The Best Food Delivery Companies To Work For [Updated for 2020]

27 min read

Best Food Delivery Apps To Work For

Best Paying Delivery App: DoorDash or Postmates
Best Grocery Delivery App: Instacart
Best ‘Stuff’ Delivery App: Postmates
Best Higher End Delivery App: Caviar
Best Weed Delivery App: Eaze
Best Alcohol Delivery App: Saucey
Best Easy-to-Start Delivery App: Uber Eats

10 Best Delivery App Jobs

What’s the best delivery service to work for? It’s never been a better time to drive for delivery companies right now. People are becoming more accustomed to ordering online, it’s pretty cheap for customers, and for drivers, it’s a no brainer to drive for delivery when rideshare is slow.

Right now, because of the coronavirus and lack of demand for Uber and Lyft drivers, it’s never been a better time to drive for delivery. Drivers are making hundreds of dollars per week, but you’ll want to sign up sooner rather than later to get started.

Which company is the best food delivery app to drive for?

By now, I think it’s safe to say that we’ve officially entered the age of the on-demand economy.

While I prefer working for certain apps and tend to avoid others, I know that each app offers unique advantages and disadvantages, so I try to keep an open mind and always evaluate the opportunities presented to me.

My experience in the rideshare and delivery industry has taught me that no two days of driving are the same. One day DoorDash might be jumping and Postmates is dead. Another day Uber Eats might be offering an incentive that’s too good to pass up. That’s why there’s not just one best delivery app to work for.

It’s in my best interest to go online with a number of the apps I’m signed up with and then make informed decisions about which order requests I’d like to fulfill.

Keep in mind that local conditions, pay and other factors vary from one market to the next and my favorite delivery apps might not be the same as those of another driver.

Every market is different, so we recommend we sign up for all delivery companies in your city to see which one is the busiest and most profitable for you!

DoorDash – typically has some of the highest payouts for couriers
Postmates – similar to DoorDash – sign up for both until you see which one is more profitable in your city!
Instacart – extremely busy right now, and is forgiving any less than 5-star ratings from customers!
Uber Eats – easiest to get started with right away!
Amazon Flex – very busy right now and drivers are reporting Amazon is offering bonuses to new sign ups!

Sign up for these delivery companies if the ones above aren’t available in your city or if you have more time to do more delivery!

Grubhub – similar to Postmates and DoorDash, but usually less popular
Caviar – usually higher-end food, so less busy but more potential for higher tips
Eaze – weed delivery only in California right now
GoPuff – pretty new, so not available everywhere, but pays $14/hr!
Point Pickup – very similar to Instacart, but new and not available in every city

Best food delivery app to work for

Best delivery apps to deliver for

1) Instacart

In our investigation of Instacart shopper pay, we found that Instacart shoppers can make $20 and up per hour.

With Instacart, you’ll spend your time delivering groceries instead of restaurant meals. Order requests come through on the app and when you accept one, you’ll be able to head to the store and start shopping for the customer’s items so they can be delivered.

Get started with Instacart here.

Since you shop and deliver orders, each order will take longer, but this also means you’ll likely earn more per order than you would with another one of the best delivery apps like GrubHub or DoorDash. Instacart is a great way how to make $100 fast.

Pros:

Instacart typically pays more per order than some of the other options on this list.
Their Instant Cash Out feature which allows you to get paid instantly for a $0.50 fee.
Drivers will see their earnings upfront along with where the grocery store is and how far away the customer’s location is.

Cons:

Instacart drivers do schedule all shifts in advance which can be seen as a positive but it also means that you won’t be able to log onto the app and deliver whenever you want
With Instacart it does seem like you’re doing more work by shopping and delivering orders. That said, it’s not the best to hear that shoppers tend to make $11 – $16 per hour on average which is actually less than what some delivery apps like Postmates claim you can earn per hour. However, some drivers have been able to earn $28 per order for example so it really does depend on other factors. Check out some of our strategies for boosting your earnings with Instacart.
You may have to lift and carry heavier bags when delivering groceries

Still not sure if delivery is for you? Take a look at the video below – NOW is the time to sign up for delivery!

