Understand the Workforce Powering Gig Mobility

Long wait times and higher fares are two of the most common reasons passengers switch between rideshare services. A recent passenger experience at LAX illustrates this point:

“We needed a larger vehicle for our rideshare,” he said, “which I knew would cost more. I checked both platforms. There was a 30% price differential between services. The distance I was going came to more than $60. I didn’t have to think twice about going to the less expensive service.”

Rideshare companies can use gig mobility data from Gridwise Analytics to address these challenges and optimize their operations. Our data provides insights into

• multi-apping trends among gig drivers
• airport-specific pricing patterns at major airports like ATL, JFK, LAX, and ORD
• comparisons between pickup and drop-off rides
• how these factors influence passenger satisfaction

Whether you're a rideshare company executive, an investor, or simply curious about the gig mobility industry, this blog delves into how Gridwise Analytics can impact gig company strategies in today's competitive market.

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Multi-apping trends: Insights from gig driver analytics 

Multi-apping is the widespread gig driver practice of accepting rides from more than one gig platform. Drivers choose to multi-app based on personal preferences and money-making strategies.

Some gig drivers multi-app between rideshare services (e.g., Lyft drivers will also take Uber rides, and Uber drivers will also take Lyft rides). Other drivers multi-app between categories, such as rideshare drivers accepting food delivery orders during peak hours for that activity and then moving into rideshare in the later hours of the evening.

What percentage of gig drivers multi-app?

Data insights reveal that a sizable percentage of gig drivers from all major platforms engage in multi-apping. 

Although the percentage of drivers from Lyft and Uber who multi-app is constantly changing, a distinct pattern of more Uber drivers engaging in the practice prevailed—until early 2023, when Lyft drivers started to multi-app more frequently. By Q4 2023, more than 55% of Lyft drivers multi-apped, as opposed to about 50% of Uber drivers. 

Data has also revealed that over 60% of Uber Eats and Shipt gig drivers multi-apped. In the case of Uber Eats, drivers often multi-app because they can easily transition from one service to another on the app. A driver for one of the Uber services can also drive for the other without additional applications or requirements; working for both Uber and Uber Eats can be done from the same app on the gig drivers’ side. Multi-apping through other services, however, requires that the driver have multiple apps open, which can be complicated to manage. 

Multi-apping rates between Lyft and Uber

In 2019 we saw that around 10% more Lyft drivers were multi-apping than Uber drivers. This percentage changed drastically in Q1 2022 when analysis showed Lyft drivers started to multi-app with even greater frequency. The number of Uber drivers that multi-apped dropped by more than 10% at the start of 2022. As of Q1 2024, Lyft rideshare drivers were multi-apping with the Uber platform at about 55%, while Uber drivers were multi-apping on the Lyft platform at a rate of just over 25%.

Airport-specific rideshare trends and pricing patterns 

Airport rideshare activity presents unique challenges and opportunities for both drivers and companies. Our analysis of gig driver data from four major US airports—ATL (Atlanta), JFK (New York City), LAX (Los Angeles), and ORD (Chicago O'Hare)—reveals distinct patterns in pricing, profitability, and driver incentives. 

These insights, drawn from Q4 2023 data with some projections into 2024, highlight the complex dynamics of airport rideshare services and their impact on both driver and passenger experiences. 

Airport trip bonus insights

A review of Uber rideshare activity during Q4 2023 revealed that JFK airport has the highest fares for pickups and drop-offs. The only time frame when JFK fares approached equality with other airports was at night, from 9 pm to 6 am. O’Hare Airport in Chicago edged out LAX for the lowest rates. 

In 2024, we see new ranges and patterns changing as the year progresses. Our granular, unbiased data allows us to predict future patterns based on years of market insights. Contact our team here.

A review of bonus activity during Q1 2023 at the same airports revealed that Lyft pays higher bonuses per trip on airport pickup and drop-off rides than Uber. 

We can speculate that Lyft’s motivation for paying these higher bonuses is to increase driver loyalty, thus guaranteeing a more reliable pool of drivers to reduce their passenger average pickup time. When passenger pickup time is reduced, we can hypothesize that this results in a higher passenger satisfaction rate and could correlate to passenger loyalty.

