The unmitigated answer to that question is “hell yeah!” Moving is a service just like when a person is served food at a restaurant. It amazes me how people can watch two guys move the heaviest furniture up two, three or four flights of steps, sweating profusely, and don’t even offer to tip. I can understand if the person has spent their last dime moving, but a mover would appreciate a $5 tip as opposed to absolutely nothing.
Coming from a guy that has worked in the service industry for quite some time, tipping absolutely nothing is a proverbial slap in the face and is down right disrespectful. So what should you tip? Well, just put yourself in the position of that mover and tip with your heart. According to Forbes Magazine, here’s when to tip, more or less and when not to tip based on the overall service you have just received.
When to tip more:
- When your movers have to handle oversized or particularly fragile items
- When your movers are personable and kind
- When your movers work quickly
- When movers go above and beyond to help you set up and assemble certain items
When to tip less:
- When your movers show up late or bring the wrong sized vehicle
- When your movers seem to work deliberately slow, like overwrapping materials or moving inefficiently
- When you have to do the brunt of the work yourself
- When your movers mistreat or break your items
They also took the time to give some examples of how much the average tip should be.
| 2-person crew | 3-person crew | 4-person crew | 5-person crew |
|---|
| 2 hours | $12 – $24 | $36 – $72 | $48 – $96 | $60 – $120 |
| 4 hours | $24 – $48 | $72 – $144 | $96 – $192 | $120 – $240 |
| 8 hours | $96 – $192 | $144 – $288 | $192 – $384 | $240 – $480 |
| 12 hours | $144 – $288 | $216 – $432 | $288 – $576 | $360 – $720 |
Anyone reading this should do so being open-minded and always thinking about how you would like to be treated if you were the person doing the heavy lifting. We have a tipping policy clearly stated on the Home page of our website. The bottom line is, we’re working in a service industry and if the service is performed satisfactorily, a tip is the equalizer and common denominator that keeps everyone on the same page.