Uber Eats gives drivers an alternative to making money that does not have to involve giving people rides.
Learn the pros and cons of working as a delivery driver with Uber Eats and decide if it will just be a side hustle to earn extra money or if you’d drive full time.
Table of Contents
Pros of Working for Uber Eats as a Driver
1. Work Around Your Life
As an Uber Eats delivery driver, you have the luxury of choosing your own schedule.
This enables you to work around family commitments, classes, or another job.
If you do not make customers wait too long for their orders, you could be out running errands before receiving your next new order alert.
2. Decent Earnings
Average gross earnings equal to about $12–$16 per hour during the lunch and dinner rushes.
In some cases, you might even earn $20 an hour, especially if fulfilling large-group orders during the supper hour.
Net pay after factoring in gas and other expenses may equal about $8-10 per hour, but Uber Eats has a system in place that helps drivers receive some of the money they spent on fuel back to them.
The best times to drive for UE are from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., by the way.
3. Inexpensive, Instant Withdrawal Feels
Uber has one of the best systems for withdrawing earnings on a daily basis.
You can cash out via their InstantPay program up to five times per day.
What is even better than that, is that each withdrawal only costs up to 50 cents each, unlike other services that cost $1.99 or more per transaction.
If you use an Uber debit card, you will not have to pay any money for cashing out if it is five or fewer times per day.
4. Dress How You Want (Within Reason)
The most important way to identify you as a driver is your delivery bag.
Other than always having that with you, you can dress however you want.
However, you should use common sense.
Most people who have worked for the company would suggest no ripped jeans or see-through and revealing tops.
The company does make T-shirts that you can wear, but you are not obliged to.
5. People Interaction
Working as a delivery driver is not like it used to be.
You do not necessarily have to wait around for the person to answer the door.
Just take a picture and then let the customer know their food has arrived.
However, you do have some connection with people when they notice you have shown up with their order.
You sometimes have the chance to talk to them before you leave and spread some cheer to them.
6. Chance to Get “Fresh Air”
This work enables you to catch some sun rays, which may benefit you if you suffer from seasonal depression in the winter during the shorter days.
You will not be stuck indoors all day, in other words, like if you worked in an office or factory.
7. No Boss Constantly Watching You
You will have a scheduling manager and need to answer someone when you need to change your availability.
HR also is there to help you when you need it.
However, you do not have a boss constantly watching you as you perform your pickups and drops.
8. Relatively Easy Work
If you already have a smartphone and know how to use GPS, it is possible to learn your job in one night after only a couple of hours.
What is more, you do not have to worry much about other employees.
It does not feel as intimidating and competitive as when working in an environment where you feel the tension between co-workers.
Cons of Working for Uber Eats as a Driver
1. Dark Streets
On some streets where you deliver, you may not see any streetlights.
Therefore, it is wise to make sure all your fog lights, high beams and standard headlights, work.
Likewise, make sure you regularly test that your backing, brake and turn signal lights all work.
Regarding seeing in front of you, it does sometimes get challenging when on a dark street in a rural suburb.
2. Potential Accidents
You might end up slipping and sliding on icy or wet roads, for instance, if you have bald tires.
In addition, you will risk someone colliding with you, which can injure them even if you are not at fault.
Potential accidents can be costly too.
Do your part to prevent unexpected collisions.
What is more, always pay attention to animals and people crossing the road, especially out in the country.
Do not forget to stay alert in case people’s pets and children suddenly appear in the middle of the road too.
Watch where you park too.
If in between orders, do not stay on a busy country road, for instance.
Instead, find the nearest side street to park on or drive back into a more concentrated business district while waiting.
Keeping your vehicle well-maintained also can help you avoid accidents.
After all, working breaks will not cause you to drive into a ditch or make impact with an oncoming car.
Making sure your vehicle is drivable and operates the way it should also prevent stalls in unsafe places.
3. Unsafe Neighborhoods
Some larger metropolitan areas have high crime rates, which some drivers are sometimes unknowingly sent to until they arrive.
You do have the right to turn down orders, however.
The company does want you to stay safe on the road and when dropping off customer orders.
They dedicate much documentation to driver and customer safety on their website.
If you ever feel unsafe for any reason, let dispatch know, and do not carry out the drop.
If you arrive at a location that seems suspicious, leave.
It is better to be safe than sorry.
4. Traffic Congestion
Sometimes, you end up in a traffic jam while waiting for a boat to cross under a drawbridge, for instance.
This also sometimes happens when traveling to and from a restaurant near a train route.
The same occurs when an accident up the street blocks you from moving forward.
You do have the option of communicating to your customers, however, to let them know what is going on.
This can be frustrating because it does slow down your delivery times, but it is not much you can do about it.
Most customers understand and want you to stay safe.
5. No Earnings Guarantee
The delivery business has boomed, especially after 2020.
However, you do not have any guarantee that you will make the same money today as you did last night, a few days ago or a week ago.
It is usually steady work, however.
If you do drive full time, you could make a halfway decent living if you have someone to share expenses with.
If you can work during the busiest times of the day, it will increase your chances of making a living.
6. Vehicle Wear and Tear
If you drive for Uber Eats more than a few hours per week, it can put much stress on your vehicle.
Uber Eats knows this though.
That is why they offer ways for you to earn discounts on car maintenance and other delivery-related services that cost money, such as oil changes.
Still, there’s only so much you can do.
Driving constantly does have an effect on a vehicle because of all the mileage on it.
After a while, you will need to replace it.
7. GPS Failure
Sometimes, a GPS does not always accurately detect locations.
This sometimes happens when you approach a street that breaks up into sections in between dead ends, for instance.
That is when you need to call the customer to ask them for directions, which may seem embarrassing but is necessary.
When you are on a tight schedule, there is no shame in asking your customers how to find them.
Pros and Cons of Working for Uber Eats As a Delivery Driver – Summary Table
| Pros of Working for Uber Eats as a Driver | Cons of Working for Uber Eats as a Driver |
|---|---|
| 1. Work Around Your Life | 1. Dark Streets |
| 2. Decent Earnings | 2. Potential Accidents |
| 3. Inexpensive, Instant Withdrawal Feels | 3. Unsafe Neighborhoods |
| 4. Dress How You Want (Within Reason) | 4. Traffic Congestion |
| 5. People Interaction | 5. No Earnings Guarantee |
| 6. Chance to Get “Fresh Air” | 6. Vehicle Wear and Tear |
| 7. No Boss Constantly Watching You | 7. GPS Failure |
| 8. Relatively Easy Work |
Should You Work for Uber Eats?
Work for Uber Eats if you would like a part-time job that you can work around your income.
You also can drive full time and earn enough money to support yourself, as long as you can handle the maintenance and repair fees.
Driving is not the only position you could secure from the company, by the way.
For instance, you could become a dispatcher or work in Human Resources.
However, the easiest position to apply for is probably the driving if you have a vehicle in good condition.
The flexibility of working in Uber Eats is one of their most significant advantages. Since I work in the mornings, I would like to try this even though the cons are a bit scary, I can take the challenge!