Walmart+ delivery driver tipping? Really??

[iloveyoga]

These posts make me happy (or lucky) that I have received good service from Walmart delivery. I've done it for several years with very few issues. And as mentioned they are very good about refunds if something is wrong. I suppose it has to do with the Walmart providing the service.

I always do the standard tip because I want my order to be picked up (not sure if they can see it ahead of time). If all is well, I might increase it afterwards, they do give you this option.

[Ready-4-ER-at-14]

Majority of our deliveries are fine, some not, some delivery persons fault as in delivered to 237 anywhere instead of 235 anywhere.

I tip nice at restaurants but expect the server to make my order right and check it before delivery or at least fix it when I point out my cashew salad has no cashews. Grub hub delivers a sealed bag, as does Walmart, UPS, and Amazon. Non of the delivery people take a wrong item back at time of delivery or wait for the order to be verified, or go back to get the right items.

To me this is the difference between getting plain black coffee or an expresso with the Mona Lisa drawn in foam. One is just doing the job, other is making it pleasant for me.

Another way to look at it as a retiree, per google search "As of March 2022, the average check is $1,536.94, according to the Social Security "Administration and that is maybe $9.60 an hour if considered full time pay.

Maybe the expectation of seniors tipping for marginal added services is unreasonable for the majority of people? It's amazing the different way we are treated in low cost of living areas as customers, invariably the cashier finds some discount for seniors that we had not requested and applies it. The expensive areas not so much.

[healthyandfun]

Late to this thread. . . I never used delivery of groceries before the pandemic. I’ve grown to like it. I use Walmart delivery about once every three weeks and make quick stops to pick up items on occasion. It is not a perfect system, but then what is? After using it for awhile, I find it works best to have the first delivery of the day on an order put in the previous evening. Fill rate is better and no errors. Sometimes I get things I didn’t order. I used to report them, but they simply tell you to keep, donate, or discard them. Refunds happen on occasion and those are handled quickly. Substitutions are sometimes unusual, but they do give a time frame to decline them. I do tip well and a little more since gas prices have risen. Wouldn’t quibble over the driver receiving a tip when I think of what they are doing for me. All in all, I am thrilled to have this service, thank the drivers profusely if I see them, and plan to continue.

[iloveyoga]

Quote:

Originally Posted by healthyandfun Late to this thread. . . I never used delivery of groceries before the pandemic. I’ve grown to like it. I use Walmart delivery about once every three weeks and make quick stops to pick up items on occasion. It is not a perfect system, but then what is? After using it for awhile, I find it works best to have the first delivery of the day on an order put in the previous evening. Fill rate is better and no errors. Sometimes I get things I didn’t order. I used to report them, but they simply tell you to keep, donate, or discard them. Refunds happen on occasion and those are handled quickly. Substitutions are sometimes unusual, but they do give a time frame to decline them. I do tip well and a little more since gas prices have risen. Wouldn’t quibble over the driver receiving a tip when I think of what they are doing for me. All in all, I am thrilled to have this service, thank the drivers profusely if I see them, and plan to continue.

I meant to add this...I always shoot for the first delivery window of the day. I wonder if that helps.

[healthyandfun]

Many stores restock overnight or very early morning. If I put in an order in the evening for first delivery the next morning, there is less time for others to purchase what is on the shelf and with the restocking overnight there is a better chance of getting items as well. Also, if there is a need for a substitution, there will probably be something comparable to select. I also try to pick a weekday delivery instead of Saturday or Sunday. I have made a list of everything I buy and check that before finalizing an order. Surprisingly, I usually purchase the same 45 items or so.

[Qs Laptop]

Question: Must one be a Walmart+ member to get groceries delivered free? Or as a non-member can I simply use their app to order more than $35 to get free delivery?

Reading the Walmart+ FAQs gives confusing answers. It seems to say that if you're a member you NEVER pay a delivery fee, otherwise if you're not a member you pay $7.95-$9.95.

In another place it seems to say members get free delivery if the order is more than $35.

Elsewhere on the site it seems to say if you're not a member and order more than $35 you don't pay a delivery fee.

Which is it?

(To the OP, I would pay a $5 cash tip directly to the driver upon delivery, no matter if I was a member or not.)

[healthyandfun]

I agree that it is hard to figure out the pricing on the delivery fee and can only share my experience. I do not have a membership. Delivery fee varies depending on time of delivery. It is &7.95 or $9.95.in my area. I have always been charged a delivery fee no matter the dollar amount of the order. The fee is visible when selecting a delivery date/time so one know ahead of time what it will be.

[Toocold]

It seems like majority of the fast food and fast casual restaurants are adding the tipping option. It's yet another inflation area noone talks about.

[folivier]

But at least it's an optional expense.

[Magus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuckanut The real question is: Why can't Walmart pay the drivers a proper wage? I am not sure I would sign up for a service that made me feel guilty.

They likely are - I'd bet they are making $19-$21/hr currently. Tipping is just extra gravy.

[SecondAttempt]

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).

So here is what I am struggling with in this discussion. Amazon (or Walmart) would have to pay UPS to deliver to me. I have Prime so I don't pay for shipping. If they choose to save money by using their own driver who works for less and expects a tip, why should I support that corporate cost cutting by tipping?

I am a good tipper in situations where it is traditional such as taxis (and I extend that to Uber/Lyft) and restaurants. If a restaurant adds a service charge then I generally will not tip at all.

