You’d think people’s patterns for ordering in their meals would be predictable, right? Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. There are days when you get slammed at dinner hour, just after a lunch time that could be described as “flatlined.” Then things can reverse themselves on the very next day.
How can you know the best times to drive for Uber Eats? We’ll explore the issues and variables involved, and clue you in on a way to get reliable information about the best times to make the most money with Uber Eats requests.
Here's what we cover:
Best times to drive for Uber Eats: What do the “experts” say?
When do people want to get deliveries? Some“experts” say that on most days, it’s lunch and dinner, and point out there are often peaks during weekends, especially later at night. They specify lunch hours from 11 am to 2 pm, and dinner from 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm.
These shifts make sense in most locations because people typically either eat breakfast at home or grab it on the way to their daytime milieu. Lunch deliveries are especially popular with harried workers with tight deadlines, whether at an office or desk jockeying from home.
On the weekends, many delivery drivers believe there is a steady stream of food deliveries from 9 am to 9 pm. The late-night, after-bar time period can also be fruitful. These rules of thumb are all verifiable, but do they tell the whole story?
What are the exceptions to the rules?
The logical times when people might want food delivery aren’t the only times when Uber Eats demand will peak. Lots of variables play into the equation. Here are two that could create totally different Uber Eats demand patterns.
- Location makes peak times vary wildly.
“Dinner time” in suburban areas is, as a rule, earlier than dining hours in big cities. For instance, there might be little or no business in New York City at 5 pm, but the pings could still be rolling into the wee hours of the morning. Also, if you drive in a town where university students make up a decent part of the population, their patterns will revolve around when they get out of classes for the day, and times when they’re up late, either studying or partying.
- Uber Eats is more than just restaurant delivery.
Since the advent of Uber Shop & Pay, Uber Eats drivers have more options for earnings. They can shop at grocery stores and other establishments to deliver all kinds of goods to customers—deliveries that will probably not occur during traditional meal times.
Due to these and other factors, such as weather, time of year, and seasonal fluctuations in population, it isn’t all that easy to describe the best times to drive for Uber Eats using a commonsense approach. To get a more accurate read on peak times, you need real data.
Get Insight into Uber Eats with Gridwise
Use When to Drive from Gridwise, and get information that comes from real drivers in your area. Search for the best times to drive for the current week, or look back in history to see patterns in the ebbs and flows that come with seasonal changes.
How Gridwise works
You can stop driving around in circles, taking wild guesses at where the hotspots might be. When to Drive will accurately tell you when you can make the most money with Uber Eats.
Gridwise makes it easy! Here’s all you need to do:
- Download the Gridwise app!
- Sign in, and tap “Insights,” then scroll to “When to Drive.” You’ll see an overview of the big earning days in your area for the current week. Tap on the graph to get more details.
- Tap the lower left-hand button to display “Food” or “Grocery.”
- From there, you can explore Earnings Per Hour, Trips Per Hour, and Earnings Per Trip, plus check out volumes for Morning, Afternoon, Evening, and Nighttime hours.
- 4. Go back to the “Insights” screen and tap on “Compare Services” to see an across-the-board earnings report for all rideshare and delivery services to help you decide which service is best to work for at any given time.
When to Drive isn’t the only service Gridwise gives you. Cash in on driver deals and discounts, including low-cost care and insurance, plus tools every driver needs:
- airport information
- weather and traffic alerts
- event start and let out times
- earnings and expense management
- and so much more!
Download Gridwise and take the guesswork out of delivering for Uber eats and all the apps you use!
Ready to take your gig work to the next level?
Download Gridwise, the app that helps you track your expenses and maximize your earnings
Find out more about the best times to drive:
