For many of us, tipping for service has become the norm, whether it’s at the local coffee shop, hair salon, restaurant or bar.
But what about tipping for the delivery of furniture or other home decor? Should we tip in those instances, too?
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The question arose recently when I had a dining room rug delivered to the house. After two men carried it inside, unrolled and unwrapped it, they measured the room twice, taking into account the impact of a bump out from the fireplace. We talked about how I wanted the rug centered in the room, and which ‘size’ of room was best suited for this particular piece. (We chose to work with the measurements that began at the edge of the fireplace, instead of the wall). Did I want the rug’s main design element centered on the fireplace or the pair of French doors that lead into the room? I have to admit, they made me stop and think. We installed the rug both ways, looked at it carefully, before deciding on the former.
I found the service thorough and helpful.This was no ordinary delivery and, admittedly, I was surprised by the level of attention. When the two men crouched onto their knees to inspect the placement of the pad beneath the rug, the perfectionist in me rejoiced. There wasn’t a bump or crease in sight.
The topic of tipping [in general] is coming up a lot, says St. Louis-based interior designer Lauren Sweet-Schuler, owner of Studio Sweet-Schuler. “People are discussing what line they should draw, but I think that’s a different scenario than paying someone to bring a piece of furniture into your home,” she says. “Rather than going out to receive a service, we’re having the service brought to us, which is a different thing entirely.”
In Sweet-Schuler’s line of work, coordinating a high volume of deliveries is part of the job. While the average person may not come in contact with the quantity of deliveries that she does, a home remodel or design splurge might bring up the question of tipping.
So when should we tip a delivery person? Sweet-Schuler says she always tips.
“I don’t think it hurts,” she says. “I tip out of kindness and appreciation for service and wouldn’t press upon anyone else in any situation to feel pressure to tip if they don’t see it as necessary.”
That said, it’s not uncommon for a designer to see the same workers from one project to the next, and Sweet-Schuler sees tipping as a way to build a good relationship with vendors.
She even tips when the business charges a delivery fee, knowing that those who do the actual delivery are part of a different team entirely. “It’s easy and important to tip because we [show] appreciation for their service and we want to continue [to see] that high-level of service for our clients in the future,” she says.
As for my rug delivery, I thanked them and handed them a $20 bill. I don’t think they expected it, but I wanted to show my appreciation.