2) DoorDash

DoorDash is definitely one of our second favorite delivery options for drivers, simply because DoorDash is so prevalent in most cities – meaning demand is higher. More demand, more money for DoorDashers!

DoorDash is one of the best delivery apps to work for because it pays a minimum rate per delivery and lets you keep all your tips. This means if pay per delivery is below their threshold, DoorDash will make up the difference.

Holly S. is a DoorDash driver near Thornton, Colorado who recently signed up for DoorDash but is already earning $25/hr on average with the app.

“I work full-time from 8-5 and used to drive for Lyft on weekends making $300 – $500 per week but due to COVID-19, I paused driving for Lyft to protect my family at home,” Holly said. “I signed up for DoorDash last month and took me less than 2 hours to get approved and ready to get on the road.”

Advice For Delivery Driving Newbies

The best advice Holly has for new delivery drivers is to learn your area. Don’t spend too much time trying to strategize on the app when you could be accepting orders and making money.

Even if you make mistakes in the beginning, you’re still gaining valuable experience and learning to put a routine in place.

“Sometimes the food delivery app you’re using may suggest ‘hot spot’ areas to head to but it’s important to develop your own,” Holly says. “Those proposed hot spot areas may be swarming with other drivers or be near restaurants that have super long wait times. This is why it pays to get out there and learn which areas and orders will truly help you earn more money.”

Also, don’t be afraid to message the customer through the app to provide an update. This is not always necessary, but Holly says when a restaurant is running behind on her order, she messages the customer through the app to let them know, and this often leads to an increase in her tips.

Best Money-Making Advice For DoorDash Drivers Right Now

Holly is still a newer DoorDash driver herself, but she still had some great advice that anyone can apply right now. The key to Holly earning $25/hr with DoorDash boils down to taking advantage of bonus opportunities and driving in different zones.

“I drive on Fridays and Saturdays only for about 4-5 hours per night,” she shared. “I usually wait for DoorDash to offer a bonus of $3 or more per delivery.”

Friday and Saturday nights are often busy times on the app so DoorDash may offer an extra bonus to entice drivers to go online. Holly has been able to earn as much as a $6 bonus per order when she drives on weekends.

This means she earns the DoorDash base pay + the customer tip + $6 for every order completed. Another tip Holly shared was to watch your acceptance rate.

“I have a very high acceptance rate which means I can drive in other zones (cities/areas) where DoorDash may be paying higher bonuses. If your acceptance rate falls below a certain threshold, you will be locked into driving only in your home zone.”

Get started with DoorDash here.

Typically drivers are paid weekly but you can cash out your earnings, you can use what they call ‘Fast Pay’ and set up an instant withdrawal for a $1.99 fee.

Pros:

DoorDash provides the pickup location, dropoff location and total value of the order (NOT total payout like GrubHub) with the incoming order request. This allows a driver to “guestimate” what the tip might be, although there’s no way of actually knowing the exact amount (see example below).
DoorDash pay is not bad. Plus DoorDash encourages generous tipping at the time the order is placed (see example below).
Per-job incentives are offered at the busiest times, sometimes as much as $3 extra per order with a minimum acceptance rate.

Cons:

Delivery payouts are a low flat rate. Anytime there is a flat rate payout, someone is getting the short-end of the stick, and it’s usually the drivers. Because of this, I focus on orders with higher values since the tips will likely make the work worthwhile.
Driver support is through a chat function in the app and in my experience has been unhelpful and too slow.
Wild swings in demand in my market. Sometimes I’ll receive 2 requests a minute from DoorDash. Other times I’ll go 90 minutes without a request.
Scheduling is required: DoorDash’s scheduling system limits the number of drivers in a certain area at a certain time. If it’s busy enough, the app will allow me to go online whenever I want. But if it’s not busy, advanced planning and scheduling is required.

