It is a common practice to get anything you want to be delivered to you at your doorstep whether these things are products or services. Getting ready-made food or groceries or laundry services these days is only a call away so you do not have to go through the trouble of going all the way to get them yourself.
Postmates has been in the business of providing such services delivering groceries and foods since 2011. However, it is just recently, a few years back that the business began to gain a lot of popularity. This San Francisco based business is present in a good number of the major cities of the United States so you can almost be sure that delivery service is quite really close to you if you live in any of these cities or at least close to them.
Now, tipping is a quite normal part of delivery services as most people think it is okay and nice even, to do this for the delivery driver. However, a lot of people have questions as to whether postmates tipping is okay and how to go about it. A good understanding of what Postmates is about and the mode of operation will help you make the right decisions concerning tipping and gratuity.
What is Postmates?
Postmates is a delivery service app that provides restaurant delivery services as well as grocery delivery services. Postmates exists to help you get whatever you want to be delivered right to your doorstep in less than one hour.
The Postmates app is available for both Android and Apple devices. The app allows you to enable location services so that you can find a list of the stores available in your area for you to order from. Whether you’re ordering items from a restaurant or a pharmacy or a grocery or clothing store, the app has you covered. Except for a few items like gift cards, firearms, and illegal substances, you can use it to get anything that’s available in your locality. Now you know about the business, what’s your take on postmates tipping?
Pros and Cons of Using Postmates
Unlike other delivery services like Instacart or DoorDash, Postmates can deliver almost anything right to your doorstep.
In addition, Postmates is reasonably affordable compared to other delivery service platforms. You can expect to pay between $5 and $10 to get a delivery done. However, during peak times when there’s a higher demand, delivery rates can increase. If you’re going to order food from a local food stand around dinner time, for example, you can expect that delivery will cost you more because of the dinner rush.
Also, Postmates would usually give you a price estimate that is proportional to your order and so service fees can fluctuate at different times.
What You Need to Know About Postmates Tipping
If you have never used Postmates services, you may be wondering about the appropriate thing to do as per tipping your delivery driver. Typically, when you place an order on Postmates, you will find that there is a delivery fee automatically added to your order. You should know that this delivery fee is not your driver’s gratuity.
Should You Tip Your Postmates Delivery Driver?
Yes, you should. It is right to plan a tip for the delivery driver. A lot of these drivers actually depend on these tips because they earn so little, less than minimum wage. The Postmates app calculates and suggests a tip of 20% for each order but of course, you get to choose how much you want to tip your delivery driver.
You should keep in mind that most of these drivers earn just $4 dollars per hour and considering that they’re using their own vehicles and buying their own fuel, it is clear how these tips go a long way for them.
How Much Should You Tip Your Driver?
The Postmates app automatically calculates a 20% tip but that’s just our own calculation. You could choose to give more. Sometimes, a 20% tip might be just about $2. If you use the promo code which brings your order down to $10, for example, this could be the case.
Of course, you can still choose to tip your delivery driver with 20% of the price of your original order.
You might also want to consider the quality of service you got when tipping your driver. You can choose to offer a smaller tip if your driver missed some items on your order or if they were rude. But you should remember too that not every mistake is the fault of your driver and you do not have to punish them for such. If, for example, your driver was caught up in rush hour traffic and so delivered your order a little late, it would be unfair to punish them.
When Should You Tip Your Driver?
The app lets you add a tip after the delivery of your last order. This is the easiest option if you have a credit card linked to your account. You can also choose to give your driver a cash tip after they deliver your order if that works better for you.
A lot of drivers would prefer a cash tip because it enables easy access to money. However, how you tip your delivery driver is a choice you get to make by yourself.
If you decide to drop a tip through the app and you’ve told your driver so, kindly remember to follow through with your promise. Most times, customers forget to keep this promise.
Other Considerations for Tipping a Postmates Driver
Keep in mind that your delivery driver is probably making very little from deliveries alone, nothing much more than the minimum wage. Also, this driver has to spend money maintaining the vehicle with which he delivers orders.
Many times, these delivery drivers go out of their way to put calls through to customers and take questions concerning their orders. It is, therefore, fair to tip a driver who has likely gone through all these to deliver your order.
The Bottom Line
Postmates does not require you to tip its delivery drivers. That’s totally up to you. However, as we’ve mentioned, it’s fair to leave your driver a tip especially considering how little they earn and how far they go sometimes, to deliver your orders. I hope you found this postmates tipping guide helpful