I sort of see it as the same kind of deception in not making the full cost transparent as hotels charging resort fees.

[GreenEggs]

I haven't read all of the posts, but if I choose to tip I would rather tip the driver directly with Cash. It's none of their employers' business whether, nor how much, they receive in tips. If you tip at checkout they probably won't even who that you personally tipped them. Real paper money speaks louder and clearer, and it's a person-to-person translation that allows each party to express their thanks to the other. I do everything that I can to keep life "real" in this fast-paced digital world.

[RetiredAt49]

A few days ago my DW ordered groceries from Walmart and we set it for pickup… an hour before we picked up our groceries they delivered 1 box of noodles to our home but we picked up the other 3 boxes of noodles at the store… while we were at Walmart picking up our groceries they delivered another item at our house… two days later they FedEx 1 item to our house.

Walmart spent a fortune on delivery fees… they have a long ways to figure out their pickup and home delivery system!

[harllee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetiredAt49 A few days ago my DW ordered groceries from Walmart and we set it for pickup… an hour before we picked up our groceries they delivered 1 box of noodles to our home but we picked up the other 3 boxes of noodles at the store… while we were at Walmart picking up our groceries they delivered another item at our house… two days later they FedEx 1 item to our house. Walmart spent a fortune on delivery fees… they have a long ways to figure out their pickup and home delivery system!

When you do your WM pick up order, at the top you can click pick up at the store only. In my experience, once I click on Pick up only nothing is delivered.

[SecondAttempt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenEggs It's none of their employers' business whether, nor how much, they receive in tips.

Morally and ethically I might agree with you. But legally the employer often has an obligation to report the tip amount. In some states the employer must pay the minimum wage even to tipped employees. For example in Hawaii the employer must pay at least $10.10 including pay and tips. So that requiress they track tips.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenEggs If you tip at checkout they probably won't even who that you personally tipped them.

I think but am not certain that the driver is incentivized by knowing the tip ahead of time and will choose the higher tipped delivery over one offering less. I think the driver app also develops a profile of you so that over timethe drivers know who the good tippers are.

[captain3d]

I hate tipping. It is not for good service. It is a demonstration of status over the poor helpless people.

[SecondAttempt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by captain3d I hate tipping. It is not for good service. It is a demonstration of status over the poor helpless people.

I mentioned I am a good tipper. I don't think my reasons are to demonstrate my status. I was even a good tipper when I was a poor college student. To me it is recognition that the service was as expected and that the tip is an expected part of the person's pay. For a restaurant meal I will usually leave 20%

If service is poor I do not hesitate to skimp on the tip to signal that but I am thoughtful about it. If a place is packed but service is slow, I will still leave a good tip if I see the servers working hard. But if they are standing around gossiping maybe not, especially if the service is slow or bad.

I have never worked for tips but I worked a few menial jobs when I was young. I know people in those jobs work hard for every penny and I am happy to recognize their efforts. It has never crossed my mind that I am exercising power over them but your post did cause me to think about it.

There are a few areas where I do not tip. Hotel housekeepers, for example. Yes, they work hard and deserve to be paid well and would understand if the hotel charged me more for that. I don't usually tip for takeout but I will in the relatively rural area I live in because people know each other and I want my pizza in a timely manner next time too.

I do worry that things like square and others are keeping track of us and building profiles for merchants. I am skeptical if the machine wants my card before suggesting tip amount. Maybe that is paranoia but I am not afraid to enter a custom amount if it suggests 22%. Nope, 20% is my tip and I will take the extra steps to put that in or just hit "no tip" if I am in a hurry.

I don't use the door dashes or uber eats of the world because they don't serve my house. I probably would tip those drivers for takeout food delivery but not for groceries since I already buy some non-perishables from Amazon and don't tip UPS.

[GreenEggs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SecondAttempt Morally and ethically I might agree with you. But legally the employer often has an obligation to report the tip amount. In some states the employer must pay the minimum wage even to tipped employees. For example in Hawaii the employer must pay at least $10.10 including pay and tips. So that requiress they track tips. I think but am not certain that the driver is incentivized by knowing the tip ahead of time and will choose the higher tipped delivery over one offering less. I think the driver app also develops a profile of you so that over time the drivers know who the good tippers are.

I understand the taxation implications, but I disagree that "my tip" should be counted against the required $10.10 per hour. A tip is a bonus, not a part of the required minimum pay scale. A good worker gets the bonus & a lazy worker gets the minimum.

[aaronc879]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenEggs I understand the taxation implications, but I disagree that "my tip" should be counted against the required $10.10 per hour. A tip is a bonus, not a part of the required minimum pay scale. A good worker gets the bonus & a lazy worker gets the minimum.

In Wisconsin there are still waitresses getting the minimum $2.33/hr. They have to get tips and a lot of them to make a decent wage. If that wage plus tips doesn't equal $7.25/hr during a pay period then the employer has to cover the difference. I think most waitresses make decent money but the fact they could make so little if the customers are cheap is a bit concerning.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaronc879 In Wisconsin there are still waitresses getting the minimum $2.33/hr. They have to get tips and a lot of them to make a decent wage. If that wage plus tips doesn't equal $7.25/hr during a pay period then the employer has to cover the difference. I think most waitresses make decent money but the fact they could make so little if the customers are cheap is a bit concerning.

Speaking of waitresses, I wonder what this old gal averages per hour in tips?

CAUTION: LANGUAGE NSFW

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JxP7gAeNM4o