along with some $$$.

 

[akcire]

When I purchase the current home I am living in, we had a dinosaur of a refridgerator. I purchased a new one from Lowes. When the delivery guy got here he asked if the old fridge was going in the garage or the basement. It never occurred to me to put it downstairs--mostly because I couldn't imagine dragging it there myself. The guys installed the new fridge and then carried the old fridge downstairs--they had to take the doors off the fridge. It was a whole process. They earned the $40 I tipped them.

 

[Aurora D]

OP here! The fridge is here and yes, we did tip, $ and 2 cold cans of Pepsi. They had to take my back door off the hinges and it was 90 degrees outside. I just felt like it was the nice thing to do, not that I was obligated, and who doesn't like to be nice....

 

[NYCDiane]

OP here! The fridge is here and yes, we did tip, $ and 2 cold cans of Pepsi. They had to take my back door off the hinges and it was 90 degrees outside. I just felt like it was the nice thing to do, not that I was obligated, and who doesn't like to be nice....

+


Cool!! I'm glad you didn't take the advice of some others here and did the right thing for your delivery guys!

 

[cornflake]

"Store policy" or not, I would always tip the guys. Always. Why wouldn't you???? And, honestly, I have NEVER been told at any store --- appliance, furniture, etc --- that you can't tip the delivery person. What kind of store would have a "policy" like that?? If any store has a policy like that, PLEASE post a link to that policy on their site so I can never shop there again.

I can't imagine in my wildest dreams watching a delivery guy lugging appliances or furniture into my home, making sure it's in perfect condition, etc etc etc and just signing for it and saying "thank you". Hells to the no. There is a "thank you" along with some $$$.

As I said, I've had a tip refused a couple times - not because they didn't want $ I'm sure but because the store doesn't allow them to accept tips. And yeah, you can be fired for it - same as any white collar job that prohibits accepting favours or gifts or what have you.

Stores that do it do it because they don't want to end up with employees shaking customers down for tips (c'mon, tell me you've never run into a chinese delivery guy who has commented on the size of the tip, no matter what it was!), or being rude about it - and they want customers to feel like they get excellent service as a matter of course, not because they tip.

Which, of course they should anyway and most people will provide anyway, but it's a point of pride with some stores and employees to say they won't take tips because it's their job to provide the service. To them, the tip is like a bribe (please, treat the stuff ok and be polite), it borders on insulting to them. Like tipping in countries without a tipping culture, like 'are you suggesting I wouldn't do my job properly if you didn't try to slip me cash?!'

I just remembered the last time someone refused a tip - in a supermarket, in another state, a kid helped load a bunch of stuff and spent time organizing in the parking lot and what have you, none of which he was in any way obligated to do. When a tip was offered with much thanks, he was all 'oh, no, it's my job, I'm glad to help.' Same thing, like it was somehow demeaning to offer, though he was nice about refusing.

 

[mrodgers]

This sounds like a "story"... If anything, he was probably reprimanded for moving this person's furniture since, if he got hurt while doing it, it would have been on Lowe's time and insurance.

Nope, my wife works for Lowes. If Lowes finds out a delivery person accepts a tip, they will be fired immediately. Big box stores aren't looking for employees to do a good job. They are looking at paying as little as possible, so a longer term employee who might make a little more than the starting wage is always in the target zone to get rid of to bring someone new in at a lower wage.