best food delivery service to work for

Are you searching for best food delivery service to work for extra cash?

This post has the best ones. 

Every day, I see new and unique side hustles coming up, and this makes it easier for everyone to earn extra income without much hassle.

In fact, according to a study done by Upwork, two million more Americans have turned to freelance and over 36% of the workforce in the US are freelancers. This shows the massive growth of side hustlers globally. 

Many of these side gigs are pretty flexible and can be done in your own time.

Why earn money on the side?

There are tons of reasons for it.

If you are a student, you could earn your living from home, pay your fees, and have a sound financial system. In fact, here are some of the best gigs for students.

If you are a stay-at-home mom, you can earn while your kids are at school. It can also give you a chance to make money in a flexible way from home. There are literally thousands of reasons why anyone and everyone should look for side gigs.

I would not have talked about side hustles a decade ago because there weren’t many options around then, but now you have endless ways to earn money.

Today, I am sharing some of the best delivery apps to work for extra income. If you ever wanted a side hustle like Uber but with minimum customer interaction, this is the post for you.

Top picks

Uber Eats – Top rated for flexibility and you can even do rideshare driving.

DoorDash – Great for pay and lets you deliver by bicycle or on foot.

Instacart – You can delivery groceries or become an in-store shopper.

Here are the best food delivery service to work for extra income:

#1. Uber Eats

uber logo

Uber Eats

Earn extra income in your free time by delivering food with Uber Eats.
Best side gig for extra cash!


This trusted food delivery company is most preferred for this side hustle because of its flexible car requirements for deliverers. To deliver by car, your vehicle must be a two-door or four-door car.

Depending on your location, you may also have the option of delivering with your bicycle or scooter in select cities. 

There are a couple of things that are great regarding this company. If you are not ready to pick up riders, this is the perfect way to earn money on the side for you.

Requirements:

Delivery by car

  • Meet the minimum age requirement to drive in your city
  • Have a 2-door or 4-door car
  • Have a valid driver’s license in your name
  • Submit your social security number for the company to run a background screening

Delivery by scooter

  • Be at least 19 years old
  • Have a motorized scooter under 50cc
  • Have a valid driver’s license in your name
  • Submit your social security number for the company to run a background screening
  • When signing up, be sure to choose delivery by scooter under transportation method

Delivery by bicycle or on foot

  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Have a government-issued ID
  • Submit your social security number for Uber Eats to run a background screening
  • When signing up, be sure to choose delivery by bicycle (and in certain cities, delivery by bicycle or foot) under transportation method

Average Pay:

You make money for every pick up and drop off you complete, plus a per-mile rate. In some cities, you’ll also receive a per-minute rate. In addition, Uber Eats customers can tip you if they like. 

Pros & Cons of delivering with Uber Eats

Pros
  • You have the flexibility to choose your hours and what days to deliver.
    You can choose instant payments instead of same-day or weekly payments.
  • Uber Eats also offers more incentives to its deliverers like Boost Zones (high-earning areas), Surge Pricing (high-demand timings), and Quest Promotions (completing certain deliveries during a certain period of time). Promotions vary per location, date, and time. 
Cons
  • Uber Eats may offer a lower pay compared to some food delivery companies.

Related:

#2. DoorDash

doordash

Doordash is the best food delivery service to work for because of the pay and the flexibility. The “Dashers,” as they are called, are required to download the app and choose your delivery time slots.

Requirements:

You must be at least 18 years of age, have a valid driver’s license and insurance, and have a smartphone.

Average Pay:

Between $8 and $15 per hour, but this entirely depends on the city you deliver in and the times you choose. You also get to keep all the tips. You can increase your earnings by referring drivers to DoorDash; you can earn up to $500 per referral depending on the city. Read our DoorDash review here.

Pros & Cons of working with DoorDash

Pros
  • DoorDash gives you the flexibility to accept the offers you like.
  • As a Dasher, you have more ways to earn like Peak Pay and Challenges.
  • You can deliver by bicycle or even walk to deliver stuff in some areas.
  • DoorDash offers a huge referral bonus when you refer your friends.
Cons
  • You have to maintain a Dasher rating of 4.2 or your account is deactivated.
  • You have to schedule your hours ahead of delivering.

#3. Grubhub

Grubhub hires anyone with a car, scooter, or bicycle. Grubhub was mentioned as one of the leading food delivery companies in the US. It partners with more than 75,000 restaurants and delivers in 1,300 US cities.