Airport take rate insights 

“Take rate” refers to the difference between what the passenger pays for the ride and what is left for the rideshare company after they pay the driver, plus any fees or other charges associated with the ride (some airports now charge a fee for every rideshare drop-off or pickup, which gets added to the passenger’s rideshare charge). 

JFK pickup and drop-off take rate insights

Drop-offs were more profitable than pickups at all the airports reviewed, but JFK showed the widest variation between pickup and drop-off fares in Q4 2023. The average take rate at JFK was 28.4%.

LAX pickup and drop-off take rate insights

While showing less variance than JFK, LAX also had a bigger difference between pickups and drop-offs than other airports. Afternoons between 12 pm and 6pm during this time have a higher take rate. 

O’Hare pickup and drop-off rate insights

O’Hare in Chicago shows more equity between pickup and drop-off activity. Pickups and drop-offs have similar take rates in the morning (6 am to 12 pm) and early afternoon (12 pm to 3 pm), with a slight difference of about two percentage points. Differentials are highest between 3 pm and early morning hours.

The best take rates are in the morning and early afternoon, averaging 35.7%.

Atlanta pickup and drop-off take rate insights

Rideshare pickups are more profitable in Atlanta than in other airports, with mornings and early afternoons showing the greatest profitability. Drop-off rides also exhibited higher profitability in Atlanta than in other airports. 

Rideshare pickups are more profitable in Atlanta than in other airports, with mornings and early afternoons showing the greatest profitability. Drop-off rides also exhibited higher profitability in Atlanta than in other airports. 

Would you like to learn more about the gig driver economy? Our 2024 Gridwise Gig Mobility Report offers numerous insights and data on gig workers, rideshare, food delivery, and other facets of the gig economy.

The impact of airport rideshare insights on passenger experience

1. Pricing and cost efficiency

Analytics show that airport rides often have variable pricing depending on the time of day and location. For example, JFK Airport has the highest fares for pickups and drop-offs, particularly outside night hours, whereas O’Hare in Chicago has the lowest rates. 

Understanding these trends allows rideshare companies to adjust their pricing strategies to offer more competitive rates, which can attract cost-sensitive passengers.

2. Wait times and service availability

Competitive bonuses per trip for airport rides could ensure a more reliable pool of drivers. This strategy can lead to shorter wait times for passengers, enhancing their overall experience.

Many drivers engage in multi-apping, leading to longer passenger wait times if drivers regularly switch between platforms. Gig companies can ensure consistent service availability by addressing multi-apping through better incentives and loyalty programs.

3. Profitability and service quality

The profitability of pickups and drop-offs varies by airport. For instance, Atlanta shows the highest pickup profits, while JFK exhibits the widest variation between pickup and drop-off fares. By understanding these profitability trends, rideshare companies can optimize their operations to ensure high-quality service where it is most needed, thereby improving passenger satisfaction.

4. Tailored bonuses

Different airports exhibit unique patterns and can benefit from location-specific strategies. LAX, for instance, has higher take rates in the afternoons, while O’Hare shows more equity between pickup and drop-off activity in the mornings and early afternoons. 

Tailoring bonuses and surge pricing to these trends can help rideshare companies more effectively meet passenger expectations by ensuring they have sufficient driver supply.

5. Predictive analytics

Granular, unbiased data allows companies to predict future patterns based on historical insights. This predictive capability enables rideshare companies to prepare for and meet passenger demands efficiently, ensuring a smoother and more satisfactory experience.

By leveraging these insights from gig driver analytics, rideshare companies can make informed decisions that enhance pricing strategies, reduce wait times, improve service quality, and tailor their offerings to specific airport trends, contributing to higher passenger satisfaction.

The value of granular data and unbiased insights for rideshare platforms

Passengers will continue to evolve into more savvy users of their rideshare services. Rideshare passengers are well aware of surge pricing and often take steps to avoid those extra surcharges. They can compare prices from providers within seconds. 

Through careful analysis of this data, rideshare companies can develop pricing strategies and bonus structures that attract passengers and keep drivers happy and loyal to their platform. By developing strategies based on real-world driver data, gig platforms have the potential to improve their profit margins sustainably.

