Should You Tip Your Walmart Grocery Delivery Driver? Yes, You Should!
Tipping is not required for Walmart grocery delivery. But should you tip your driver anyway?
Yes, you definitely should tip your Walmart delivery driver! While tipping is optional, doing so shows your appreciation for their service and helps support hardworking drivers.
I‘ll explain why tipping your Walmart grocery delivery driver is recommended and share plenty of tips to help you determine how much to tip. Let‘s dive in!
How Walmart Grocery Delivery Works
Before we get into the tipping details, let me quickly explain how Walmart grocery delivery operates, so you understand who‘s getting your groceries from the store to your door.
When you order Walmart grocery delivery, store workers pick out and package up all the items from your online order. Then your groceries are handed off to a delivery driver, who will bring your order directly to you.
There are a few different types of Walmart grocery delivery drivers:
- Walmart employees – Walmart hires some drivers as official employees with hourly wages and benefits.
- Third-party contractors – Companies like DoorDash and Point Pickup contract with drivers to deliver for Walmart. These drivers don‘t work directly for Walmart.
- Self-employed – Some drivers work for delivery apps like Roadie as independent contractors picking up Walmart orders on demand.
This mix of driver employment types is important to understand, as it impacts how tips work. More on that shortly!
Now let‘s get into the tips and recommendations for showing your Walmart delivery drivers some extra appreciation…
Why You Should Tip Your Walmart Driver
Here are 3 great reasons to tip your Walmart grocery delivery driver when you receive prompt, careful service:
1. Most Drivers Depend on Tips
Many Walmart delivery drivers rely on tips as an essential part of their income.
Independent contractors in particular count on tips, since delivery fees and base pay from third-party apps is often low. Even small tips make a difference.
According to a 2022 PayScale survey, delivery drivers in the U.S. earn an average base pay of $9 per hour plus an average of $5 per hour from tips. Clearly tips provide a significant portion of their wages!
2. Shows Appreciation for Good Service
Tipping expresses your gratitude for the convenience of having groceries delivered.
It‘s a nice way to say “thank you” when your driver follows special instructions, handles items with care, arrives on-time, and provides friendly service.
3. Encourages Great Service in the Future
Knowing they may receive a tip motivates drivers to maintain professionalism and provide high-quality service.
Tipping is positive feedback on a job well done. And it inspires drivers to uphold that level of service for future orders.
So while tipping is optional, doing so supports hardworking drivers and the service you depend on.
How Much Should You Tip for Walmart Delivery?
Deciding how much to tip your Walmart grocery delivery driver is completely up to you. Consider these general tipping guidelines:
- For quality service, tip 10-15% of your order total. 15% for a $100 order would be $15.
- For exceptional service, tip 15-20%+ of your order amount. 20% on a $150 order would be $30.
- For small orders under $20, tip $2-5 based on effort required.
- For large/heavy orders, increase tips to 15-20%+ to account for extra work.
- Adjust tips higher for holidays, bad weather, or high demand when drivers are busier.
- Consider tipping less for major issues like extreme lateness, damaged items, etc.
Walmart delivery driver Chris recommends tipping 10-20% for good service based on factors like:
“If the order is large, requires climbing stairs, has heavy items like cases of bottled water or awkward items, tip on the higher end to account for the extra effort.”
How much to tip is entirely based on your satisfaction with the service and what you can reasonably afford. Let‘s look at some example tip amounts:
| Order Total | 10% Tip | 15% Tip | 20% Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| $20 | $2 | $3 | $4 |
| $50 | $5 | $7 | $10 |
| $100 | $10 | $15 | $20 |
| $150 | $15 | $22 | $30 |
These are just suggestions – tip what feels right and fair based on your service!
Should You Tip Cash or Online?
You can tip your Walmart grocery delivery driver in two ways:
Tip Online
Adding a tip when placing your Walmart order online is quick and easy. But third-party partner drivers may not get the full amount after company deductions.
Tip Cash
Handing cash directly to the driver upon delivery ensures they receive 100%. Cash also lets you base tips on service quality.
Driver Matt explains:
“I really appreciate cash tips because I get to keep the whole thing. Online tips are nice too, but my dispatch service takes out a cut first.”
To guarantee your driver gets the full tip, cash is recommended. But tip however you prefer based on convenience and what fits your situation!
Do Walmart Drivers Get All Their Tips?