Requirements:

You need to be at least 19 years of age, have an iPhone or Android smartphone, and have a minimum of two years of driving experience.

Average Pay:

Around $12 per hour. Grubhub delivers in selected cities in the US, and you can find the list on its website. The pay does differ depending on which city you work in, peak times like lunch and dinner times, and the number of deliveries. Tips are also another way to bump up your earnings with Grubhub.

Pros & Cons of working with Grubhub

Pros
  • Grubhub gives the flexibility to schedule driving blocks ahead of time.
  • Grubhub recognition program rewards drivers with good work with levels like Partner, Pro, and Premier. These levels give you chances to schedule your blocks, book catering orders, and referral programs ahead of other drivers.
Cons
  • If you are just a beginner, you are not allowed to schedule certain blocks.
  • Grubhub doesn’t offer many incentives like other delivery companies.

#4. Instacart

instacart

With Instacart you can earn money on the side with grocery shopping. You have two options; you can work as a full-service shopper (shopping and delivering) or an in-store shopper (only shopping). The hours are flexible, and in both cases, you can choose your own hours.

Requirements:

To become a full-service shopper, you need to be 18 years or older, have a vehicle to deliver, have an iPhone or Android smartphone, and be able to lift 30–40 lbs.

Average Pay:

Around $10 to $25 per hour. Read our review on Instacart here.

Pros & Cons working for Instacart

Pros
  • With Instacart you have the choice of working as a full-service shopper (shopping and delivering) or an in-store shopper (shopping and bagging the groceries).
  • You can choose your own hours.
Cons
  • As a grocery shopper, you will be lifting heavy stuff.

#5. Shipt

If you are excited by the idea of grocery shopping for others to make extra money, then Shipt is the way to go. With Shipt you can earn money to shop and deliver groceries for others. This side hustle is only available in selected cities in the US.

Requirements:

You must be at least 18 years of age, have a valid driver’s license with a minimum of one year of driving experience, be able to lift a minimum of 40+ pounds, and have a smartphone and a cooler bag.

Average Pay:

Around $15 to $25 per hour. You can apply online and record a video to be considered for the position.

Pros & Cons working with Shipt

Pros
  • The pay is better than other grocery delivery companies.
  • As a Shipt shopper, you can shop for multiple orders at a time.
  • You get free Shipt membership as a Shipt shopper.
Cons
  • Shipt is only available in some cities in the US.

#6. Caviar

caviar

Founded in 2012, Caviar hires “couriers” to deliver its food. You need to have a vehicle like a car, truck, scooter, and a smartphone.

Once your background check is done, you will go through an orientation and start work.

Requirements:

You must be at least 18 years old to apply to become a courier with Caviar. A driving experience of two years is required to apply for this side hustle.

Average Pay:

Around $25 per hour, and you get to keep 100% of the tips.

Pros & Cons working with Caviar

Pros
  • You can see how much you make per order before accepting the offer.
Cons
  • You need to schedule your hours in advance.

#7. Favor

Favor is another food delivery company that hires delivery drivers regularly. With this company, you will be working as a Favor Runner, delivering food primarily in Texas. Though the pay is not much, this is a good side gig for someone who is looking for extra work. You can deliver using a bicycle, car, scooter, or truck.

Requirements:

Be 18 years old, have an iOS or Android device, have a valid driver’s license with a current bank account.

Average Pay:

Between $9 and $10 per hour plus you get to keep all your tips.

Pros & Cons of working with Favor

Pros
  • Flexibility to deliver on a bike.
  • Favor offers higher pay than other delivery companies.
  • You can deliver stuff other than food.
Cons
  • Only available in Texas.

#8. Saucey

With Saucey you can deliver alcoholic beverages. Saucey is available in many major cities in the US like New York, Los Angeles, Connecticut, Washington DC, Tampa, Chicago, San Antonio, Palm Springs, Dallas, etc. Keep in mind that the delivery times are usually within 30 minutes, so it’s best to choose the areas you know well.

Requirements:

You should be 21 years old with a reliable vehicle. Should have an iOS or Android phone and be ready to work on weekends and night shifts.

Average Pay:

Around $10 per hour.

Pros & Cons working with Saucey

Pros
  • You can schedule your blocks in advance.
  • The tips are higher than the usual food delivery.
Cons
  • Work is limited when compared to other food delivery jobs.

