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There are many benefits of being a food delivery driver: flexible hours, earning extra money from delivery pay, customer tips, bonus pay opportunities, unique rewards and more. But knowing which app is the best delivery app to work for can take some time, research, and experience. To make the most of their time behind the wheel, drivers should consider these insights and perks offered by some delivery apps.
To make the most of being a food delivery driver, the driver should research and understand when the busiest times are to drive in their area, and where popular restaurants are. Typically, lunchtime, dinnertime, and weekends will offer the greatest number of delivery opportunities for a driver, resulting in the highest earning potential.
Inclement weather can also be a factor, as customers who normally would go out for dinner may opt for delivery instead–and offer more generous tips for the delivery driver as thanks.
It can also help to know which restaurants customers like the most, as this can offer the chance to pick up multiple orders at the same time to maximize mileage for a driver.
Why delivering at slower times could be better
While it’s logical to deliver when it’s busiest, a driver could also find success delivering during slower times of the day and week. There are two reasons for this: Delivering during rush hour can mean more cars on the road and being stuck in traffic. If the driver’s trying to maximize their deliveries in an hour, but they’re stuck in traffic even just 10-15 minutes of that time (which can also waste gas), that could mean fewer deliveries.
Another reason is that more delivery drivers are also delivering during the busiest times, which could mean fewer chances to accept orders. Depending on where they live, a delivery driver may find it’s best to choose less busy times so they can avoid traffic delays and too much competition. It’s all going to depend on the market they’re in. The driver will want to find for themselves the best balance of delivering during busy times versus slower times.
Some delivery apps reduce the chances that too many drivers are on the road at one time. They do this by prioritizing offers for nearby drivers who scheduled their delivery hours ahead of time. For example, Grubhub offers Block Scheduling, which allows drivers to reserve time slots for when they want to deliver. This helps ensure there aren’t too many delivery drivers on the road, and that they’ll get deliveries.
With so many apps to choose from, finding the best food delivery app for a driver may come down to the additional perks the app offers. For example, Grubhub offers “Missions,” which can be one way to boost pay. Missions are when drivers can earn more by completing specific goals in a set amount of time, for example: Deliver 25 orders without skipping more than 6 for a $50 bonus!
An app may also offer tiered performance levels, where higher levels unlock more driver opportunities, like first access to scheduling, catering orders, and more offers and flexibility, which could mean more money.
Catering and other large orders
Typically, large orders can earn the driver more money, whether it’s from the base pay or the added tip. The driver may want to choose an app that provides opportunities to deliver catering orders to help them make even more while on the road.
Some food delivery apps are moving away from simply delivering a takeout order to a hungry customer. Now, services like Grubhub’s Shop + Pay offer the opportunity for drivers to shop for customers at convenience stores or pharmacies, pay for the items–using a credit card provided by the app company–and then deliver the groceries to the customer. This gives the driver another way to make money between busy restaurant delivery times.
When it comes to finding the delivery app that works best for you, drivers should review all the ways an app can help them earn the most. It’s also important to understand their local market, especially how busy the roads can be during rush hour and where popular restaurants are located. And they shouldn’t overlook any extra incentives the app has to offer, which can quickly boost their earnings.
About Grubhub for Drivers
Grubhub for Drivers creates flexible earning opportunities for delivery partners through Grubhub’s leading food-ordering marketplace. The easy-to-use Grubhub for Drivers app offers the latest in safety features designed to ensure partners feel confident on the road, as well as Instant Cashout tools that send earnings straight to a bank account or debit card. Grubhub for Drivers’ partners are integral to supporting restaurants and communities across the country.
