For Uber Eats to be worth it as a driver, there are many deciding factors that will determine your final opinion. I know a lot of drivers who have worked for Uber Eats, and I have received lots of mixed opinions about it.
Whether as a high paying side delivery job, or as your full time occupation, Uber Eats has paid well over $100 per day, but sometimes, at the cost of your time and patience.
How Uber Eats Works
Uber Eats is an application that pays individuals to deliver food from local restaurants to customers using their own vehicle, bicycle, or even scooter in some cities. The entire experience is managed through the Uber Driver app, which connects drivers with nearby delivery requests.
To qualify to work for Uber Eats, you will need to own a reliable source of transportation, legal work ID and a valid drivers license. They will also process a quick background check on you before approving your application. However this is all easily done within an hour or so.
| Average Pay | Gas Expenses | Average Working Hours | Daily Deliveries |
|---|---|---|---|
| $20-$30 per hour | $30-$40 per day | 10-14 per day | 15-20 per day |
Pros of Driving for Uber Eats
I interviewed one of my closest friends who was a full time Uber Eats driver, and he told me one of the biggest pros was that it was “easy to start” and "It's good for health, getting you out and about”.
In his particular case, he used a bicycle to send deliveries, which saved him lots of money that was not spent on gas. Time is also very flexible, as you can pick and choose when you want to work. Depending on where you live heavily impacts your earning potential.
If you are within a rather populated city, that is walkable or good for scooters or bicycles, you can easily hit $100 a day.
Cons of Driving for Uber Eats
While you can easily make money rather quickly in the city, you will face a few frustrations when task hunting on Uber Eats. A majority of the time you will be pitched orders that are simply not worth it ($3 for a 12 mile trek), or some days may just be so slow you may not receive any orders for an hour or so.
Unlike its competitors like Deliveroo, Uber Eats makes its drivers pay for equipment. Which is a huge turn off. While its rather cheap, if its preferred or practically required, it's quite frustrating to buy the equipment out of pocket.
You will start to feel very hungry after a long period of work. Sometimes may even go towards your own personal take out. Doing this twice or three times a day will drain a good chunk of your earnings, making it feel like you didn't earn much to begin with.