Read more of our DoorDash articles to learn about driver pay, advanced tips and tricks, and more:

Is Doordash worth it

GrubHub vs DoorDash Pay

Wondering which company pays better: GrubHub or DoorDash? Grubhub drivers can earn $12-13 an hour, although the more proficient you become at driving, the more you can earn. Compare this to DoorDash, where you can make closer to $20 per hour.

Grubhub’s base salary for drivers is currently $4 per order, but it does vary on the market you drive in. The earnings are also based on the mileage and time it takes you to pick up an order from a restaurant and drop it off at a customer’s house.

DoorDash driver pay is calculated as follows: base pay + promotions + tips = earnings. Base pay ranges from $2-10 depending on the following factors: time, distance, desirability. Deliveries that are less popular with Dashers, for instance, will have a higher base pay.

DoorDash promotions give drivers an opportunity to earn more but aren’t guaranteed for every order. When it’s busy, peak pay could be in effect, which means you’ll earn more money on each delivery.

Tips with DoorDash are the same as GrubHub: you get to keep 100% of the tip a customer leaves.

3) Postmates

Postmates is one of the best delivery services to work for. Postmates was launched in San Francisco over 9 years ago and has grown into one of the best delivery apps to work for drivers and customers. Like many of these other delivery apps, Postmates also allows you to deliver orders by bike as well.

Orders often range from restaurant meals to groceries, alcohol and more. From our Postmates driver review and pay experience, Postmates couriers can make around $20 an hour.

Ronald R. has been driving for Uber and Lyft for 4.5 years, but he’s also worked for food delivery apps on the side. Recently, he’s shifted his focus to working more on food delivery apps and earned $4,392 in delivery income alone last month.

“In March I used apps like Uber Eats, Grubhub, DoorDash, Curri, and Roadie,” Ronald said. “I’ve started Postmates and Instacart for April and believe you should always be active on multiple apps”

Income Goals and Expenses

Ronald says the most he’s made with food delivery apps to date is around $5,000 per month.

“I have a goal of $150 a day, which gets me to $1000 a week. I work almost every day because I’m single with no kids so I get bored sitting at home.”

Best Advice For Delivery Newbies

Ronald also agrees that the more experience you get with food delivery apps, the more efficient you’ll be when it comes to earning more money.

“Always try to do one more. When you think it’s time to stop for the day, do one more. It makes a difference at the end of the week. Also, give a good service.”
“Learn where most of your restaurant zones are in your town and just know your city overall. I’ve lived in my city since infancy, so I know how to get around.”

Advice For Getting Bigger Tips with Food Delivery Apps

If you want to get bigger tips, it’s not really boiled down to a science since you can’t control who tips and how much they decide to tip. However, you can test out different strategies and practice improving your level of customer service in an effort to get more tips.

“Make sure to use your hot bags and make sure your customers see your badge when you deliver,” Ronald recommends. “Also smile and greet the customer by name and ask how they’re doing.”

Get started with Postmates here.

Pros:

The most ordered requests of any app in my market (see example below).
Postmates couriers can go online and work in any Postmates market at any time.
The app encourages generous tipping post-delivery. I’ve received tips as high as $50 with Postmates because customers were pleased with the service I provided.
Deliveries are paid based on waiting time and mileage, plus the Blitz price-multiplier will be activated at times of high demand, increasing earnings potential.
Use a Postmates referral code to get a sign up bonus

Cons:

Support is essentially non-existent. If there’s any confusion or problem, it’s best to get out of that delivery if you can because Postmates isn’t gonna help you. I’ve contacted Postmates a number of times for support over the years and can’t remember a single time they actually helped me or resolved an issue.
The app encourages generous tipping post-delivery. Yes, I included this as both a pro and a con. Since the Postmates app encourages tipping after the order is delivered, it creates an easy out for customers to leave no tip, since they’ll never have to see the driver again. Because of this, I find I earn more total tips with GrubHub and DoorDash, which require the tip to be added at the time the order is placed.
In addition to having the most order requests, Postmates also has the most “bad” order requests: Orders from Starbucks for one coffee, grocery stores, drug stores… These orders are generally time-consuming and not profitable, which is why I usually decline these jobs.
The only order information provided is the pickup location and the order contents (order contents visible if motorcycle mode is enabled).

