tipping appliance delivery people? best I'd offered is bottled waters. unless they're doing something above and way beyond what's expected of them doing. Like going up long stair cases with tight corners, without scratching up anything, and with a smile.

I tend to over-tip. I'd probably would tip $5 each if they were delivering into the garage, $10 each if brought into the house and uncrated so I could inspect it, and $20 each if appliances were installed; depending on how much time it took them or if installation was complicated. This is presuming two people.

I gave $20 each to the two guys who came over, took down the plywood with 40 screws that's covering the giant hole in the wall where the door is going to go, uncrated the SZ in the garage and brought it into place with the special dolly, and then put the plywood wall back up for me. They were going to take away the trash, but I recycled it instead.
$80 check was to the only company in town with the right kind
of dolly that can handle a 48" SZ.
I considered $120 a bargain, since my only other option was going to be to buy my own dolly at $350.

I didn't tip the guys who delivered our Aga because they were two hours early (without calling) and I'd asked them to call because I had a sick baby to deal with and wasn't going to get dressed until I had to. They didn't unpack it, just wheeled it into the garage about 20 feet from the truck. Since they'd woken up the baby by pounding on the door...I don't think they expected a tip either. When I was signing one of the guys said "Oh chit this was the house we were supposed to call first" Duh!

When the Lacanche was delivered I tipped $50 each person. It took six guys to carry it up the stairs, and they also uncrated it and put it together (the bit that has to be done). It is 28.5" wide and the door to the kitchen is 29...well it was until the GC screwed up and made it 28.5...which made delivery of the stove very difficult. These guys worked hard to get the thing in without a crane, so I tipped well.

Subzero guys, they did uncrate, and delivered to the garage. I tipped them $20 each.

I pretty much tip any of the delivery guys when things are done right. Normally $20 each, sometimes less, but only if it's a simple delivery.

I tip everyone. These people make very little money and I believe if you can you should share the wealth.

I'm a lot like the Steve Martin character in My Blue Heaven: "It's not tipping I believe in. It's over-tipping." Unless they're really obnoxious or difficult, I always tip well.

I particularly tip well if they're installing.

Perhaps I am stingy, but when I am paying for a delivery I do not tip (unless there is something over and above expected, like moving extra furniture out of the way and into a basement).

I understand tipping in restaurants (wait people make $2 plus an hour, and are taxed on 12% of sales) but I don't get tipping for services that are already paid for. Maybe I need to work in those fields like I have worked in restaurants. Maybe it is the big company that is raking in the delivery money. I am not wealthy enough to pay twice for the service.

Some people tip and some don't, not really sure if your supposed to or not. I did tip everyone who delivered for my kitchen. Cabinets, appliances, floor (and my DH help him carry it in) & granite installers. I do know these delivery guys don't make much money, I had a friend who delivered and installed appliances for a while and believe me they do not make much. I figure my tip will buy them a nice lunch for the day, Im sure it helps them and it makes me feel good, especially if they were careful and nice. If I remember right, 2 guys delivered appliances into my garage and I gave a total of $20.

Shoot, now I'm feeling badly and thinking that I should have tipped the guy who came from the insurance-covered lockout service after leaving the keys inside the car yesterday!

mommycooks - I agree with you - you're paying for the delivery and generally delivery people are well compensated, not like waiters and waitresses. I'll tip for something extra but not for the basic service I paid for.

I tip delivery people who also install. only if they do the job to my satisfaction, dont complain, and dont damage property. When my 48" built in fridge was delivered and installed, it saw that it required extreme caution to move the 600 lb behemoth into my small kitchen. tipped each of the four guys.

same for the countertop installers.

Tipping at restaurants will be thing of the past as soon as table top touch screen ordering screens become common place. enter your order and a waiter brings the food out to you. you pay on the computer.

cheri, I feel the same way you do. If I can, I like to share the wealth. Especially if it's an adult doing their full-time job.

