In this blog, I’m going to talk about Uber Eats driver pay. Basically, I’m going to discuss Uber Eats and how to be a more efficient driver so that you can make more money and not waste time while on the road.
Because let’s admit, it can really be disheartening setting out to make money for the day only to end up costing yourself money in gas or making next to nothing.
Table of Contents
- My Driver Experience
- Drive Uber Eats at the Right Times
- Drive Uber Eats in the Right Places
- Park Close to the Money
- Be Careful
- Recap
Uber Eats Driver Pay: How to Make the Most Money with Your Deliveries
Working part-time, over just a few years, I’ve had about 2,500 trips through Uber, Uber Eats, and Lyft. I know, not as much as some of the people who do it full time, but, I’ve learned how to really make the most of my time driving on Uber Eats.
Below are my personal tips and advice on what has worked for me to make the most money driving for Uber Eats. Your experiences as a driver might be totally different.
Let’s jump in!
1. Drive at the Right Times
This one should go without saying—driving Uber Eats only at the right times of the day.
Yes, it’s true, you can still pick up a few trips here and there driving outside of the times listed below, but I like to drive in prime times when demand is high.
These times for me are between 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM. This is when people are eating lunch, and then later between 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM when people are eating dinner. If it’s the weekend, sometimes I’ll go to 10:00 PM which is my personal cut off time and around when the types of restaurants I earn the most from are closing, more on that below.
Note: With COVID-19, both prime times and restaurant closing times can vary a bit. Restaurants that used to close at 9:00 and 10:00 PM are now closing around 8:00 PM. So, times will most likely vary in your location and by the restaurant.
Again, these times are just a rough estimate. You may need to adjust as needed for your area, but to really be able to get the bigger orders which can impact your tips (definitely during dinner), driving at these times has proven to be best for me.
2. Drive in the Right Places
Drive in areas of town that have mid to upper-end restaurants.
I don’t like canceling “cheap” trips because it can hurt my driver’s rating. So, I don’t unless I have to because I feel like I’m going to be delivering in a dangerous part of town.
Usually though, when you stay near mid to upper-end restaurants, you should be safe. That’s been my experience anyway.
In the event, you deliver to an area that you feel isn’t exactly safe or won’t provide you with the types of orders that can get you a good tip, simply select the “turn off after last trip,” and then drive to a good location and turn your app back on.
Note: I’ve never had any safety issues driving for Uber Eats. However, I was mugged on a Lyft ride earlier this year (2020). So, since then, I’m a bit more conscious of where I go.
3. Park Close to the Money
Closely related to driving in the right place is simply parking close to the money. This is kind of a no-brainer some might think, but not necessarily.
In the evenings, and especially when demand is high, I’ll sit in the parking lot of more expensive restaurants and wait for trips. This not only saves me gas in driving around waiting for an order to come in, but this has landed me great paying trips earning me tips as high as $38 per trip.
One night, I picked up one order from a nice restaurant, drove one mile, and then I got a $24 tip. I turned around and went back to the same restaurant, got another order, and received an $18 tip. Both of these trips took me only a mile from the restaurant!
Note: If you use this strategy, you may be surprised at how your earnings increase per trip.
4. Be Careful
As always, be careful. I’ve always thought of myself as a careful person—someone who paid attention to their surroundings, but, after getting in a bad situation on a Lyft ride as mentioned above, I’ve become much more aware and careful of where I go in my town.
Learn your city and area of town, make notes on where not to go. If something feels too risky, don’t worry about things like your acceptance rate. Protect yourself, delivering a meal isn’t worth risking your well-being.
5. Uber Eats Driver Pay: A Recap
In this blog, I discussed the popular side hustle, Uber Eats, and how to drive more efficiently so that you can earn more.
I suggest driving at the right times or during “prime times.” Prime times for me are between 11:30 AM and 2:00 PM and in the evenings between 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM.
Also, be sure to drive in the right places—meaning near mid to high-end restaurants. You can often just sit in the parking lots of mid to high-end restaurants and wait on a call to come in.
Lastly, always be careful, when you receive an Uber Eats call, pay attention to where the delivery is going, and if you feel it is unsafe, don’t do it.