Why More Families Are Leaving Snack Stations for Delivery Drivers

Families leave snack stations to thank drivers during the busiest times of the year. During peak delivery season, a driver might climb in and out of the van many dozens of times, carrying heavy boxes and walking long driveways in the cold. A refreshing beverage and a small snack waiting on the porch at stop 80 are a very welcome surprise.

Drivers often leave a package at the door and head back to the van before anyone answers. With a snack station, you can thank the person who handles your package delivery when you're not home to say so yourself.

Whatever you leave on the porch, you're adding a small extra to a day drivers have already planned for. They pack their own food and delivery driver must-haves before starting their routes and take breaks on their own schedule. Some drivers will pass on the snacks for personal reasons or dietary needs, which is their call to make, but they'll surely still appreciate the gesture.

Shelf-stable items that drivers can grab on the way back to the van and eat with one hand are ideal. Families usually choose from these categories:

• Drinks: Bottled water is the easiest pick year-round. Add a few sports drinks for variety on hot days.
• Salty snacks: Drivers can toss individual bags of chips or pretzels on the passenger seat and have them between stops.
• Snack bars: Wrapped granola and snack bars fit in a pocket, so drivers can easily save one for later in the route.
• Trail mix and nuts: You can leave single-serve packs out in any season since they won't melt in the sun or freeze solid in the cold.
• Sweet treats: Drivers can eat packaged cookies and fruit snacks on the go without making a mess.

Skip homemade cookies, unwrapped candy, open containers, and anything that needs a fridge. Drivers can't check the ingredients on something without a label, and you'll end up throwing out perishables after a few hours outside.

You don't need to stock a full meal's worth, since many drivers start their routes prepared for the day. Keep a few options from two or three categories and restock as drivers take them.

You can set one up in a few minutes with a container and a handful of the best snacks for delivery drivers. Follow these steps to put one together:

1. Pick a visible spot: Place the station where drivers can see it from the walkway. Keep it clear of the path and the spot where they leave packages, since drivers shouldn't have to step around it with their arms full.
2. Choose a container: A delivery driver snack basket is the simplest option. Set up a small table or cart instead if you want room for drinks.
3. Stock sealed snacks and drinks: Buy variety packs or multipacks so you can restock quickly without extra trips to the store.
4. Add a clear sign: Tape a delivery driver snack sign to the basket or container, so drivers know the items are there for them. Keep the wording short, like "Drivers, please take a snack."
5. Leave a spot for wrappers: Set a small bag or lidded bin next to the snacks, so drivers have somewhere to toss trash instead of carrying it back to the van.
6. Check it every day or two: Restock what's running low and throw out anything that's been opened or damaged.

Choose a shaded, covered spot and a weather-resistant container, then adjust what you stock as the seasons change. Plan for:

• Sun and heat: Keep the station in the shade, so drinks stay cool through the afternoon. Leave chocolate and anything else that melts out of the mix until the weather cools down.
• Rain: Use a container with a lid so you don't have to deal with soggy wrappers and collapsed cardboard after every storm.
• Wind: Weigh down a light basket or switch to a heavier bin so you don't have to pick snacks out of the yard after a windy day.
• Freezing temperatures: Bring drinks inside overnight, since you'll find split bottles in the morning if the water freezes. Salt or shovel the path to your snack station too, since drivers already have to watch every step on icy porches as part of their winter delivery safety routine.

Salt or shovel the path to your snack station too, since icy porches can be hazardous for anyone walking up to your door.

Families set up snack stations at other times of the year too, even though you'll see them more often during holiday deliveries. Some families swap their delivery driver holiday snack sign for a plain thank-you sign in January and keep the station stocked through the winter.

Others bring a station back out during summer heat waves, when drivers spend hours moving between a hot van and hot pavement. You might also restock during a stretch of freezing weather or a busy shopping season in your area. You don't have to set one up at all, though. Plenty of households thank their drivers in other ways, like a note taped to the door or a quick wave from the window.

A basket of snacks by your door is a small way to acknowledge the drivers who bring packages to your street in every season. Get a closer look at a day in the life of a delivery driver on DSP Job Hub to see what the job involves. You might even find a better spot for your snack station once you know how drivers plan their stops.