Do You Tip Safeway Delivery In 2024? (Your Full Guide)
As a retail analyst, I often get asked about tipping etiquette for grocery delivery services. Safeway is a common choice for delivery, so readers may wonder – do you tip Safeway delivery drivers? With demand for grocery delivery growing over 28% from 2021-2022 according to Brick Meets Click research, this is an increasingly important question.
Why Tipping Policies Vary Widely Across Grocery Delivery
Tipping practices vary widely across the grocery delivery landscape. Some major players like Safeway prohibit tips altogether, while others like Instacart encourage tipping.
As a retail expert, my speculation is that this stems from fundamental differences in these services‘ business models and priorities:
- For marketplace apps like Instacart, ample driver supply and timely deliveries are critical to their success. Allowing tipping helps attract more freelance shoppers to meet demand.
- However, retailers like Albertsons and Safeway operate their own fleets of drivers as employees. Their priority is providing consistency in service and experience. Allowing employee tipping can work against that goal.
Understanding these core priorities sheds some light on these divergent tipping policies. Now let‘s look specifically at what it means for Safeway delivery.
Safeway – Absolutely No Tipping Allowed
Safeway operates as a subsidiary of Albertsons Companies. And Albertsons maintains a strict no tipping policy spanning all its grocery brands. This includes Safeway, Vons, and Acme.
So if you get grocery delivery direct through Safeway, do not offer or attempt to tip the driver. Safeway delivery drivers can face consequences around job security for violating this policy:
According to Albertsons Companies Code of Conduct:
"No associate may solicit or accept tips or gratuities of any kind from vendors, suppliers, customers or patients."While the exact motivation is unclear, the policy aims to provide consistent service without awkward tip-related scenarios for employees or customers.
Key Takeaway: You should NOT tip any Albertsons Companies delivery driver, including Safeway.
Ordering Via Instacart Enables Tipping
If you utilize Instacart to order Safeway delivery, that opens up tipping as an option.
Instacart operates a hybrid model using both employees and independent contractors for order fulfillment. And tipping is allowed for Instacart‘s contracted personal shoppers and delivery partners.
So when ordering Safeway delivery via Instacart, you have the option to add a tip:
Instacart Tip Data
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- Average tip for Instacart order: 16.4%
- Highest tip rates: Seattle (21.7%), Miami (20.4%)
- Lowest tip rates: Las Vegas (14.1%), Orlando (13.2%)The choice is yours, but tipping is customary on Instacart orders to compensate shoppers for their time and effort. I typically tip 18-20% on my Instacart grocery deliveries.
How Other Major Services Approach Tipping
As you consider grocery delivery options, you may want to understand differing policies around driver tipping:
| Company | Can Drivers Accept Tips? |
|---|---|
| Safeway Direct | No |
| Whole Foods Delivery (Amazon) | Yes |
| FreshDirect | No |
| Peapod | No |
| Instacart | Yes |
This comparison shows most retailer-owned fleets prohibit tipping like Safeway, while third-party aggregators operate under a different model.
Conclusion: Skip Tipping with Safeway Direct
I hope this detailed overview clarifies Safeway‘s no tipping policy. While inconvenient for customers seeking that option, it aims to provide consistent service.
Your options are:
- Safeway Direct: Do NOT tip drivers
- Instacart: Tip your shopper & driver
Or consider other grocery services open to tipping. Reach out with any other grocery delivery questions!
