Walmart+ delivery driver tipping? Really??

[SJhawkins]

I don't use this service but I get what the OP is getting at, I however think it's more of the "straw that broke the cammels back" feeling.

It's seems everyplace you go you see a tip jar, it's getting out of hand. What's next, leave a digital tip at the fuel pump for the person who trucked in the fuel!

Maybe I'm starting my old guy "get off my lawn" phase of life, I'm over todays tipping model.

[harllee]

I have used Walmart Curbside pick up for years (even before the pandemic) and overall it works great and no tipping is allowed.. I have tried the Walmart plus delivery several times and it was a disaster--order cancelled, many missing items, items I did not want included in the order. I will never again try the Walmart plus delivery. But I highly recommend Walmart curbside pick up.

[Montecfo]

Tipping is not based on the customer's perception of how the employee is paid by their employer. It is about tradition and personal service.

I think the root of people's frustration with tipping is based on this misperception and the expansion of potential tip situations based on apps or software. This creates needless ambiguity for some.

There is no tradition to pay a tip when someone hands you a cup of coffee across a counter. Nor is there one to put money in a tip jar when you order a sandwich. Those tip jars are fine but you have to understand they are just an offer to receive money from you-not one you ever need to accept.

And payment software that asks if you want to tip in non-tip situations are doing the same thing. This should be recognized for what it is. The default would be not to tip if it is not a traditional tipping situation or if you did not receive a personalized service.

I do not use grocery delivery services, but if I did I would not do "mandatory" tips, nor would I try to analyze the economic situation of the driver. I would tip based on service received. And I tip generously, just not gratuitously.

The market has a way of working out the other details.

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SJhawkins I don't use this service but I get what the OP is getting at, I however think it's more of the "straw that broke the cammels back" feeling. It's seems everyplace you go you see a tip jar, it's getting out of hand. What's next, leave a digital tip at the fuel pump for the person who trucked in the fuel! Maybe I'm starting my old guy "get off my lawn" phase of life, I'm over todays tipping model.

Then don’t tip when you think it’s uncalled for. Simple. If tip jars make you feel guilty, that’s your issue.

Restaurants, bars, porters, and a few others are a different case, long established with legally below minimum wage structures for restaurants. Beyond that, we tip almost everywhere we get decent service because we realize the workers in those situations usually aren’t very well paid, and we have plenty - like many here. The pandemic made it even clearer how many people are just scraping by, some their own poor choices, but many not. We’d rather err toward over tipping that under when service is good.

[Morgan22]

Instacart, Walmart, and I believe most Amazon drivers are independent contractors. That means no benefits. So I believe it is right to tip them. (Someone mentioned UPS, they are employees and paid well, so you do not need to tip them. I know a few people that worked for and retired from UPS).

One of my kids used to do Instacart shopping/deliveries in Boston. They would hustle (try to put together orders quickly and help bring orders into homes if customer wanted) and hoped for good tips. They commented that it seemed the "rich" people were less likely to tip. One particular Bruin wife did not tip. This Bruin has a multi-year, multi million dollar contract. They moved on shortly after that to become a restaurant runner/waitress where tips were pretty much guaranteed.

[pacergal]

I tip for restaurant delivery, so I probably would for grocery delivery.

I only had groceries delivered once from Amazon Prime. did not like any of the produce that was picked out--either rotten or not ripe. That was in the middle of 2020, I don't think I tipped then
I do use Kroger pick up, though, and liked that.
Recently have gone back to local Safeway and purchase in person, mostly. I like picking out my own produce.

[Chuckanut]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack Restaurants, bars, porters, and a few others are a different case, long established with legally below minimum wage structures for restaurants.

For the record, the above varies by state. In my state tipped workers have the same minimum wage as non tipped workers. Thus the issue is further confused for travelers.

