We’ve all been there: you open up your delivery pizza box, stomach rumbling, only to find a pie that looks suspiciously… incomplete. Maybe there’s a slice missing, or one that looks like it’s been manhandled. Could it be that your delivery driver couldn’t resist a taste—especially if you skipped tipping in the app? Let’s separate paranoia from possibility.
Step 1: Check the Seals and Stickers
Most major pizza chains and delivery apps now use tamper-evident packaging. If your box has a branded sticker, label, or tape seal and it’s clearly broken, that’s a red flag. If the seal is intact but the slices are uneven, it’s more likely a kitchen error than a hungry driver.
Tip: Always take a photo before opening if you suspect tampering. It helps with complaints.
Step 2: Look at the Cut
Sometimes what looks like “missing” is just poor slicing. Pizza cutters in busy kitchens can leave awkward gaps where slices stick together, or an employee might misjudge the cut, leaving what looks like a missing wedge. If there’s no clean bite mark and the cheese is still intact, odds are you’ve got sloppy prep—not pizza theft.
Step 3: Inspect for Bite Marks or Repositioned Cheese
This one’s obvious. If a slice is actually missing, the cheese looks freshly pulled apart, or there are fingerprints where there shouldn’t be—then yes, someone may have helped themselves. Bite marks, especially, are undeniable. Drivers who sneak a slice usually aren’t neat eaters.
Step 4: Consider Kitchen Mix-Ups
Delivery drivers rarely have the time (or guts) to swipe a whole slice. In most cases, missing pizza is the result of a busy kitchen sending out an incomplete pie. The employee cutting or boxing it may not notice—or care—that one slice is oddly sized or absent.
Step 5: Don’t Jump to Tip-Related Conclusions
It’s a common worry: “Did my driver punish me for not tipping on the app?” In reality, most drivers don’t risk their job or ratings for a single slice. Tampering is taken very seriously by apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. Far more likely, your pizza came out of the kitchen that way.
That said, tipping well does make drivers more motivated to care about your order—placing it upright, delivering quickly, and ensuring no mishaps. A driver might not steal your food if you skip tipping, but they might not treat your order like a priority.
Step 6: What to Do If You Suspect Tampering
- Document it — take photos before touching the pizza.
- Report through the app — most platforms issue refunds or credits quickly.
- Contact the restaurant — they may offer to replace the pie.
- Avoid confronting the driver directly — it’s the app’s job to handle complaints.
The Bottom Line
Missing pizza slices are usually the fault of sloppy prep, not vengeful drivers. But if you do encounter a truly tampered order, don’t stew over it—report it. And if you want smoother deliveries in the future, remember: tipping isn’t just good manners, it’s an investment in your dinner arriving safe, hot, and—most importantly—whole.