4) Caviar

During our Caviar driver experience, we found Caviar drivers can make $20 per hour.

However, Caviar is not as widely available as other delivery apps – meaning your earnings could potentially be a lot less if people in your city don’t know about it. Maybe it’s time to make some cards or social media posts, share your invite to sign up with Caviar – and generate demand?

What makes Caviar one of the best delivery apps to work for is the potential to expand and partner with more restaurants in different areas. The pay structure is similar to DoorDash, where drivers can see an estimated pay rate before accepting the order.

This consists of the driver base pay, any peak pay bonuses, and a customer tip. One main difference with this app is that you’re given order numbers instead of telling the restaurant you’re there to pick up a specific meal.

Drivers can choose to get paid out instantly after each delivery and track earnings with Cash App.

Pros:

Delivery payouts seem fair and are displayed in advance of accepting or rejecting an order (see example below).
Instant payout option.
Extra pay is added to deliveries at times of high demand.

Cons:

Low order volume and very few restaurant partners = minimal earnings opportunities in my market. Though I have received a number of order requests from Caviar, none have made sense for me to accept based on my situation at the time. I’ve always been too far away or too busy with better options to accept a Caviar order request. Hopefully, Caviar will grow to the point that it’s a more viable option in my city.
Compensation estimates may not always be accurate. While Caviar does show drivers what they can expect to earn for a delivery before accepting the order, the expected earnings may not match what you actually earn. This is because Caviar allows customers to adjust their tip up to two hours after receiving their order. Customer tips seem on the lower side and this could be why. Encouraging customers to tip in advance usually produces the best results for the driver and eliminates that chance that someone will forget to tip after they receive their order or just opt out of doing it after the fact.

5) Grubhub

From talking to Grubhub couriers, we’ve found Grubhub drivers make on average around $11 an hour.

On occasion, Grubhub offers an hourly guarantee for drivers during certain times of the day. You can deliver with a car or a bike, and GrubHub is generally big on pushing drivers to schedule their shifts out in advance, even though you can still drive whenever it’s convenient for you.

Pros:

GrubHub provides extensive order info with the incoming request: pickup location, drop off location and total payout to the driver, including tip (see screenshot below).
Grubhub vs DoorDash: just like Doordash, Grubhub encourages customers to tip generously at the time the order is placed (see screenshot below).
Live & helpful US-based phone support while you’re on a delivery.
Consistent order volume at meal times in my city.
All orders are prepaid.

Cons:

Incentives seem rare if at all for drivers. This is fine with me as I like their system, but I know some drivers prefer to pursue incentives.
Scheduling: GrubHub encourages its drivers (almost to the point of misleading them to believe it’s required) to sign up for scheduled blocks. Being on the schedule guarantees minimum hourly earnings (only $11 in L.A.) but requires an 85% acceptance rate for the day. I never sign up for the schedule because I prefer the flexibility and independence of working when I want and accepting the jobs that make sense for me.
Drivers are limited to a delivery zone chosen at initial registration. The zone I work in is huge, so it hasn’t been a big problem for me. But there have been times when I found myself outside the zone and wish I could deliver.

Grubhub vs. DoorDash

When it comes to the battle between Grubhub vs. DoorDash, it’s pretty clear we fall on the side of DoorDash. In general, DoorDash is more well-known than Grubhub, which means more orders for you!

However, Grubhub may be more popular in your city – it’s impossible to say DoorDash is the most popular in every single city across the US. You should sign up for both companies and see which one is more popular in your area – that’s the only way to know for sure.

If you do want to choose just one, we recommended choosing and signing up for DoorDash in the battle between Grubhub vs. DoorDash.

6) Eaze

Eaze is a marijuana delivery company that hires drivers who are paid hourly. When we delivered weed with Eaze, we found drivers could make around $15 and up.

Eaze does pay a mileage reimbursement but right now the option to drive for the company is only available in California.

Drivers are not employees of Eaze, but they aren’t necessarily independent contractors either. Some companies supply drivers for Eaze so when you apply you may have to go through one of these options.

Here’s what their terms of service states: “You acknowledge and agree that you are not an employee or independent contractor of Eaze and that you are solely a licensee of the Driver Platform. Your employment or independent contractor agreement with Your Retailer shall govern the terms and conditions of your employment or contract work.”

Eaze drivers tend to make around $15 – $18 per hour and are also able to keep 100% of their tips.

Pros:

Higher guaranteed hourly rate.
Eaze pays out your mileage reimbursement every two weeks. The payment can make a big difference in your earnings, as you can see from this income comparison with DoorDash below.

Cons:

Eaze is only available in California.
Interview process. Yes, there may be an interview process and other training you’ll have to go through in order to get hired. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing unless you really don’t like interviewing or feel a little rusty in that area. However, the onboarding process will take you longer than other companies on this list which means you won’t be earning money as soon. Since Eaze allows you to deliver a newly legalized substance, there are naturally just a few more hoops to jump through and things to understand for compliance reasons.

7) Uber Eats

Uber Eats is a beast! When I’m out delivering, I treat Uber Eats as a separate animal, and it’s definitely one of the best delivery apps to work for.

Blake M. is a driver in Omaha, Nebraska who delivers for both Uber Eats and Grubhub. Driving for more than one delivery app is a smart move because there are so many options out there. Plus it can help improve your chances of getting a delivery order quickly. If one app is not busy, just switch to the other one.

“A big part of my strategy on the road is to be close to restaurants that generally lead to decent tips,” Blake says. “Uber is obviously very difficult with that since we don’t see the entire pay upfront. Still, I’ve found with Uber, avoiding fast food as much as possible can lead to better tips.”

Blake says he looks for bigger payouts that will be well worth his time. While delivery drivers can’t control which order requests they get, you can control which areas you drive in.

Apps like UberEats and Grubhub track your location when you’re logged in so they can send you orders at restaurants that are nearby.

If you don’t want to do fast food orders, you may want to drive away from certain fast-food restaurants in your area to minimize your chances of getting an order request from there.

“With Grubhub, sometimes I am willing to take lower-paying orders if it’s going to take me toward restaurants that I’ve gotten larger orders from in the past.”

Income Goals and Expenses

Blake usually sets a weekly income goal of $1,000 with Uber Eats and Grubhub before factoring in gas. On a great month like last month, Blake brought home almost $5,000 from both apps.

What’s motivating him right now is the fact that he wants to be able to cover living expenses and also pay off some of his debt.

Best Time to Drive for Uber Eats and Grubhub

With food delivery apps, some of the best times to drive are often during meal times – especially dinner so evenings can be pretty profitable. Blake says he’s gotten lucky during the last few Sundays working through dinner time because he’s gotten some high-paying orders and tips.

“The biggest thing I would suggest is to know your market and know what works for you,” he added. “There’s no secret to doing this. If you are patient and get lucky with some orders, there’s obviously some money to be made.”

Staying Safe

In light of COVID-19, Blake said he’s definitely been washing his hands more and taking 2 showers per day when he’s delivering. Contactless deliveries are helping as well along with the fact that many of the restaurants in his area have curbside pickup or drive-thru only.

Read more about becoming an Uber Eats driver here.

Get started with Uber Eats here.

Uber Eats is one of my favorites because it’s one of the best paying delivery jobs. The best earnings opportunities I’ve found while being an Uber Eats driver are through pursuing incentives like Quest and Boost.

