Feb 2, 2025
When 20-year-old Connor Stephanoff took a pizza delivery order during a snowstorm, he probably didn’t expect to star in a real-life version of Frozen.
A bus had slide off the road, blocking the entrance to the neighborhood. But armed with nothing but determination and the pizza, Stephanoff braved half a mile of deep snow to fulfill his mission — only to be rewarded with a whopping $2 tip.
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When police arrived at the scene of the bus crash, they spotted Stephanoff making his way through the snowdrifts. An officer jokingly asked him how big his tip must have been, only for Stephanoff to reveal the disappointing truth: just $2. This was despite the fact that he’d walked half a mile through harsh conditions to deliver to a home in an affluent neighborhood.
Unfortunately, situations like this are becoming increasingly common, sparking debates about how much we should tip the people who work to make our lives easier.
A delivery driver's story goes viral
The officer, upset on Stephanoff’s behalf, gave him $15 out of his own wallet — the only cash he had on him at the time. But that wasn't enough for Officer Craig.
Determined to make things right, he posted about the incident on social media, saying "$2 tip should be a crime! whoever did this: #shameful … Who tips a guy who risks everything to drive food to your door like this??"
The officer also started a GoFundMe for Stephanoff, which quickly gained traction.
The story was picked up by station 101 WRIF, and the fundraiser soon raised thousands of dollars for the dedicated driver who had quite literally gone the extra mile.
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How much should you tip?
The question of when and how much to tip has become a more contentious issue in recent years, especially with the rise of payment apps that ask for a tip for nearly everything.
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Around 53% of consumers said they've encountered tip screens at businesses that never asked for tips in the past, and 72% of adults believe they’re being asked to tip more frequently now compared to five years ago. Moreover, only 24% of consumers approve of screens suggesting tip amounts.
With tipping fatigue setting in, it's not surprising that average tip amounts are on the decline. Date from Toast shows restaurant tips have dropped from 19.2% in 2021 to 19% in 2022 and 18.8% in 2023. Meanwhile, Popmenu reports that only 19% of consumers tipped restaurant delivery drivers at least 20% in 2024, down from 26% of consumers the year prior and 38% in 2021.
Rising prices due to inflation have also contributed to the problem. Many households are struggling to afford the basics and are cutting back on tips as a result.
Unfortunately, it is servers and delivery drivers who pay the price — even though they have no control over inflation or the increasing use of tipping apps. While the average tip delivery drivers hovers around 16%, etiquette experts recommend a minimum of $3 to $5 minimum or more if your driver brings you a pizza in extreme conditions like a snowstorm.
Whatever your opinion, it's likely most people would agree that a half-mile walk through a snowstorm is worth more than $2. And if nothing else, tipping a reasonably might just keep you making headlines as a bad tipper during a from
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Christy Bieber has 15 years of experience as a personal finance and legal writer. She has written for many publications including Forbes, Kilplinger, CNN, WSJ, Credit Karma, Insurify and more.
