Tip for the Lowe's delivery guy?

[alice99]

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.

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.

 

[mjkacmom]

That's just mean. Believe me the delivery fee does NOT go to the driver who comes to your house, at your convenience, in all kinds of weather, using his personal vehicle that now smells perpetually of other people's food. And who gets in trouble if the food isn't delivered fast and hot or if he makes a mistake. He's paid a pittance.

If you don't like the delivery fee, you should choose a different pizza place, don't stiff the delivery guy.

I think this PP said that they don't have pizza delivered for this reason, not that she stiffs the delivery person. None of the pizzarias here charge a delivery fee (since we have about a thousand in our little town - every other storefront is a pizzaria).

 

[North of Mouse]

Nope, don't tip, but I do always offer a cold drink or water, which most of the time is refused, as they say they keep their own in the truck. In fact, I don't know anyone that has ever said they tip delivery people. Does this extend to the florist that delivered me my Mother's day flowers from my son? What's the difference? This can get so ridiculous, and out of hand IMO.

 

[cornflake]

Nope, don't tip, but I do always offer a cold drink or water, which most of the time is refused, as they say they keep their own in the truck. In fact, I don't know anyone that has ever said they tip delivery people. Does this extend to the florist that delivered me my Mother's day flowers from my son? What's the difference? This can get so ridiculous, and out of hand IMO.

No, I don't tip a flower delivery person generally, that falls under mail/courier to me, though people do tip flower delivery people, if they've brought the flowers to the office and to the desk - like they've gone all the way up and found the specific desk.

In general, in my experience, you tip food delivery, grocery or liquor delivery, any delivery they bring inside (appliance, furniture, etc.), and tip minorly if you see someone like dry cleaning or laundry delivery.

Mail or courier, you don't. That's how I was taught. Other people may have other views but it's worked so far - no one has come back and egged the place.

 

[cluvsdisney]

If the delivery person just drops the item off inside the house, I don't tip. If they remove the item from the box, place it and take the empty box with them, I tip.

 

[drcmk]

I think this PP said that they don't have pizza delivered for this reason, not that she stiffs the delivery person.

You are right and I apologize. When PP wrote--We don't tip appliance delivery and we don't "do" pizza delivery--I interpreted that as "we don't tip pizza delivery," when she meant "we don't get pizza delivered."

 

[mjkacmom]

Nope, don't tip, but I do always offer a cold drink or water, which most of the time is refused, as they say they keep their own in the truck. In fact, I don't know anyone that has ever said they tip delivery people. Does this extend to the florist that delivered me my Mother's day flowers from my son? What's the difference? This can get so ridiculous, and out of hand IMO.

I think the difference is a few hundred pounds, which they bring into your home.

 

[mommyof2princesses]

That's just mean. Believe me the delivery fee does NOT go to the driver who comes to your house, at your convenience, in all kinds of weather, using his personal vehicle that now smells perpetually of other people's food. And who gets in trouble if the food isn't delivered fast and hot or if he makes a mistake. He's paid a pittance.

If you don't like the delivery fee, you should choose a different pizza place, don't stiff the delivery guy.

Um, I believe I said we DONT do delivery pizza because of the fee and tip. If we had no choice and had to do delivery I would tip because it would be appropriate. We never do any delivery food. We prefer really good pizza and none of them deliver to us out in the boonies.

 

[mommyof2princesses]

You are right and I apologize. When PP wrote--We don't tip appliance delivery and we don't "do" pizza delivery--I interpreted that as "we don't tip pizza delivery," when she meant "we don't get pizza delivered."

Woops just saw this. Yes, we don't do pizza delivery. It would have to be dominos, and to me that is not worth it. Yuck! I grew up in NY and if I want pizza I need GOOD pizza!

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

We got our refrigerator from Lowes, and I didn't even think about tipping. Maybe I am a cheapskate or something.

I know when I worked in retail, we were not allowed to accept tips. Of course I wasn't lugging appliances or anything. I worked for Walmart, and believe it or not, I was actually offered a tip a couple times.

 

[yeahdisney]

I read the thread with interest. We got a delivery today with a couple of appliances from best buy. The new fridge would not fit through the door, two guys came they removed all of the panels off the front of the new refrigerator and then reassembled the refrigerator in the kitchen. Then the guys put the old fridge in the basement and they had to remove the door leading into the back room to put that fridge in there. We already had a refrigerator in the basement the refrigerator in the basement they were not going to move at all for us. They then moved the washer and dryer and converted the new dryer to LP. I asked the guy in charge if I gave them $40 would they bring the oldest refrigerator upstairs and take it away with them. He said if they did not have to remove any doors they would do it. They did it, I gave him the $40 I do not think he shared it with the other guy. They were here two and a half hours they drove one and a half hours to get here their next stop was 2 1/2 hours away. I offered them a sandwich and a cold Pepsi they took the cold Pepsis only. After they left I noticed the oldest refrigerator had got water on the carpet, so I'm very glad they took it away. They did a great job and I don't have to help move that old big refrigerator outside. Yeah.

 

[Kimmers127]

We just had a fridge delivered, and we did not tip, because we didn't buy it (we're renting, the fridge that was here when we moved in died so the landlord replaced it). I felt weird not tipping. In the past when *I* bought the appliance I did tip. But it just seemed weird since it wasn't my purchase, I didn't set up the delivery, etc...

