how much/what do you tip your UPS deliverer?

[Reader]

Apologies if this doesn't go here. I've seen several mentions of tipping your UPS person in the amazon thread...ours has to walk up a flight of stairs , so I'm thinking of doing something but not sure what's appropriate. Suggestions?

[zukeypur]

I just gave mine a loaf of homemade pumpkin bread.

[LGS]

This year we gave him a $25 gift card to a restaurant (good for getting lunch) and some cookies (it was a night when he did a super late delivery and I had just made them). Last December, he brought my boys each a UPS truck as a gift!! He is awesome--so friendly, calls me by name, honks his horn for my boys, etc. DS1 was a UPS driver for Halloween 2 years ago and when our UPS guy comes, DS1 runs to put on the hat from the costume! Last year was the first year we tipped him (and he had beat us to the punch giving our kids the trucks first) (ETA: And not sure we had a "regular" guy before him/last year.)

[indigo99]

You all have ONE driver? Even during the rest of the year, I see 2 or 3. Right now, there are about 4 different guys or pairs of guys coming - mostly driving rented uhauls.

[essnce629]

You all have ONE driver? Even during the rest of the year, I see 2 or 3. Right now, there are about 4 different guys or pairs of guys coming - mostly driving rented uhauls.

Yeah, me too. With all the Amazon orders I've had different UPS guys every day, plus several things from Fedex and OnTrac as well.

[Pinky]

You all have ONE driver? Even during the rest of the year, I see 2 or 3. Right now, there are about 4 different guys or pairs of guys coming - mostly driving rented uhauls.

Your UPS guys drive Uhauls? Never heard of that... we have the same guy, but lately he's had a partner on his route helping him delivery the packages.

[ckso]

I actually never met my UPS guy so I never even thought of giving him anything. I'm not even sure if it's "1" guy either. The package is usually just there when we get home.

[wellyes]

Yes, I think I have a variety of guys too. I don't plan to tip, but I have warm fuzzies for the guys who do all my deliveries for me. I bought every single gift online this year. How on EARTH it's cheaper for me to have stuff on expedited hand-delivery vs me going to a store, I will never really understand.

[ett]

We usually have the same UPS person who delivers in the afternoon but for the past couple of weeks it's been a different person delivering in the morning. I want to give our regular UPS guy a gift but I haven't seen him in weeks now.

[kslb]

We got ours a $20 gift card for Target. Ever since I started getting Amazon Prime, I've kept him VERY busy!

[Raidra]

I'm a little confused about this, too. Our street is pretty quiet and not a through way, and not a ton of houses, but we have a lot of UPS (and sometimes FedEx) trucks drive past every day. There's one guy that I recognize, he usually shows up when my parents (who live with us) order things--their stuff gets delivered during the day. When I order stuff, though, it comes in the evening and it's someone different a lot of the time. I wouldn't have a problem tipping the guy I recognize, but I haven't seen him much lately.. just once this month.

Yesterday I got a bunch of boxes delivered and it was weird.. the truck was parked around the corner, pretty far from my front door, and there were some really big boxes. Two guys came and rang the bell, then waited for me to get the door. It took me a little while so they had actually started to walk away before I opened the door. When I finally got there, they said, "Oh, Hi! Merry Xmas!" and then left. Were they hoping for a tip? I feel bad, but I had no idea that many boxes were coming, and didn't have anything prepared.. plus it's not like I see them regularly.

Btw.. we have miscellaneous vans delivering around the holidays, too. They have little UPS signs on them, but they're not the regular trucks.

[Pinky]

Just curious... how do you guys give the tip? Our guy usually drops the packages and runs. He knows we have a baby so I think he knows not to ring the door bell.

[LGS]

I can usually hear the truck outside. The day we tipped, we were also anticipating a new laptop, which we knew was out for delivery. So we had the gift ready, hoped it was our regular guy that day, and it was.

We also occasionally have different guys too, and sometimes the OnTrac van.

[chlobo]

Our UPS guy is awesome. He's so friendly and nice to the kids. And he's hot too boot. All my mom friends have him too b/c I live in a pretty small town.

That said, for the "close to Christmas" deliveries we have other drivers. yesterday, they left the boxes at the door we never use. I thought someone had stolen them. Hadn't thought about tipping until this year but I don't think I'll see him before the holiday.

[beth239]

I am so glad you asked this question because my husband and I were talking about this tonight. I think my UPS guy has been here almost every day for the last couple of weeks. We always have the same guy. I guess I will get him a giftcard for $20 or something.
We usually tip the mailman also. Do you guys?

