How Much does a Pizza Delivery Driver Make?

We all know the convenience of being able to order food with just one call away, and Pizza is one of the most delivered types of food globally and rightfully so.

It is one of the best foods that humanity has ever created. The thing is, we often ignore the servicemen that get the food to our doorsteps.

The pizza delivery drivers that make sure the food arrives hot and in the best condition at our house are the true heroes aside from the actual pizzaiolo that makes the pizza.

These delivery drivers go through extreme weather conditions just to get out food to us and they also have to battle through heavy traffic and other conditions on the road.

That is why I have wondered whether these pizza delivery drivers are getting paid right and if they are, how much do they make?

There are differences between every pizza place in the country and differences in wages between states, so this post aims to show the difference and the answers to some common questions.

Table of Contents

Pizza Delivery Driver’s Job Description

In simple terms, a pizza delivery driver’s job is to transport pizza from the restaurant to houses, workplaces, or other locations and process the payment often.

The pizza delivery driver’s job is to ensure that the ordered food arrives at the buyer’s house in the best possible condition.

Pizza delivery drivers are also responsible for ensuring that the order is correct before delivering it.

Some pizzerias even hire drivers who also do other restaurant tasks when they are not delivering pizzas.

Pizza Delivery Driver Tasks

The main task of a pizza delivery driver is to deliver the food at the location just like we mentioned above. Here are some of the other tasks that pizza delivery drivers do:

Checking the orders to ensure that the customer receives the right pizza or order.
Managing cash or card payments upon arrival at the location of delivery.
Remaining up-to-date about the restaurant’s promos and informing the customers about them.
Follows all traffic rules and regulations.
Makes sure to keep the delivery vehicle clean at all times.
Anticipating customers’ queries and making sure they answer them satisfactorily.

Skills Needed To Be A Pizza Delivery Driver

While there might not be that high of an educational level needed to be a pizza delivery driver, it is an honorable job as it requires very specific skills that not all people know.

These are some of the skills needed to be a pizza delivery driver:

A high school diploma or the equivalent.
A valid and updated driver’s license for the area where the deliveries will be.
Should be friendly and service-oriented.
Excellent communication skills with customers.
Able to drive safely but also quickly.
Basic knowledge of Mathematics.
Able to adjust schedule or shifts during weekends and public holidays.

Knowing the area well is an advantage as it usually means that they will know where the shortcuts are and where heavy traffic usually occurs to avoid it.

Another advantage for a pizza delivery driver is if they have a prior experience in a similar job. This is not a required skill or experience but most pizza places would prefer it.

While pizza delivery drivers are required to drive as quickly as possible, they also need to make sure that they drive carefully first, for their safety, and for the pizza not to be ruined.

Risks Involved At The Job

Aside from the traffic and the risks involved on the road, there are a lot of challenges the pizza delivery drivers face.

1. Traffic Accidents

Pizza delivery drivers usually depend on the number of pizzas they deliver. That means that they need to drive fast, which increases the risk of getting into accidents on the road.

2. Intentional Violence Against Pizza Delivery Drivers

This is an umbrella of many crimes committed against pizza delivery drivers. Such are robberies, kidnapping, and even sexual assaults.

Some pizza delivery drivers are even held at gunpoint or with a knife and these crimes are all over the country.

Reported cases over Detroit, California, Kentucky, and New Orleans are extremely dangerous with some drivers being shot at or attacked with a knife.

3. The CVOID-19 Pandemic

Although it is slowly coming to an end, we cannot ignore that these pizza delivery drivers are the true heroes during the height of the pandemic.

They kept their job out of necessity despite the risk of acquiring the deadly virus. They are part of the essential worker force that ensured we still got our food when we were all required to stay indoors.

4. Fatigue And Hygiene

Some drivers do not have the time to wash their hands or sanitize between customers. This is a huge risk to their health and can make them sick.

Fatigue is also a common problem with pizza delivery drivers. They often work several shifts which can cause overworking and surely a decline in their health.

How Much Does A Pizza Delivery Driver Make In The US?

There are variables to the salary of a pizza delivery driver in the US. Still, on average, a pizza delivery driver can earn as little as $16,800 a year or as high as $50,000-$60,00 annually.

It is varied because some states pay delivery drivers more than others. That means that there is a possibility to earn more in one state than in the other doing the same job.

There are also factors such as tips and incentives that the drivers may get and these can even double the total pay of the delivery driver that comes solely from the restaurant.

The median delivery driver salary in the US is around $50,000 a year. Hence, it is a good starting job, especially for students or people who do not have better education yet.

Some pizza chains pay higher than others while other restaurants pay for car incentives or depreciation as well as fuel costs.

How Much Does A Pizza Chain Pay A Delivery Driver (Without Tips)

The average pay of a pizza delivery driver in the US is $10.43 per hour, which means that a pizza delivery driver is paid by a pizza chain around $21,800 a year.

They earn a little less than $100 a day for an 8-hour shift. That is not bad for a starting job plus remember that some tips are also given to the drivers so that number can go up.