[daylatedollarshort]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morgan22 Instacart, Walmart, and I believe most Amazon drivers are independent contractors. That means no benefits. So I believe it is right to tip them. (Someone mentioned UPS, they are employees and paid well, so you do not need to tip them. I know a few people that worked for and retired from UPS). One of my kids used to do Instacart shopping/deliveries in Boston. They would hustle (try to put together orders quickly and help bring orders into homes if customer wanted) and hoped for good tips. They commented that it seemed the "rich" people were less likely to tip. One particular Bruin wife did not tip. This Bruin has a multi-year, multi million dollar contract. They moved on shortly after that to become a restaurant runner/waitress where tips were pretty much guaranteed.

We went to a free concert in the park in a wealthy suburb the other day - average home price in the millions. The band was really good. I was shocked how few people left money in the tip jar for the band. Yet there had been long lines for all the food trucks and the gourmet pizza truck sold out and was turning away customers.

[aaronc879]

Quote:

Originally Posted by purplesky Before we know it the airlines will be digital begging for the pilots to get a digital tip when we buy an airline ticket.

Definitely not tipping a $250K/yr+ pilot but maybe a flight attendant.

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuckanut For the record, the above varies by state. In my state tipped workers have the same minimum wage as non tipped workers. Thus the issue is further confused for travelers.

Thanks, I’d forgotten that some states do require restaurants to pay the same minimum as all others. Others require workers must make at least minimum wage with tips, and still others only pay servers as little as $2.13/hr.

https://www.touchbistro.com/blog/the...rant-industry/

https://www.the-sun.com/money/291612...-wage-2022-us/

[aaronc879]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morgan22 Instacart, Walmart, and I believe most Amazon drivers are independent contractors. That means no benefits. So I believe it is right to tip them. (Someone mentioned UPS, they are employees and paid well, so you do not need to tip them. I know a few people that worked for and retired from UPS).

Amazon drivers are not independent contractors. Amazon contracts out to Delivery Service Partners(DSP) who then own their own business and hire their own drivers. The drivers are not Amazon employees but rather W2 employees of the DSP. They make around half the pay per hour of a UPS driver with far less benefits but are still employees unlike Walmart drivers who are independent contractors working for a different company and paid per delivery rather than per hour.

[Sojourner]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaronc879 Walmart drivers [...] are independent contractors working for a different company and paid per delivery rather than per hour.

I think this changes my perception of whether and how much to tip them. They are essentially like InstaCart shoppers/drivers, where they are responsible for getting all the items I've ordered from Walmart and then delivering them. Considering that, if they deliver all my items—successfully, and with care—I have no problem tipping them. Same goes for UberEats delivery drivers, whom I do tip.

[Beldar]

When MIL was on the downside in late life & couldn't drive anymore we used Instacart & it worked out well. The shopper would text her when they began shopping & were on the way. They brought the groceries indoors and set them on the table. We tipped well.

Later when she couldn't get down the stairs we left instructions for the shopper to go in the house (door unlocked) announce themselves, etc. Again, it worked out well & earned them a nice gratuity.

Of course we were on the opposite side of the country so had no alternative. YMMV.


_B

[Jerry1]

I’m in the camp of not liking the automated tipping at check out. In this case, it does seem like you would have contact with the person and be able to tip them personally given the outcome of the delivery. I don’t mind tipping people at all, but it’s an after the fact type of thing. In some cases I’ll order from a restaurant and do curbside pickup. I’ll usually suck it up and throw a few bucks on the table when I check out. But, walking an order out to my car isn’t something I think is worth a big tip.

Generally, I think the whole tipping thing is out of hand and agree with the people who say to just put it in their wage and let the price reflect the cost of the service.

[FindingForward]

The expectation for tip amount is also getting a bit ridiculous - and this is from someone who never tips under 20% unless the service is truly awful.

I go to this bar/grill type place - think fast casual like a Chilis, nothing fancy. They have ipad things that run your card at the table - I think it's to protect your credit card from fraud, vs walking away with it.

The screen gives you 4 tip choices: 22%, 25%, 30% or "more"!. Umm so 20% is considered cheapskate tipping now? It's soooo awkward because the server stands there waiting, often looking at the screen with you.

