Amazon, in another token of its gratitude to delivery people who have become the lifeblood of sheltering in place for millions, is once again allowing customers to send a $5 tip to their most recent driver — and for free this time! It’s a fast-track “thank you” that gets converted into cash added on top of what the drivers are making. The time-limited promotion can be activated in seconds from the Amazon app, or a single voice command through Alexa, and won’t cost shoppers a penny.
The move comes as last‑mile demand soars during peak shopping season, when drivers are taking on their heaviest workloads of the year. It’s a tiny gesture with an instant payout, and one of the quickest ways to acknowledge the person who brought your package to your door.
How Amazon’s free $5 tip for your last driver works
When you use the “Thank my driver” feature, Amazon covers the cost of a $5 tip for the driver who made your most recent Amazon delivery within 14 days. The money goes on top of the driver’s pay; your account is not debited. The program is only for Amazon deliveries completed by its own network (such as Delivery Service Partner and Amazon Flex drivers), meaning it does not apply to carriers such as the United States Postal Service, UPS, or FedEx.
The offer usually lasts as long as the money is there, and might also be for a limited number of $5 tips across the country. In the past, it has time‑boxed and volume-limited similar thank-you campaigns at Amazon, so best to act fast. Your thank-you is for the most recent qualified delivery to your account.
How to send the free $5 tip in just seconds
From the Amazon app or website, find the “Thank my driver” prompt near recent orders, and then tap or click to send thanks. You will get a confirmation when it arrives.
Prefer voice? Any Alexa-enabled device works. Say “Alexa, thank my driver.” Your thanks will be recorded by Alexa, and the $5 free tip will be applied to your latest eligible delivery. If you share your household with several Amazon accounts, ensure you’re speaking from the profile associated with the account that received the package.
Who is eligible and the key fine print to know
The $5 tip applies to your most recent Amazon delivery, which should have been completed in the past 14 days. If your most recent delivery was made by someone other than a driver working directly for Amazon, the feature will recognize the driver but not produce the $5 tip. Only one $5 tip is allowed per recent delivery, and you can’t add multiple $5 tips to the same order or driver.
If you had multiple deliveries on the same day, the program typically selects the most recent drop‑off reported in your account. Availability may vary by region, and this offer ends when Amazon’s funding pool is emptied. If you don’t see the option, make sure the package shows “delivered,” you’re in that 14‑day window, and your Alexa device or app is signed into the right account.
Why this free $5 tip matters for Amazon drivers
Last‑mile delivery is the most expensive and labour‑intensive part of the e‑commerce fulfilment business, often representing more than 40% of logistics costs, research from the Capgemini Research Institute showed.
- During high season, route density increases and stop counts are higher with increased physical demand.
- Individual time pressures on drivers increase.
Industry coverage from outlets like The Wall Street Journal and CNBC has detailed Amazon’s lightning-fast buildout of its in‑house delivery network, which now moves billions of packages annually. At that scale, a tiny immediate boost — say, a $5 tip deposited directly into an account — accrues very quickly for people who are doing the day‑in, day‑out miles.
While such promotions are not the equivalent of wages or benefits, driver advocates say it still counts when a company tries to turn expressions of gratitude into pay, particularly at the busiest time of the year.
For the customer, it is the elusive feel‑good button: instant gratitude, at no cost.
Troubleshooting and pro tips to make it work
If Alexa doesn’t acknowledge the thank-you, open up your Alexa app and check your voice profile with the Amazon account it’s associated with. If the button doesn’t appear through the app route, look for “thank my driver” in search on the Amazon app, or visit your recent orders page. Still stuck? Amazon customer support can confirm eligibility and whether there are still promotional funds available.
If your last drop‑off isn’t eligible (say, you used a third‑party carrier to send back an item), you can continue making drop‑offs until we accept the item and then keep trying until it works.
The bottom line on Amazon’s free $5 driver tip
Two words unlock it: “Thank my driver.” Amazon says it will add $5 to the last driver’s pay for a limited time, whether you tap the button or ask Alexa. It’s fast, meaningful, and free — exactly the kind of seasonal perk worth redeeming before it disappears.