[grins88]

I just wanted to note, as the wife of a Fed Ex man, thank you all for thinking of your delivery guys. From my husband's perspective, he never expects a tip (especially from residential deliveries), but the tips he receives (generally from his business deliveries) are VERY appreciated! It is always so nice to know that the work he does is recognized and appreciated. These guys work so hard, especially this time of year....so Thanks for thanking them!!! :)

[LGS]

I just wanted to note, as the wife of a Fed Ex man, thank you all for thinking of your delivery guys. From my husband's perspective, he never expects a tip (especially from residential deliveries), but the tips he receives (generally from his business deliveries) are VERY appreciated! It is always so nice to know that the work he does is recognized and appreciated. These guys work so hard, especially this time of year....so Thanks for thanking them!!! :)

Nice to hear!

beth - yes, we give the mailman a small tip. this year our UPS guy got more though. :)

[EXPECTINGMAY]

I had a card ready w/$25 and was able to catch him today. He rings my bell & leaves the packages but today I flew out of the house to give it to him. I know that he works hard. Gave him $25 last year too. He does have a helper right now & I thought about giving him a little something as well.
My mailman, I don't love...never gave him anything...he's pretty obnoxious.

[jd11365]

I just wanted to note, as the wife of a Fed Ex man, thank you all for thinking of your delivery guys. From my husband's perspective, he never expects a tip (especially from residential deliveries), but the tips he receives (generally from his business deliveries) are VERY appreciated! It is always so nice to know that the work he does is recognized and appreciated. These guys work so hard, especially this time of year....so Thanks for thanking them!!! :)

I couldn't have said it better. Mine never expects anything and what he does get are usually from businesses. It's always a nice treat when his customers appreciate his hard work throughout the year. They really do work hard all year long, and even harder at the holidays. :)

[NewMom04]

I am so glad you asked this question because my husband and I were talking about this tonight. I think my UPS guy has been here almost every day for the last couple of weeks. We always have the same guy. I guess I will get him a giftcard for $20 or something.
We usually tip the mailman also. Do you guys?

Is it also good to tip $20 to the mail carrier? Ours is mostly the same person. I didn't know we can tip a mail carrier since i grew up in a high rise with 44 stories.

Also, school bus drivers - what is customary? I'm too timid to ask the other mothers what a good ballpark range is. Any advice is much appreciated by this new suburban mom?

Thanks for starting this discussion!

[Raidra]

Is it also good to tip $20 to the mail carrier? Ours is mostly the same person. I didn't know we can tip a mail carrier since i grew up in a high rise with 44 stories.

Also, school bus drivers - what is customary? I'm too timid to ask the other mothers what a good ballpark range is. Any advice is much appreciated by this new suburban mom?

Thanks for starting this discussion!

I don't think you can give mail carriers cash. When we had a regular one, I gave him Dunkin Donut GCs. Now we have half a dozen different mail carriers.

[indigo99]

Your UPS guys are all driving UPS trucks? I've seen rented trucks more often than brown trucks lately. I guess it's cheaper for them to just hire the extras as needed than to keep them in the fleet.

[prego08]

I posted this question a couple days ago in the lounge board and didn't really get much response. Our UPS guy left us a CARD with his ADDRESS on it (you know how you get that from your newspaper guy?), so I guess he was hinting around for a tip. I've never ever got a card like that from our UPS guy, but I guess with all the Amazon deliveries, he wasn't shy to hint! Anyway, I mailed a Starbucks gift card to the address in the card, along with a thank you note, since it's hard to catch him at our door, and these days it is someone different each day. I just hope it is the legit UPS guy who left us the card and not some random person who knows we receive lots of packages...

[citymama]

We have one driver and he is a legendary character around these parts. I hadn't even thought of tipping him, but it would be nice to do that. He knows us by name and is always very personable.

[lilhilly]

I don't think you can give mail carriers cash. When we had a regular one, I gave him Dunkin Donut GCs. Now we have half a dozen different mail carriers.

That's correct, you can't give a mail carrier cash (although GCs are fine) and the max value of whatever you give him/her is $20.

[NancyJ_redo]

We love our UPS guy and are tipping him with a $25 target GC. Our mail person, not so much. He can't even be bothered to look up and say hello when I'm standing 2 feet in front of him.

I also tipped our trash guy with a $20 target GC, he works his tail off all year and is really friendly.

[Dream]

Up until very recently we had a regular UPS driver but recently there's been a few and a helper usually bring in the stuff. I was going to tip $30 to the regular UPS guy but haven't seen him the last few days. He's really nice, usually rings the bell or knock if the bell is not working and actually wait till we move the dog out of the way before reaching the door with DD2 tagging along. I've been wondering what to do, maybe hold it till I actually see him?