Gridwise Analytics: An unbiased source of comprehensive gig economy insights  

Rideshare and delivery are highly competitive services. Passengers can quickly compare prices and wait times on their phones and select companies based on arrival time or cost. Gridwise Analytics insights give companies reliable data for making decisions that allow them to retain highly competent and loyal drivers and determine pricing strategies that passengers find attractive and economical. 

Have a look at these articles to discover further insights:

• Read the Gridwise Annual Gig Mobility Report 
• The Impact of Third-Party Food Delivery on Quick Service Restaurants
• Understanding Gig Drivers: Investor Insights from Gridwise Analytics
• Mobility Data: What Gig Driver Loyalty Reveals to Investors

The gig economy has evolved far beyond single-platform loyalty. Today's most successful drivers strategically navigate multiple platforms, maximizing earnings through what industry insiders call "multi-apping." According to Gridwise Analytics data spanning January 2024 to December 2024, this practice has become a defining characteristic of the modern gig workforce, with profound implications for both drivers and the platforms competing for their attention.

The data reveals a compelling narrative: drivers who embrace multi-apping consistently earn more in total per week than their single-platform counterparts. At the same time, specific platforms have emerged as common denominators among drivers who multi-app. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for platform operators, investors, and anyone seeking to comprehend the strategic forces reshaping gig work.

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Multi-Apping Leads to Higher Pay

It’s no surprise that drivers switch between apps to increase their earnings, but what’s It’s no surprise that drivers switch between apps to increase their earnings, but what’s striking is how effectively they do it. Gridwise Analytics data confirms that multi-apping isn’t just common, it works. Drivers who diversify across platforms earn more, and the specific combination of services they use can shape how much that income grows.

The data reveals two key dynamics:

1. Earnings rise steadily with each additional app used
2. Platform-specific patterns influence how those earnings scale

Together, these insights show that drivers don’t just multi-app to stay busy, they do it strategically to grow their income of course.

Multi-Apping Helps Drivers Earn More, But the Data Tells a Deeper Story

At first glance, the chart below shows that earnings rise neatly as drivers add more apps. And that’s true—to a point. Weekly pay increases as drivers transition from using one service to two, then three, and eventually four or more. But what’s happening behind the scenes is more nuanced than a clean step-by-step climb.

The bars for each app—Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and others—don’t represent entirely separate groups of drivers. Instead, they often include the same drivers counted multiple times, just grouped differently depending on the number of platforms they used that week.

Here’s what that means:

• A driver who used Uber and Lyft in a week is inc luded in both the “Uber + 1” and “Lyft + 1” bars.
  
• If that same driver adds DoorDash to their rotation, they show up again in the “Uber + 2,” “Lyft + 2,” and “DoorDash + 2” categories.
  
• By the time we reach the “4+ apps” group, most drivers are included in nearly every bar, because working 4 or more out of the 6 listed apps means you're showing up in at least four of the bars.
  

So while the data shows that drivers who work across multiple apps earn more, that convergence in the “4+” tier doesn’t mean the platforms themselves are paying more equally—it just reflects that we’re mostly seeing the same high-earning drivers across each platform’s data.

In short, this isn’t a story of platform pay leveling out. It’s a story about the power of diversification, how the most active, strategic drivers stack opportunities across multiple apps to reach higher total earnings. What we’re seeing is less about parity between platforms and more about how a small, ambitious subset of drivers is pushing their income ceiling by showing up everywhere.

How Drivers Combine Apps to Earn More

The multi-app landscape reveals distinct patterns of platform affinity and strategic positioning. Gridwise Analytics data shows which platform drivers are most likely to combine, creating a map of the gig economy's interconnected ecosystem.

Uber's Central Position in the Multi-App Economy

Uber emerges as the most connected platform in the multi-app ecosystem. Lyft drivers show the highest cross-platform usage rate, with 49% also working for Uber — the most substantial single-platform overlap in the multi-app ecosystem. Uber Eats drivers also frequently pair with Uber (36%), and Instacart drivers show a notable 20% overlap with Uber Eats. There are many other services who multi-app with Uber Eats. 