There's this tiny button for "different amount". The arrogance annoys me so much that I go for that button every time to specify 20%. C'mon: we get burgers & 2 beers for around $50 - that's a $10 tip for 2 older adults who have to be the easiest customers ever. We're polite, easygoing, leave the table neat, never send stuff back or run servers ragged with multiple requests.

I've tipped 25-30% for great service. (Or when at breakfast places where server is working hard, refilling coffee, etc and checks are smaller, will definitely tip a LOT more.)

But I won't be guilted into it.

[Midpack]

^^^ I've never seen one that didn't allow custom and/or no tip - so no one is forced to tip. But I agree many interfaces make it harder to find those options vs 15%-20%-25% or the like. Could be some customers haven't noticed the no tip path through the UI though they're always there IME.

[ownyourfuture]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SJhawkins Maybe I'm starting my old guy "get off my lawn" phase of life, I'm over todays tipping model.

You're not alone, & it's not an old guy thing.

The only food I've ever had delivered is pizza.
During the summer months, I prefer to order ahead & pick up the pizza myself.
If I want a pizza on a bitter cold night in January, I'll have it delivered.
In that case, I tip 25%

But I'll never tip when I order ahead & pick up.

[single2019]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 I'm a "regular" at our Walmart that is one mile away. I do all the shopping (DW is handicapped and doesn't move well without a lot of help). I like going and picking out our groceries and chatting with the workers, who pretty much all know me by sight. It's kind of a "day out" for me when I am not playing golf. I suppose if we were remote enough and I didn't have constant cabin fever, I would try the delivery service. The tipping requirement is bazaar, but I would tip the delivery person even if it was not required.

Walmart+ does NOT require tipping

[single2019]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerides Does walmart ring the door for your to answer, and wait there with your order (ala, instacart, food deliveries) or drop it off like amazon and ups. (even if ups might knock or ring but still drop and go). Perhaps that's the distinction? With Ubereats and Instacart, I know the delivery person is a gig worker, making very little on each transaction, so I like to tip. But if this is a paid employee (even contract/temps) via Amazon, Walmart, etc, then, nope that's not where I'd expect to tip.

Walmart+ gives you the option to sign for your delivery or drop off at the door

[purplesky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack I don’t wholesale disagree, it seems the spread of tipping has gotten out of hand, but again this is (not solely but) significantly driven by most customers spending their money where they find the lowest prices. People like to say they object, but where they actually spend is what matters, actions speak louder than words. People who casually object usually don’t appreciate what it takes to make a business successful (but insist they do). Some restaurants have tried to eliminate tipping, increased employee wages and prices substantially, explained to customers, and they still lost business - and had to go back to lower prices and servers relying on tips. https://www.inc.com/huffington-post/...s-tipping.html https://www.eater.com/21398973/resta...ng-wage-future If with no explanation you were offered Product/Service A for $20 at Company X with optional tipping and the exact same for $24 at Company Y - do you think most people would choose Company Y? The restaurant examples above show customers say one thing and do another. The success of Walmart over all the small businesses they crushed shows most customers say one thing and do another when it comes to prices and spending their money. All I’m saying is it’s not as easy as you think, and customer behavior is part of the reasons, not just greedy companies… Unless all businesses in a sector raise wages to absorb tipping, companies who do what you want are and have been punished for trying. Or unless customers change their actions en masse - which seems highly unlikely.

My main focus is on the Multi-billion dollar companies like Walmart and Amazon and Costco and Target and Kroger.
Restaurant dining and restaurant delivery and tipping is a different discussion.

I understand the independent contractor scam that companies like Fedex implemented about 30 years ago. Fedex ground was born and the large scale independent contractor scam was introduced . The start of low pay disposable Fedex ground drivers who have ruined the Fedex Express job.

So now the same independent contractor scam is still happening in 2022 with Walmart and Amazon using disposable underpaid independent contractors who really just are employees of Walmart and Amazon.

I am just the messenger. This is the business model that Walmart is using.

Customers who help Walmart pay a living wage to their delivery drivers using software designed to digital beg and digital tip are just making things worse by allowing Walmart to not pay their delivery workforce a set living wage.