Here‘s the deal when it comes to Walmart drivers keeping their tips:
- Walmart employees get to keep 100% of online and cash tips. Walmart does not take any cut.
- For third-party partner drivers, the partner company may take out a % of online tips before distributing to drivers. Each company differs.
To ensure your driver receives your full tip amount, cash tips are ideal since they go directly to the driver. But if tipping online, just be aware partner drivers may not get the full sum.
Can Drivers See Tips Before Delivery?
For third-party partner drivers, your pre-tipped amount entered online is visible to them before pickup. Seeing a good tip upfront gives drivers motivation to provide great service.
However, Walmart‘s internal policy prevents their own employees from seeing pre-entered online tips before completing delivery. This avoids influence on service quality.
Cash tips at time of delivery are obviously visible right away, regardless of driver type.
To Tip or Not to Tip Walmart In-Home Delivery?
Walmart‘s premium InHome Delivery service brings groceries right inside your kitchen and unpacks them for you. This high-touch service warrants tipping for sure!
Jessica M., a regular InHome Delivery customer, advises:
“I always make sure to tip my InHome driver at least 15-20% of my order total. The personal service is worth showing extra appreciation.”
For this concierge-style delivery, tipping customs are similar to food delivery or restaurant servers – about 15-20% is standard for good service. Higher tips are warranted for heavy orders or amazing service.
Do You Tip for Grocery Pickup Orders?
With Walmart Grocery Pickup, you order online and grab bags from the store parking lot yourself. Since there is no delivery involved, tipping is not expected or required.
But if Walmart associates provide exceptional customer service bringing orders out to your car, you may choose to tip a small cash amount. This is completely optional.
The bottom line: Tipping is not necessary for grocery pickup since you don’t receive full delivery service. But you can choose to tip for outstanding service if you wish.
Why Tip Amounts Vary Between Drivers
Walmart utilizes both direct employees and third-party contractors to deliver groceries. Understanding the differences can provide insight into divergent tipping behaviors:
- Walmart employees earn hourly wages and benefits, so tips are extra on top of their base pay.
- Independent contractors rely heavily on tips as their main income source after partner fees.
Knowing this breakdown helps explain why contractor drivers depend more on tips to make ends meet compared to salaried employees.
Independent contractor James explains:
“Tips often make up 25-50% of my total daily earnings. I really have to hustle and provide great service to turn a decent profit.”
So tipping well helps support contractors that depend most on tips to earn a living wage.
Are Tips Required for Walmart Delivery?
I‘ll say it again for clarity:
Tips are NEVER required or mandatory for Walmart grocery delivery.
Walmart expressly states tipping is optional based on customer satisfaction. Tips are not automatically added to order totals or required for delivery.
But again, tipping is customary in service roles, and greatly appreciated by hardworking drivers who depend on tips as income.
Even if not mandatory, tipping is a thoughtful way to reward good service from your Walmart delivery driver.
How Much Do Walmart Delivery Drivers Make in 2022?
To help provide insight into driver pay and tip dependence, here are some details on Walmart driver wages:
- The average base pay for a Walmart delivery driver employee is $20 per hour according to Glassdoor data. Employees also get benefits like health insurance.
- For third-party Walmart drivers, average base pay is around $15 per hour according to Indeed estimates, but as low as $9 per hour in some cases. These drivers rely heavily on tips.
- Self-employed drivers for apps like Roadie earn based on factors like mileage, time, and order size. Earnings vary but tips make up a significant portion.
- Across employment types, tips account for $3-$8 per hour on top of base pay based on driver surveys.
Walmart does not publicly share wage rates, so expert estimates provide the best insight. Comparing typical base wages shows why contractor drivers depend more on tips as income.
Your tips greatly support drivers who otherwise earn lower hourly wages without benefits. So tip generously when you get prompt, careful service!
Final Thoughts on Tipping Walmart Delivery
I hope this guide provided you with a comprehensive overview of tips for tipping your Walmart grocery delivery driver:
- While optional, tipping is customary and helps support hardworking drivers.
- Aim for 10-20% tips for good service based on order factors.
- Cash tips let drivers keep the full amount.
- Employed vs. contractor wages differ, impacting tip dependence.
- Tips are appreciated but never required.
Tipping is a personal decision based on your budget and satisfaction. Even small tips make a difference and show drivers you value their service!
So next time you get a Walmart grocery delivery, grab some cash, send a little extra tip, and make your friendly driver‘s day!