This positioning reflects Uber's strategic advantage as a multi-modal platform. Drivers can seamlessly transition between rideshare and delivery services within the same ecosystem, reducing friction and maximizing utilization. The data suggests that Uber has successfully created platform gravity, attracting drivers from competing services into its broader ecosystem.

DoorDash's Isolation Challenge

In contrast, DoorDash drivers exhibit low multi-hopping rates compared to other major platforms. Only 18% of DoorDash drivers also work for Uber Eats, and just 4% work for multiple apps, including Uber, Grubhub, or Instacart. This relative isolation may reflect DoorDash's market dominance in food delivery, where drivers can achieve sufficient earnings without needing to combine platforms.

However, this isolation also represents a strategic vulnerability. If DoorDash drivers begin seeking additional income sources or flexibility, they may gravitate toward other platforms. 

Peak Hours Drive Multi-App Strategy

The timing of multi-apping reveals sophisticated driver strategies that align with demand patterns across different services. Gridwise Analytics data shows how multi-apping behavior fluctuates throughout the day, peaking during high-demand periods. This highlights how drivers actively balance platforms to maximize earnings during lunch, dinner, and rush-hour rideshare windows. The data reveals distinct patterns across platforms. 

Rideshare Drivers Earn More Than Delivery Drivers

The earnings advantage seen in multi-apping is also reflected in the underlying economics of individual services. As shown in the table below, rideshare platforms like Uber and Lyft consistently offer higher weekly gross earnings than food and package delivery platforms, even when drivers aren't multi-apping.

Chart from Gridwise Analytics 2025 Annual Gig Mobility Report

For drivers who don’t or can’t multi-app aggressively, platform selection alone can significantly impact earning potential. Rideshare’s higher revenue per hour and per mile provides a natural earnings floor, a key factor in driver strategy, especially in markets with fewer multi-app options.

Retention Dynamics: Long-Term Platform Loyalty in a Multi-App World

While multi-apping drives higher earnings, platform retention remains a critical factor for long-term driver engagement. Gridwise Analytics data reveals significant differences in how platforms retain drivers over extended periods.

Rideshare Platform Retention Patterns

While both Uber and Lyft start with strong initial retention, the gap widens over time. By month 11 of a driver’s tenure with the service, Uber retains 33% of its drivers compared to Lyft’s 25%, a modest but meaningful edge. Still, the broader picture is clear: long-term retention across ridesharing remains low, highlighting ongoing challenges in driver engagement and platform loyalty.

Delivery Platform Retention Patterns

The delivery sector shows even more pronounced retention differences. Gridwise Analytics data tracking cohorts from January to April 2024 reveals distinct performance patterns across major delivery platforms.

Instacart emerges as the retention leader, maintaining 41% of drivers after 11 months. This superior retention likely reflects the platform's focus on grocery delivery, which offers more predictable demand patterns and higher average order values compared to restaurant delivery.

Grubhub follows with 32% retention, while DoorDash and Uber Eats show lower retention rates at 20% and 18%, respectively. These differences highlight the importance of platform design, compensation structure, and market positioning in maintaining long-term driver engagement.

Data-Driven Insights for Strategic Decision Making

Gridwise Analytics provides the operational intelligence necessary to comprehend the competitive landscape of a multi-app economy. From revealing how platform stacking boosts driver earnings to identifying where retention strategies succeed or falter, our data surfaces the trends that matter most to operators and investors. As gig platforms vie for loyalty in an increasingly fluid landscape, insights into driver behavior, peak-time strategies, and cross-platform affinities are crucial for driving growth, enhancing retention, and establishing a long-term strategic advantage.

If you want to learn how these insights can inform your platform strategy and retention efforts, connect with our team.

Grubhub enters 2025 as a steady presence in a volatile industry. While it hasn’t matched some competitors' headline growth or diversification, it closed 2024 with a stable market share, an increasingly base-heavy pay structure, and a clear commitment to food delivery as its core.

However, trip-level data tells a deeper story that reveals how those strategic choices shaped driver engagement, earnings patterns, and consumer behavior across food, grocery, and retail segments.

