The love affair between consumers and prepared food delivery isn’t letting up. The industry continues to boast double-digit growth and is expected to do so for the foreseeable future. Restaurants up and down the spectrum, from quick-serve to fine dining, all offer delivery, most of the time through third-party vendors like Uber Eats. Gig drivers find Uber Eats to be a great way to add to their gig economy earnings.
We’ll examine the nitty-gritty of how much Uber Eats drivers make. Holding a solid second place in the food delivery arena with a 23% market share, Uber Eats is included by many gig drivers in their stack of gig jobs.
Here's what we cover:
How much do Uber Eats drivers actually make?
The best food delivery drivers and the best gig drivers look at all the numbers. They want to understand and determine: Is Uber Eats worth it for drivers? How much is Uber Eats driver pay? They want to see data on earnings from Uber Eats driver tips. What is Uber Eats hourly rate? What’s included in Uber Eats driver incentives?
By understanding each of these factors, it’s easier to see areas for improvement.
How much do Uber Eats drivers earn per delivery?
In many markets, food delivery demand is driven by events and the day of the week. Football season gives you four days a week for earning opportunities, with college games on Saturdays, professional games on Sundays, and professional football on Monday and Thursday nights. The food delivery industry sees peak order times each year starting in September.
As you review the chart below, note that from a data perspective statisticians classify each food delivery as a distinct task. Rather than “earnings per delivery,” they label it “earnings per task.”
As you can see, Uber Eats driver pay per task goes up and down throughout the year. Drivers consistently earned between $9 and $10 per delivery, with the highest rates during Q1 and the beginning of Q4 through Super Bowl Sunday in February.
Strategic drivers like to look at their per-delivery pay, knowing that increasing their deliveries per hour can also increase their hourly rate.
What is Uber Eats hourly rate?
Not surprisingly, an Uber Eats hourly-rate graph mirrors the per-task rate, although the extremes are less severe. Uber Eats drivers earn between $13.49 to over $16.50 an hour. However, drivers can increase that figure if they complete more deliveries per hour.
How much do Uber Eats drivers make overall?
If we look at overall earnings for Uber Eats, we see a combination of
- Uber Eats base pay
- hourly earnings before tips
- tips (which average 40%–50% of total earnings)
These numbers amount to an average hourly earnings range of $13 to $16. Keep in mind that this is a nationwide average number. In some regions, drivers see higher earnings.
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly Earnings | $13 - $16 | Includes base pay, tips, incentives, and bonuses |
| Earnings Before Tips | $7 - $9 per hour | Base pay without tips |
| Tips | $7 - $8 per hour | Approximately 40-50% of total earnings |
| Earnings Per Delivery | $7 - $11 | Varies by location and other factors |
| Daily Earnings | $70 - $130 | Depends on hours worked and location |
How do Uber Eats earnings vary by market?
In certain cities, Uber Eats drivers average much higher than the national average. For many drivers living in the suburbs of these cities, the earning increase is enough to compel them to travel a short way into a high-earning territory.
Los Angeles Uber Eats drivers earn an average of $18.93 per hour, the highest among major markets.
Chicago delivery partners for Uber Eats can expect to make around $14.05 hourly.
In New York City, Uber Eats couriers typically receive $13.96 per hour for their services.
Dallas/Fort Worth Uber Eats deliverers bring in approximately $13.92 an hour.
Miami's Uber Eats delivery workers earn about $12.05 per hour, the lowest among these major metropolitan areas.
| City | Average Hourly Earnings |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $18.93 |
| Chicago | $14.05 |
| New York City | $13.96 |
| Dallas/Fort Worth | $13.92 |
| Miami | $12.05 |
Maximizing Uber Eats earnings
How do you boost your earnings as an Uber Eats driver? Surprisingly, it’s not that hard.
Pay attention to Uber Eats peak hours
Food delivery most definitely has peak hours, and you can boost earnings by taking advantage of the best times to drive for Uber Eats. On the weekdays, the lunch surge, especially for businesses, goes from about 11:30 am to 2:00 pm. The real surge is for dinner, beginning at 4:30 pm and continuing until roughly 9:00 pm. Morning and mid-afternoon hours see minimal action. Also, keep in mind that peak hours will vary by location.
Keep tabs on special events on TV
We’re in the season of politics. There are lots of political junkies glued to the television for the debates, election night, and other related events. Likewise, the Academy Awards, the Grammys, and other shows generate prepared food home deliveries. Be sure to work those nights.
