Moving crew etiquette: to tip or not to tip?

After a long day of moving, you may be wondering, “Should I give the movers a tip?” And the short answer is, “If you want to.” There’s no requirement to tip in the moving industry, but it’s a good idea to be prepared if you want to acknowledge a team that goes above and beyond. We’ve answered your tipping questions below, so you can determine when to tip, how much to give, when to pay them and more.

Answers to all your questions about tipping

If you’re moving with U-Pack, the driver is the only person you’ll encounter at equipment drop-off — and they’re not able to accept tips. However, since we refer customers to local moving crews that can help with loading or unloading, you may be curious about whether you should offer a tip, and if so, how much. We asked some experienced movers these questions to help you prepare.

Are you supposed to tip movers?

Tipping the moving crew isn’t expected, but for a job well done, it’s always appreciated. You may consider giving a gratuity if:

• The job was completed faster than expected
• They handled items with extra care
• They maneuvered a lot of large, heavy, bulky or awkward furniture
• Your home or apartment had a flight of stairs
• They skipped a meal because of the timing of the move

Ultimately, do what feels right based on your experience.

How much should you tip movers?

Most suggest that a good guideline to follow for tipping movers is $10 per mover for a half day’s work (4 hours) and $20 per mover for a full day’s work (8 hours). And if the moving crew has to work around difficult circumstances (such as bad weather), you may want to add a bit more.

Should you tip everyone?

If everyone did a great job, it’s good to show gratitude to each person in the crew. Or, if one or two movers provided exceptional service, it is normally appropriate to tip just them.

Do you pay them in cash?

Cash tips are preferred, and a good way to do it is to put money in envelopes and hand one to each crew member at the end of the day.

What if I don’t have cash?

If you don’t have cash, writing individual checks is an option, or ask if they have a payment app like Venmo or Cash App.  You may also be able to add the tip to the overall payment (this isn’t normally preferred since they have to wait until the payment is processed).

Another way to show appreciation is to write positive feedback on consumer review sites. This can help the crew get future business. If you’re not sure where to leave a review, check with the crew leader.

Do you tip when they load or unload?

This depends on whether the same crew is handling your entire move (both loading and unloading). You can choose to tip at the end of both workdays or give an entire tip after the job is completed.

If you’re hiring local crews at each end of a long-distance move and you decide to tip, consider tipping one crew after loading and the other when they finish unloading.

Should you provide food for them?

While providing snacks, drinks or meals isn’t required, it is a great way to say thanks. Having a cooler full of water bottles or buying lunch can go a long way.

What are some food ideas besides pizza?

If you’d like to think outside the pizza box, it’s easy to feed a crowd sub sandwiches, a big box of chicken tenders or burgers. You could also have snacks available, like granola bars and bananas.

Have other questions?

If you’re still wondering about tipping or moving in general, leave us a comment below.