That is almost $500 per week, which is decent, but that also varies depending on the pizza delivery driver’s state.

Does The Pizza Delivery Driver’s Salary Vary In Different States?

Yes, the salary of a pizza delivery driver varies not only on the pizza chain that they work for but also in the state that they live in.

Here are the top highest-paying states in the US for pizza delivery drivers.

State	Annual Salary	Per Month	Per Week	Per Hour
Massachusetts	$28,855	$2,405	$555	$13.87
Hawaii	$28,577	$2,381	$550	$13.74
Connecticut	$28,416	$2,368	$546	$13.66
Rhode Island	$27,529	$2,294	$529	$13.23
Washington	$27,215	$2,268	$523	$13.08
Utah	$27,181	$2,265	$523	$13.07
North Dakota	$27,055	$2,255	$520	$13.01
Alaska	$27,010	$2,251	$519	$12.99
New York	$26,853	$2,238	$516	$12.91
Nevada	$26,797	$2,233	$515	$12.88
South Dakota	$26,265	$2,189	$505	$12.63
Iowa	$26,253	$2,188	$505	$12.62
Maryland	$26,089	$2,174	$502	$12.54
Oregan	$25,943	$2,162	$499	$12.47
New Hampshire	$25,929	$2,161	$499	$12.47
Kansas	$25,679	$2,140	$494	$12.35
Nebraska	$25,623	$2,135	$493	$12.32
Virginia	$25,286	$2,107	$486	$12.16
South Carolina	$24,614	$2,051	$473	$11.83
California	$24,593	$2,049	$473	$11.82

Take a look at all the 50 states and their salary for pizza delivery drivers here.

There is not much difference between the hourly wage in each state but when that is extended to a year, there are thousands of dollars in difference which can impact where a driver might want to work.

While these salaries seem low, the number can still go up from tips from customers and incentives from the company. Some even offer reimbursements for gas and vehicles.

How Much Does A Pizza Delivery Driver Make In Tips?

On average, a pizza delivery guy earns tips that is around $40 to $50 a day in tips for a 5-hour shift, and that can be double for a whole day of shift which almost matches the salary from the restaurant.

Location, time of day, and the cost of the order can affect the amount of tip given to pizza delivery drivers.

That is why pizza delivery drivers often get weekend shifts to earn more from tips, and they also get to keep all the tips they get from customers.

Unlike restaurant staff that work inside the restaurant itself, drivers are individual workers, so they do not usually contribute to the tip pooling between waiters.

How Much Does A Pizza Driver Make Per Month (Pay + Tips)

On average, a pizza delivery driver makes $2,000 to $2,500 a month from the restaurant alone while adding up tips and incentives, it can go up to $4,000 a month.

Since there are many variables, the average can change. Some restaurants or pizza chains pay for reimbursements for cars and fuel.

While there is a decent amount of money per month from delivering pizzas, we have to consider the way of living in the palace they are in and whether this salary is enough or not.

Thankfully, most pizza chains do not underpay the pizza delivery drivers, and they receive what they are usually paid with tips that can vary from order to order.

Which Pizza Chain Pays The Most?

Pizza Hut and Domino’s are two of the most popular pizza chains around the world and they also pay the most for the pizza delivery drivers.

Local restaurants and pizza chains give good pay to pizza delivery drivers, but they cannot quite match the pay from the more popular pizza chains.

On average, Pizza Hut and Domino’s pay their pizza delivery guys between $12 to $16 per hour while smaller pizza chains pay their delivery drivers somewhere between $9 and $11 per hour.

Pizza Chain	Hourly Rate
Pizza Hut	$15
Domino’s	$15
Papa John’s	$14
Round Table Pizza	$12
Mountain Mikes Pizza	$12
Hungry Howie’s Pizza	$10

These are the common pizza chains that pizza delivery drivers go for because of the higher rates. Other local brands give both incentives and reimbursements but are not that popular.

Me-N-Ed’s Pizzeria is another pizza chain that pays delivery drivers around $13 per hour. However, they are not that popular so they are not usually included in lists.

The pizza chains also change hourly rates depending on the state where the branch is located. Branches in California often pay more than those in New Mexico or Texas.

So that also adds to the challenges faced by the pizza delivery drivers knowing that they can be paid more but cannot because the area is too far from them.

Is Working As A Pizza Delivery Driver An Easy Job?

No, working as a pizza delivery driver is anything but easy. They have to face many challenges and even risk their health to deliver our pizzas at our doorsteps.

They are not paid that well to risk their health and sometimes even their lives for the service. There are benefits to this job but they do not quite outweigh the risks.

For example, the drivers are engaged while driving so they are never bored but the risk of getting into an accident is still too much to be exchanged for boredom.

Pizza delivery drivers also do not have as much opportunity to be promoted compared to other workforce members.

That is why it is important to respect this type of job and help the amazing pizza delivery drivers by giving them the tips they deserve.

I also have a post about proper tipping etiquette if you want to read more about how we can help the pizza delivery drivers in our area!

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