HOWEVER, after the delivery guy left I realized he never offered to swap the door handle (which is on the wrong side - annoying!) so I feel less guilty now. In fact, I would have been annoyed if I HAD tipped, because I know the door handle thing is part of the (hefty) delivery charge.

I see why people struggle with this. The delivery charge from Lowes was $100 and that's not nothing. At the same time, what does that really have to do with the delivery guy, you know? He's certainly not getting that $100.

 

[Dismom55]

I read the thread with interest. We got a delivery today with a couple of appliances from best buy. The new fridge would not fit through the door, two guys came they removed all of the panels off the front of the new refrigerator and then reassembled the refrigerator in the kitchen. Then the guys put the old fridge in the basement and they had to remove the door leading into the back room to put that fridge in there. We already had a refrigerator in the basement the refrigerator in the basement they were not going to move at all for us. They then moved the washer and dryer and converted the new dryer to LP. I asked the guy in charge if I gave them $40 would they bring the oldest refrigerator upstairs and take it away with them. He said if they did not have to remove any doors they would do it. They did it, I gave him the $40 I do not think he shared it with the other guy. They were here two and a half hours they drove one and a half hours to get here their next stop was 2 1/2 hours away. I offered them a sandwich and a cold Pepsi they took the cold Pepsis only. After they left I noticed the oldest refrigerator had got water on the carpet, so I'm very glad they took it away. They did a great job and I don't have to help move that old big refrigerator outside. Yeah.

Your story is just the kind of story my hubby used to tell me about his days when he was alive. This was all part of the day and many times it was older couples that he was delivering to that had no way to move old stuff around and he was more that glad to move the old stuff, tip as an incentive or not, he was just a good guy like that. I am glad you had a good experience and that you felt you wanted to give them a tip, they certainly spent a long time at your house. My husband certainly used to have those kinds of days too.

 

[Fridge]

Actually I currently deliver for lowes and they have no such rule against tipping. It certainly is not mandatory but always welcomed. What a team can be fired for is asking for a tip or "tip baiting" (which is doing something like placing 5 bucks on the clipboard that the customer signs.). Personally If my job consists of dropping something off in a box or in a garage a tip really isn't expected. If I bring that 300lb fridge to the 3rd floor for you I certainly wouldn't turn down the tip . So basically it's up to you. As for companies that do not allow tipping, that will certainly be notated in your paperwork from the store. The best of my knowledge only best-buy does not allow tipping.

 

[mickeyfan9194]

We always tip for large appliance/furniture delivery. I don't want to move the stuff, and I appreciate that they will.

 

[Green Tea]

I never used to, but then decided I had been wrong. Lowe's delivered a freezer recently and I gave them a tip. Same with furniture deliveries over the summer. Tips, tip for all.

 

[DOREEN1779]

Unless they act badly, I tip. Some delivery guys will go above and beyond to please the customer and I always give them something extra. Things like putting down drop cloths or even putting on surgical booties to keep the floor clean are things I would consider above and beyond. I usually tip $5.00 each and tell them to go to Wendy's( you have to pass it to get to our house).

 

[ceecee]

...Lowe's is a big-box chain store (as is Home Depot), and both have very strict policies about their employees accepting tips of any sort. Same goes for places such as Walmart and Target. Violation of those policies could result in termination of said employee.

In other words, while it's OK to tip the person from Joe's TV and Appliance in Anytown, South Jersey, it's not OK to tip someone from Lowe's or Home Depot.

A friend's husband works for Lowes and his employee went above and beyond a regular delivery by moving other things around for her, she tried to tip him $20 and he refused, so she gave him a $10 and told him to go buy lunch with it. She called Lowes to tell them what a great job he did and how happy she was and that she bought him lunch....he got fired!

 

[aubriee]

Actually I currently deliver for lowes and they have no such rule against tipping. It certainly is not mandatory but always welcomed. What a team can be fired for is asking for a tip or "tip baiting" (which is doing something like placing 5 bucks on the clipboard that the customer signs.). Personally If my job consists of dropping something off in a box or in a garage a tip really isn't expected. If I bring that 300lb fridge to the 3rd floor for you I certainly wouldn't turn down the tip . So basically it's up to you. As for companies that do not allow tipping, that will certainly be notated in your paperwork from the store. The best of my knowledge only best-buy does not allow tipping.

I don't know about Lowes, but I tried to tip the Home Depot guys that delivered and installed my dryer a few months ago (they also took off my old dryer). They refused the tip, saying they weren't allowed to take tips and could get fired for doing so. I also offered them a can soda, which one refused and the other took.

 

[donkeyandshrek]

My husband is a Delivery man at Lowe's. I can comment about the policy on tipping, as I honestly do not know. But for the people who said "it's their job and they knew what they were getting into...." that's funny!

They hire "drivers" - Class A CDL holding drivers. When my hubby took that job, he never expected to be delivering a 300 pound, 4-door refrigerator to a tent in top of Mount Everest ALONE.

If they fire him for accepting a tip, we will review ALL the company policy because I bet I can find that he's supposed to have someone with him that doesn't have a CDL to haul and install that fridge.

For the poster who said they don't take the tip because they are in a hurry to leave - THEY ARE! Those guys don't get lunch most days because they have them scheduled to be in 20 places in one day - and if it takes 2 1/2 hours at your house, the other -19 are calling complaining!

Whether you choose to tip or not, please express your appreciation for the job they do.