I feel different about tip jars that have appeared on counters everywhere. It's nice to tip a teenager already making $8/hour (my daughter) but I rarely do. I figure they're already being paid to do their job. And they're not supporting families... That's my reasoning anyway.

I tipped the six guys who hauled the granite slab into my kitchen in the middle of a raging snow storm $20 apiece. I also tipped the guys who hauled a refrigerator in and then had to take it back out because it wouldn't fit into the space even though it measured right. It fit but the door wouldn't open. When Circ. City delivered a new large screen tv, I also tipped the delivery guy because he moved the existing tv to another room, and the one in that room to still another room. When you are an old lady living alone, it's worth it to tip guys with muscle power.

I agree it's confusing and sometimes I feel a little cranky about tipping, esp. if the delivery charge is already expensive. But usually the delivery guys have nothing to do with the size of the charge, and they're not making so much. I feel it's good karma to err on the side of being too generous.

I tip these people- I think it's a hard job delivering heavy stuff and I'm guessing most of the delivery charge goes to the company, not the guys. It's not the type of job you can do 'til retirement! It's the kind of job that can throw your back out.

I believe the potential for a tip makes people more courteous because of a bonus for good performance. Consider, they are handling your several hundred dollar appliance! Also, they aren't making as many tips as a waiter, since waiters can serve several tables at one time, where delivery men only "wait" on one person at a time with travel time in between, so it's not a big part of their income, just a nice bonus. You don't have to be Rockefeller, just a $5 tip would be fine if that's what you can do.

Where I live, we tip the garbage men around Christmas. Talk about a thankless job! Going through alleys with rats, having to pick up everyone's trash, whether it's in the cans or not, overloaded, smelly, or leaky, or in a ripped bag. The garbage men are really nice with my cans!

I didn't plan to tip, but did give $10 (what was in my wallet) to the fellow who delivered my RTA cabinets--4 large boxes on pallets and a very, very heavy crate. He worked alone and was careful to place the boxes in my small garage so I can still reach the washer and dryer.

We tip for just about everything. After paying for the delivery already, it's hard to think about giving out another $20 or more. However, the looks on their faces usually makes it well worth it. You can tell they really appreciate it. I am going to start picking up my own hay though. We pay $20 delivery for ten bales of hay and then I give the guy another $10. So $30 extra is too much for that small of a delivery that only lasts a month. Besides, my DH could use the workout ;D

I always tip the delivery guys. It is usually $10 to $20 each (assuming it is ONLY 2 of them) and how heavy the item is they are bringing in. My appliances will be dropped in my garage, and I will be tipping them $20 each.

That is hard job..hard on the back!

we always tip the delivery guys. amount depends on what and how much is being brought in. for a whole kitchen appliance delivery i'd tip $20-$30 each. if their pleasant enough i'll offer refreshments. it's just good karma.

saskiasmom, I also tipped the RTA cabinet delivery guy. He was alone and he managed to get the pallet up my steep driveway and into the garage.

But otherwise, I won't tip a delivery that I paid for UNLESS, they do something special that's not required in the agreed upon service. Like some delivery only deliver curbside. If the guy will help me (single woman) get the thing in the garage or house, I will tip.

Thanks for the info. Our trash service has a line for tipping, and I do add tips for them. I was surprised when our movers actually asked for a tip--I was planning to tip them, but I hated being asked. Yuck.

So now I know to be prepared. There's nothing too challenging about the delivery to my house, but I will have something for them.

I have in the past when the service was better than I expected and I knew the driver was a private contractor, but I have mixed feelings about it as a 'normal' thing. I've paid for the appliance, and I'm paying a high milage rate for bringing it to my home. Seems like my obligation is over at that point.

But my appliance bill so far is $18k, and I still haven't picked a DW or micro. Surely some generosity is in order, given the massive hassle factor if they mess up.

I think I'll ask my nephew who used to drive a delivery truck and ask him how often and how much people tipped.