You most likely know what Grubhub is—a food delivery service. When the pandemic-fueled food delivery boom was on, Grubhub and DoorDash dominated the market, with Uber Eats and Postmates taking smaller shares of it. Now things have changed. DoorDash has pretty much smoked Grubhub in market share, and Uber Eats has “eaten up” Postmates by acquiring the company. Even though there’s been lots of action and diversification in the food delivery market, the dust hasn’t settled yet.
What does all this mean if you’re thinking about driving for Grubhub? We’ll explore that in this article by looking at
- things that make Grubhub different from other delivery companies
- what it’s like to be a Grubhub driver
- Grubhub driver pay and the company’s future
- comparisons and considerations for the Grubhub driver
Things that make Grubhub different from other delivery companies
Most Grubhub drivers like the company because of its reputation for giving their drivers respect. The most obvious way Grubhub shows drivers some love is by offering minimum hourly pay in some cities. If drivers sign up for a shift and don’t get any calls for deliveries, they will still get paid. Rates vary, and as we said, it isn’t available everywhere. Still, it’s a feature that few if any other delivery services are willing to give their drivers.
Grubhub also makes a big deal out of protecting drivers from having too many other Grubhub drivers working in the same places at the same times. That’s why they encourage drivers to set up delivery blocks. We’ll get into that later in more detail.
Grubhub has another characteristic that makes it stand out. It is focused on promoting business in big cities. If you live in one, that can be a good reason to consider driving for them. If you don’t, you might find it harder to get a lot of business. In the big cities, Grubhub is offering free dinners and other promotions, which could mean there will be more orders going their way.
On the negative side, Grubhub drivers complain that it’s tough to get in touch with customer service. This can be problematic when drivers need a quick answer. Let’s hope Grubhub is working to make that aspect of driving for them better.
With these facts in mind, let’s see what it takes to become a Grubhub driver, and what the gig is really like.
What it’s like to be a Grubhub driver
It isn’t overly difficult to qualify as a driver (or bicycle delivery worker) for Grubhub. If you want to deliver for Grubhub you’ll need
- a car or bike
- valid driver’s license and valid auto insurance (for drivers)
- valid driver’s license or state ID (for bicycle delivery)
- smartphone with a data plan capable of running the Grubhub app
- a clean background check
- proof of being 18 or older (21 or older in Las Vegas)
- a checking account for direct deposit
You can get all the details about signing up with Grubhub from the Grubhub website.
Once you confirm you can meet these requirements, you might ask, “How does Grubhub work?” Before you start, you’ll need to learn about scheduling delivery blocks. The app will show you times that are available in your area, and you can select those that work for you. It’s possible to drive without a scheduled block, as well. However, if you wish to have consistent earnings and priority when it comes to receiving calls for deliveries, it’s best to schedule blocks. You can schedule more than one block in a day, depending on how much you need or want to drive.
Find further instructions on block scheduling on the Grubhub website.
Once you’re scheduled, or if you simply want to take orders as they come in, you’ll get an order, go to the restaurant to pick it up, and deliver it to the customer. Your orders may be prepaid by the customer, or you might have to use your Grubhub driver card to submit the customer’s payment. You will receive the Grubhub driver card within a week of signing up as a driver.
After that, of course, you’ll drive the order to the customer’s location. Deliveries will come in for you, but the more you drive and meet or exceed expectations, the more choice orders you’ll get.
You should be aware that you can increase your clout with the Grubhub app by being consistent with your delivery work. If you want the app’s algorithm to send more orders your way, you’ll need to meet the following metrics:
- Attendance rate: 100% gives you first access to new blocks, access to referral programs, perks, and eligibility for catering orders.
- Order acceptance rate: 95% gives you all of the above privileges
- Block drop rate (not completing your assigned blocks): 10% keeps you in the top tier
Less ideal numbers may give you access to some features, but if you don’t meet any of the metrics listed here, you’ll get far less access to new blocks. So if you want to get more clout with the app, make sure you’re present, consistent, and reliable.
Every gig driver we know is willing to work hard, as long as the earnings are there. So let’s find out, how does Grubhub pay?
Grubhub driver pay and the company’s future
At the beginning of 2022, Grubhub led the pack when it came to earnings per trip. At an average of $10.28 per trip, Grubhub paid better than either DoorDash or Uber Eats. But when it came to Grubhub hourly pay, Grubhub drivers averaged $15.65.
This is comparable to hourly pay for DoorDash and Uber Eats drivers, but when it comes to looking at questions such as how much do Grubhub drivers make a week, or what are Grubhub drivers’ average monthly earnings, Grubhub seems to have less to offer. The side by side comparison in this Gridwise post tells us that Grubhub drivers made around $130 per month, while Dashers pulled in about $225 per month in the early part of this year.
There are at least two reasons why this might be. First, more people may tend to work part time for Grubhub. But the second is probably more telling: Grubhub has lost a lot of market share over the last year, and there probably isn’t as much work for Grubhub drivers.
Fortunately, the company is working to change that. Grubhub has recently partnered with Amazon to offer free food delivery to Amazon’s Prime members. With this new plan Prime members sign up for Grubhub+ for a free one-year membership. Ordinarily, a subscription to Grubhub+ costs $9.99 per month ($119.88 per year). Once people get used to ordering from Grubhub, they’re likely to stay on past the first free year.
This could definitely make business more brisk for Grubhub drivers. This strategy shows that the company is striving to recover its market share. The partnership with Amazon, along with the focus on urban areas mentioned earlier, could help make that happen.
Comparisons and considerations for the Grubhub driver
There are a lot of good reasons to deliver for Grubhub. Chief among them is that there’s no oversupply of Grubhub drivers, so there will be less competition than you’d get driving for DoorDash or Uber Eats. Other positive points in Grubhub’s favor include a higher rate of tips, and relationships with restaurants that create a bigger per-trip pay. Read this Gridwise post to find out more about the ways driving for Grubhub and DoorDash compare.
In a nutshell, Grubhub is perfect for you if you
- live in or near to a big city,
- can schedule blocks of time to work,
- don’t want to compete with too many other drivers, and
- put a high premium on the way your company interacts with drivers.
No matter which company you choose to deliver for, you’ll need to learn how to handle being an independent contractor. On top of tracking your earnings and doing your own taxes, you’ll need to find affordable ways to get your own benefits.
Gridwise can help! You already know the Gridwise app will record your earnings and keep tabs on your deductible mileage, but Gridwise is way more than just a Grubhub mileage tracker. You can sign up for Gridwise Dollar Benefits and get life insurance, medical and dental care, accident insurance, and more. This article will fill you in on all the benefits you can secure through Gridwise.
If you do decide to drive for Grubhub, here are some tips for earning more:
- Schedule blocks at active times of day. Use Where to Drive and When to Drive to see where drivers are making the most.
- Keep your attendance, acceptance, and block drop rates at superior levels so you can get first dibs on the best scheduled blocks.
- Always be prompt and courteous, and bring extra condiments and napkins to help you earn more tips.
- Make a small investment in beverage carriers and thermal bags to please customers even more.
- Record your expenses so you can maximize tax deductions.
- Keep yourself informed of Grubhub’s company strategy so you can capitalize on it.