This analysis is based on Gridwise Analytics ' anonymized trip and earnings data. Unlike company reports focusing on order volume, user growth, or high-level financials, Gridwise Analytics data tracks how changes land on the road: how much drivers are earning, how long they’re working, and how shifts in platform policy impact both sides of the marketplace.

It’s a ground-level look at Grubhub’s operational model and its choices for investors, gig economy partners, and the future of delivery logistics.

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Holding Steady in a Race for Scale

Grubhub’s market share stayed at approximately 3% throughout 2024, according to Gridwise Analytics' delivery trip data. While that figure trails behind DoorDash at 67% and Uber Eats at 30%, it also highlights Grubhub’s consistent presence in a highly competitive market.

Grubhub continues to serve a meaningful volume of food delivery orders, particularly in core metro markets. For partners and investors, this sustained foothold points to a platform that remains operationally focused and strategically stable.

A Category Specialist in a World of Generalists

Between 2023 and 2024, Grubhub’s delivery mix remained 96–97% food. Grocery and retail deliveries accounted for a small portion of the total volume.

While DoorDash and Uber Eats expanded their delivery mix to include grocery and retail, Grubhub’s streamlined focus offers operational clarity and category leadership in food. This specialization may allow for more refined logistics and consistent merchant support.

How Grubhub Drivers Are Hitting Higher Weekly Totals

In 2024, Grubhub drivers earned an average of $175 per week, up 6.6% year-over-year, a more substantial earnings increase than Uber Eats, Instacart, or DoorDash.

However, this figure is more notable in how Grubhub drivers achieved this. Grubhub drivers worked more hours on average, logging 12.4 hours per week, a 13% increase from 2023, the highest year-over-year jump in work hours across all major food delivery platforms. This is despite small per-mile and hourly earnings declines. 

The data tells a clear story: Grubhub’s gross earnings growth is volume-driven, not incentive-driven. Rather than relying on higher tips or bonuses, drivers are putting in more hours and likely accepting more trips to increase weekly totals. The platform’s growing emphasis on base pay suggests that Grubhub is building toward a more reliable, steady-income delivery model.

For partners and investors, that has implications: a supply base that leans into platform consistency may also offer greater predictability in availability, shift planning, and fulfillment, even if peak-time efficiency is slightly lower than on bonus-heavy platforms.

How Grubhub’s Pay Model Stacks Up Across Delivery Types

Grubhub has increasingly leaned into a pay model emphasizing stability through base pay, particularly in segments like grocery and retail, where competition intensifies and earnings structures vary significantly. Gridwise Analytics data reveals how Grubhub's compensation mix evolved in 2024 and how it compares to other platforms.

Retail Delivery: Industry-Leading Base Pay, Leaner Incentives

Grubhub led all major platforms in base pay for retail deliveries in 2024, with 73% of driver earnings coming from base rates, up from 66% the year before. That’s a full seven percentage point gain year-over-year, well ahead of peers like Uber Eats (65%) and Instacart (47%).

However, that increase came with tradeoffs. Tips made up just 25% of retail delivery earnings, one of the lowest among primary services.

Bonuses dropped from 7% in 2023 to 2% in 2024, reflecting a reduced emphasis on variable incentives.

This signals a clear strategic shift: Grubhub is actively reshaping its retail delivery model to prioritize consistent, guaranteed income over short-term earnings boosts. This could appeal to drivers seeking steadier paydays and partners looking for a more predictable supply base in a segment that often fluctuates with seasonal and promotional demand.

Grocery Delivery: 

Grubhub also made significant changes in its grocery delivery earnings structure. In 2024, 59% of driver pay in grocery came from base rates, up from 46% in 2023, a 13-point increase year-over-year.

Spark still leads the category with 68% base pay share compared to peers. DoorDash comes in at 54%, and Uber Eats trails at 57%

At the same time, Tips on Grubhub dropped from 43% to 35%, and bonuses reduced from 11% to 6%

Grubhub’s approach to grocery shopping mirrors its retail strategy, emphasizing stable, fixed earnings while gradually reducing reliance on bonuses and rider tips. Grubhub aims to create a more predictable earnings experience for drivers by shifting a larger portion of compensation to base pay. 