#9. Amazon Flex

amazon flex

Amazon flex is another best food delivery service to work for that can give you a good income if you are after a side gig. Though it’s not a food delivery job, it has some upsides to it. Amazon pays relatively better than other delivery gigs and it’s pretty flexible. If you are interested, fill out the online application and sign up for a job if there are openings. Once the background check is done, you can choose your time slots.

Requirements:

You must be 21 or older with a valid driver’s license. Must have a smartphone and pass a background check.

Average Pay:

$15 to $25 per hour. Some time slots have more pay, and you get to keep all your tips.

Pros & Cons working with Amazon Flex

Pros
  • The pay is good.
  • You can deliver other stuff apart from food.
Cons
  • The sign-up process is a bit lengthy.
  • It’s only available in certain cities in the US for now.

#10. GoPuff

GoPuff is a delivery company that delivers everything from home needs to OTC medication to cleaning supplies to food to drinks, and more. GoPuff gives you the flexibility to deliver as much or as little you want. There is no need to pick up orders at different places, you just have to pick up your orders at micro fulfillment centers and deliver them.

You can sign up, attend the online interview, get the background check done, and start delivering.

Requirements:

You must be 21+ years old with a valid U.S. driver’s license. The vehicle and insurance must be in your name. You need to have a smartphone, pass a background check, and be willing & able to pass a pre-paid alcohol delivery training course (where applicable).

Average Pay:

Up to $20 per hour. You get to keep all the tips.

Pros & Cons working with GoPuff

Pros
  • Flexibility to deliver other stuff along with food.
  • You can collect the stuff to deliver from the micro fulfillment centers.
Cons
  • GoPuff is less popular than other food delivery services.

FAQ about best food delivery service to work for

What are the requirements to work for a food delivery service?

In general, all the delivery driver jobs require

  • a car, scooter, bike, or truck.
  • a smartphone with an updated operating system.
  • a valid driver’s license and an insurance for your vehicle.
  • a background check.

In addition to the above requirements, you need to be flexible in choosing your shifts, have good knowledge about the areas you deliver, and have a pleasant demeanor.

Do you need a vehicle to become a delivery driver?

Most of the food delivery gigs need you to have some kind of vehicle, but there are a couple of companies that allow you to deliver food walking.

How much can you realistically earn?

The money you make ranges from $10 to $35 per hour depending on the company you work for, time slots you work, and how many gigs you take up.

Most of the food delivery companies let you keep the tips which is always a bonus on your base pay. Keep in mind that you will have some regular expenses like fuel that you need to factor into your pay.

Which is the best food delivery service to work for?

There is no right answer for this. Depending on your schedule, income goal, and location, you can choose the right delivery service from the list.

  • If you are looking for a high-paying delivery service, then Amazon Flex is a good choice.
  • If you want more flexibility and options to earn, DoorDash is the one for you.
  • If you want to work in-store rather than delivering stuff, then choose Instacart.

Can you drive for multiple delivery services?

You can work for more than one delivery service as most of the delivery companies hire you as a contractor. Delivering for multiple companies can give you more income. For example, if you are delivering for Uber and you don’t have any orders, you can choose to deliver with Grubhub. This way you can keep up your earnings and have the flexibility you want.

What about expenses?

As independent contractors, delivery drivers are responsible for car insurance, vehicle maintenance, repairs, and gas costs. If you are hiring a car from places like Hyrecar, you have to add the renting cost.

Final thoughts

Whether you do it on weekends or weekdays, food delivery can be a perfect side hustle for someone who wants to make good money from home by not going to the office physically and with flexible hours and minimum customer interaction.

Because most of these companies work through apps, it is pretty flexible and can be done if you know how to use the apps.

Have you considered food delivery as a side gig? Please share your views in the comments.

About Sireesha Narumanchi

Hi, I am Sireesha, and thank you for stopping by to get to know me. I am a work-at-home mom, a side hustler, and a firm believer in making "working from home" a success for everyone. I have worked in a remote job for over 11 years and tried many side gigs. I have been featured on many popular websites like Forbes, Business Insider, American Express, QuickBooks, The Muse, Moneyish, Virtual Vocations, Spark Hire, Bustle, Fairygodboss, Side Hustle School, Payoneer, Jobbatical, and Skillcrush.Read more...

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