‘Tis the season to thank your Amazon delivery driver—with cash

This time of year, to say delivery drivers are overworked is an understatement. Especially since the onset of the pandemic, with more people shopping online than ever before. Now, Amazon has created an easy way for customers to show their delivery drivers some appreciation this holiday season.

Earlier this week on Dec. 7, customers who have a package delivered from Amazon can use their Alexa device to say, “Alexa, thank my driver” and said driver will receive a note of gratitude. The first million drivers who receive thank-yous will also get a $5 tip at no cost to the customer, according to Amazon.

The five drivers who receive the most thank yous will also receive a $10,000 bonus, plus $10,000 donated to the charity of their choice. Amazon says the company is celebrating the hard work drivers do and how they’ve helped the company deliver 15 billion packages since 1994.

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Coincidentally, Amazon’s thank-you feature launched the same day Washington, D.C., Attorney General Karl Racine announced a lawsuit accusing the company of misleading customers and stealing tips from drivers. The lawsuit says Amazon used more than $1 million from D.C. consumers’ tips between 2016 and 2019 to subsidize its own labor costs. While Amazon told customers that 100% of the tips would be passed on to workers, the lawsuit says the tips were used to pay a portion of what Amazon had already promised its drivers. Amazon officially changed its earnings model in 2019.  

Other ways you can show your gratitude toward Amazon, UPS, USPS, FedEx, and other delivery drivers this season? Snacks and drinks! Lots of families are taking to social media to show how they help these hard workers get through the busiest time of year.

Considering moms with kids of all ages pretty much always have extra snacks and drinks on-hand, why not share the love with the people who help make Christmas possible?

Related: This amazing video captured delivery driver praying for sick baby

If you’re short on time (and snacks), the Amazon “thank my driver” feature is still a great way to go.