Food Delivery:

Grubhub’s food delivery segment, still the core of its business, saw less dramatic change in 2024. Base pay edged up slightly, from 43% to 45%. Tips remained strong at 51%, showing continued customer engagement. Bonuses declined from 6% to 4%.

This stability positions Grubhub closely alongside DoorDash (44% base) and Uber Eats (45% base), but still behind Spark, which leads the segment at 63% base pay.

Grubhub’s food model remains competitive and balanced, holding steady in both earnings mix and driver engagement. This steady structure suggests that Grubhub is reinforcing, rather than reinventing, its core category. It prioritizes operational continuity and driver trust in the segment that maintains the most significant brand recognition and order volume.

Toward Predictability, With Tradeoffs

Across all three segments, Grubhub is evolving toward predictable, base-heavy pay. Retail and grocery saw the most significant shifts, with double-digit gains in fixed earnings. At the same time, bonuses and tips shrank, which may reduce peak-time incentives for some drivers, especially those who value short-term spikes in pay.

This move signals a more sustainable and controlled earnings model for investors, partners, and operators. It’s a strategic choice to stabilize workforce engagement, but one that may require future refinements to ensure it remains competitive in attracting flexible supply.

Drivers on the Move

Grubhub had the highest multi-apping rate among major platforms, according to Gridwise Analytics shift data. Over 70% of its drivers used another app within the same month.

Multi-apping is a common practice across the gig economy and reflects driver flexibility. This trend may suggest that many Grubhub drivers engage with multiple platforms to optimize their earning potential.

The Value Equation: How Price and Perks Shape Loyalty

​​What keeps a food delivery customer coming back and what sends them elsewhere? New survey data reveals the factors that shape loyalty, the tipping points that lead to churn, and how tightly price influences behavior.

What Drives Food Delivery App Loyalty?

The Gridwise Analytics 2025 Consumer Survey shows that lower delivery fees are the top reason users stay loyal to a food delivery app, followed closely by access to promotions and rewards. Speed also plays a role, with nearly half of the respondents citing faster delivery times as a key factor, along with restaurant variety. In contrast, elements like app design or usability had a much smaller influence on retention.

Why Food Delivery Consumers Switch Platforms

When users leave one app for another, price remains the most significant reason. More than half of the surveyed consumers said they switched platforms in 2024 due to better fees or pricing. Restaurant selection was the second most common reason, followed by loyalty programs. Fewer than one in five users switched based on the app experience, suggesting cost and convenience outweigh branding or UX.

Price Sensitivity Remains a Limiting Factor Among Food Delivery Consumers

While delivery is a routine convenience for many, rising fees still pose a significant risk to usage. According to the survey, 88.1% of consumers said they would cook at home more often if delivery became more expensive or slower. Half said they would switch to pickup to save money, while only 30.4% would continue using delivery services based on convenience alone. 

These responses highlight a narrow margin for pricing flexibility and suggest that even modest cost increases could reduce order volume across platforms.

What this means for Grubhub: Consumer Expectations Are Evolving

Looking at the survey results, one thing becomes clear: today’s delivery users are highly value-driven. They choose platforms based on price, rewards, speed, and restaurant access, and they’ll readily switch or churn if those expectations aren’t met.

Looking Ahead: A Stable Platform in a Rapidly Shifting Market

Grubhub’s 2024 strategy emphasized consistency: a focused service offering, a predictable base-pay model, and operational steadiness in a volatile industry. Rather than chase aggressive diversification, the platform leaned into structure, particularly in compensating food, grocery, and retail drivers.

At the same time, industry pressures are growing. Consumers remain highly price-sensitive, drivers continue to multi-app to maximize earnings, and merchants seek more flexibility and transparency. In this context, Grubhub’s approach stands out not for rapid growth but for maintaining its position through measured decisions.

Gridwise’s trip-level data brings these trends into focus. It offers a ground-level view of how strategy shows up in earnings, hours, and user behavior, and where Grubhub may need to adapt as the market moves forward.