Work football season and other sporting events
From September until February, Sunday is a full day of professional football games, and women now comprise more than 50% of NFL viewership. Devotees find they enjoy the game much more when food is delivered.
Pay attention to neighboring markets
As mentioned earlier, driving from the outer suburbs to more profitable areas is often worth the time and extra gas.
Watch the trends tab on your Uber Eats app
One way to identify the best markets is to check the trends tab on your Uber Eats app. This feature gives you a 28-day history of what’s been happening in your market, showing you peak days and best times.
Pick and choose your orders
Some orders are more profitable than others. Learn how to discern which ones to accept. Be careful about taking orders with a long driving distance. Once you drop off the order, returning to an area where more orders are available might take a while. That’s time you could be accepting and delivering other orders. Some orders are just not profitable and are an inefficient use of your time. When in doubt, use this handy Uber Eats earnings calculator.
Pick and choose your restaurants
Some restaurants are better organized for the delivery business. When drivers arrive, the orders are ready and always correct. Other restaurants just can’t get the delivery business right; orders are often not ready to be picked up and are incorrect. As a driver, slow orders mean you stand around cooling your heels when you could be on the road making deliveries. Incorrect orders also affect tips. Always accept orders from restaurants you know are better for delivery. Avoid the slower, less organized ones.
Consider bike and scooter deliveries
Food delivery gig workers have found bicycles and scooters advantageous in densely populated downtown areas. They can quickly maneuver through traffic while avoiding parking problems. Many of them earn as much or even more than if they were driving.
Take advantage of Uber Eats driver incentives
Watch your Uber Eats app for additional earnings opportunities. Uber Eats offers a per-delivery bonus in some service areas if you remain in a specific territory. You can also take advantage of other Uber Eats bonuses, in which drivers earn extra money for completing a set number of orders in a designated time.
How to increase Uber Eats driver tips
We’ve already discussed the factors contributing to Uber Eats driver pay. These include Uber Eats base pay, the delivery fee, any incentives Uber Eats offers, and customer tips. Of these four, customer tips is where drivers have the most influence. Tips often exceed 50% of food delivery driver earnings.
Here are some ways to ensure better tips as an Uber Eats driver:
- Ensure correct orders. One of the biggest complaints of food delivery customers is an incorrect order. This is likely the restaurant’s fault, but as the delivery person, you’re the last link in the chain and you get blamed. Check orders to ensure correctness.
- Use a thermal bag. Cold food is another frequent customer complaint. A thermal bag should be an Uber Eats driver requirement.
- Don’t forget the extras. Extra napkins, extra forks, and extra condiments are always appreciated.
- Deliver on time. Customers don’t like to wait. Avoid traffic, and don’t dawdle.
- Communicate clearly. This is a customer favorite. Let them know when you have the order in your car and how long you expect to be. Also, let people know if the restaurant doesn’t have their order ready or if you get caught in traffic.
- Leave a nice note on the app. Something as simple as “Enjoy your meal” or “Have a nice evening” impresses the customer.
- Remember the regulars. If someone is a regular and you have contact with them, commit their name to memory. People love to hear their name; it’s their favorite word.
- Smile. Even if you don’t see the customer face-to-face, they might be watching on their doorbell camera. People reward happiness.
- Follow directions. Watch for special requests such as “Deliver to the pool in the backyard” or “Come to the side door.” People appreciate it when you follow their special instructions.
- Be mindful of your Uber Eats driver reviews. Customers check these things, and they like to reward winners. If you have five stars, you can expect better tips.
Gridwise helps increase Uber Eats driver pay
Another way to increase Uber Eats driver pay is by taking advantage of every tax write-off available as a gig driver. Gridwise helps you do this through the Gridwise mileage tracker.
Program it once—it’s a simple process—and you won’t have to think about it until tax time. Then, download the report. Gone are cumbersome mileage logs and a day spent adding up miles for taxes.
The Gridwise app also includes other features, such as When to Drive and Where to Drive, that help you know when and where to find target-rich environments for food delivery opportunities.
Ready to take your gig work to the next level?
Download Gridwise, the app that helps you track your expenses and maximize your earnings
Check out these links to learn more about driving for Uber Eats, or to learn about valuable Gridwise services.
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- Download the Gridwise App
