Should You Tip Target Drive Up Employees in 2024? Your Complete Guide
Target‘s convenient Drive Up service allows you to skip going inside crowded stores and have your online order brought out to your car. With contactless pickup surging in popularity, especially after 2020, some Target shoppers wonder if you should tip the employee who loads your Drive Up order.
Here is everything you need to know about tipping Target‘s curbside workers in 2024.
The Rise of Contactless Order Pickup
According to Statista, 56% of US consumers used some form of contactless order pickup service in 2021. This was a huge jump from only 36% using such services in 2018.
Curbside pickup particularly spiked during peak COVID times. In May 2020, Target reported Drive Up sales had increased by 278% compared to the previous year.
With consumers embracing contactless pickup options, services like Target Drive Up will only grow. So should you tip the employees enabling this convenient shopping method?
Should You Tip Target Drive Up Workers?
Target itself does not have an official policy on tipping Drive Up assistants. While regular store employees may be prohibited from taking tips, Drive Up is more of a gray area.
These Target workers do provide an extra service by bringing your order out to your car. Especially on busy days when they have to handle high volumes of Drive Up orders.
Ultimately, whether to tip Target‘s curbside pickup employees is up to you. But it‘s a kind gesture to show your appreciation for their effort with a tip. Many other retailers also allow and encourage tipping curbside workers.
How Other Retailers Handle Curbside Tipping
| Retailer | Tipping Policy |
|---|---|
| Target | No official policy, but allows tipping DriveUp workers |
| Walmart | Encourages tipping curbside pickup employees |
| Kroger | Allows and appreciates tips for pickup associates |
| Best Buy | Permits tipping curbside helpers |
So tipping extra for the convenience is common practice across the industry.
How Much Should You Tip Target Drive Up Workers?
If you do want to tip your Target Drive Up assistant, follow these general tipping guidelines:
- For small orders under $50, tip $3-5
- For medium orders around $100, tip $5-10
- For large orders over $150, tip 15-20% of order total
Also consider:
- Effort required to load order
- Heavy or bulky items
- Overall service satisfaction
- Weather conditions
Cash tips are best so the employee can pocket the money right away. If you don‘t have cash, you can tip on a credit card by asking the worker to ring up a small order just for the tip amount.
Target Drive Up Tips Don‘t Get Split
This is important to know – Target employees get to keep 100% of any tips given directly to them. Tips do not get pooled and divided amongst staff.
Target‘s policy is that curbside pickup workers keep any tips offered as a thank you for providing that individual service.
Benefits of Using Target Drive Up
Why should you consider using Target‘s contactless Drive Up service? Here are the top benefits:
It‘s Completely Free
There are no fees whatsoever to use Drive Up. You simply pay for the products in your order. Avoid shipping charges you‘d pay ordering online.
Fast, Same-Day Pickup
Orders are typically ready within 2 hours for same-day pickup. Some locations may be faster if not too busy.
Avoid Going Inside
Skip dealing with crowds and long checkout lines by having your items brought to your car.
Employee Loads Your Car
Drive Up attendants will load and unload all your purchases into your trunk or backseat.
Easy Ordering
Place Drive Up orders through the Target app or website. Just select Drive Up at checkout.
Should You Tip Other Target Employees?
Target discourages tipping for most regular store employees, like cashiers. However, because Drive Up requires extra effort, tipping those specific employees is fine.
Use your discretion on whether you should tip other employees that assist you, like those who help you find items or carry large purchases.
The Verdict: Yes, You Should Tip Target Drive Up Workers
With the expert advice above, you can feel confident tipping your Target Drive Up associate, especially if they provided excellent service. Cash tips of $5 or more are appropriate and allowed.
As contactless order pickup gains popularity, tipping Drive Up curbside workers is becoming standard practice. So thank your Target Drive Up helper next time and make their day!