Pros:

One of the best paying delivery companies out there
Can combine it with promotions from Uber
Integrates well with the Uber app
In most states, Uber Eats drivers can deliver in other states (which works great if you live on a border)
Great job for part-timers
Can bring your partner, children, or even pet along for the ride (just don’t let them eat the food!)

Cons:

Difficult to use in conjunction with other best delivery apps
Promotions like Quest are being phased out in some cities, making this less lucrative in those areas
California, Mississippi and Pennslyvania drivers can’t deliver in other states
Uber will sometimes change up the way pay is calculated – depending on how this affects you, it could be a pro or con but usually pay changes are not in drivers’ favors!

Whether you’re already driving for Uber or not, if you’re looking to diversify your income, Uber Eats can help with your strategy, since there may be some times during the day where fewer people are requesting trips and more people are ordering food from local restaurants.

You can sign up for UberEATS here.

8) Amazon Flex

Right now, it’s an absolute must to try to sign up for Amazon Flex. In our review of driving for Amazon Flex, we found drivers could make $18 to 25 per hour with Amazon Flex. That’s incredible – and chances are there is plenty of work to go around right now!

Judging by how busy Amazon is, there should be plenty of ongoing opportunities but they do have a wait list as well.

Amazon.com orders are picked up from a delivery station and then delivered directly to customers home. Drivers typically have a 3-6 hour delivery block.

Delivering for Amazon restaurants and Amazon Fresh are also options as well. Drivers can expect to earn around $18 – $25 per hour.

Pros:

High hourly rate and plenty of work to keep busy
Once your application is approved, it’s easy to start receiving flex shift offers through the app so you can plan around your schedule.
The amount you earn for your trip blocks isn’t reduced if you finish your deliveries early. For example, if you book a 3.5 hour block for $70, you’ll earn that amount even if you complete your deliveries early (or a little late).

Cons:

There’s a waiting list if you live in an area that isn’t covered by Amazon Flex yet.
You may have to do some heavy lifting when transporting packages.

9) GoPuff

GoPuff hires driver-partners to deliver items like snacks, medicine, drinks, and more. Think of GoPuff as basically a mobile convenience store.

GoPuff drivers can make around $14 per hour but there are also bonuses available for longer shifts.

How it works is you’ll report to your local GoPuff warehouse location and wait for orders to deliver. Customers must sign off when you deliver their order so no leaving items at the door like with Amazon Flex.

Learn more about GoPuff at our GoPuff Driver review here.

Pros:

Deliver items from a central location. This means there are limits to how far your deliveries are (like with many of these other apps) which can help you save on mileage and reduce wear and tear on your car.
Set your own hours. While you do have to lock in shifts with GoPuff, operation hours are basically 24/7 in most markets you can choose a shift during any time of the day.
Drivers are given a guaranteed minimum rate per hour.

Cons:

Some GoPuff drivers have to deal with cash payments and cash tips which can be a hassle to keep up with and also slow down how fast they are able to pick up and deliver orders.
GoPuff is not available in all cities, but the company is quickly expanding

10) Point Pickup

Point Pickup is a delivery system that allows for same-day delivery of items ordered by customers. It’s similar to Instacart, but you can schedule a shift and also start driving whenever you want.

The majority of delivery requests involve picking up from orders from Walmart or delivering items that have been ordered online.

Pros:

Pickup Point offers detailed training videos to help improve your performance.
You can also set up a driving zone and limit your deliveries to a certain distance. However, realize that doing this may affect how many requests you receive.

Cons:

There’s no way for customers to tip within the app and tipping isn’t encouraged
Pay isn’t as great for drivers
Not widely available in other cities away from the East Coast

Area-Specific Delivery Driving Advice

Nevada Delivery Driver Advice

Kristin in Nevada drives for Instacart, Grub and Dumpling in Carson City, NV and has found that combining multiple delivery apps is key to earning more money!

In Nevada, she says Instacart is among the most popular, following by Grubhub and Postmates. Kristin says:

Now using both platforms (Instacart and Grubhub) I am able to average $15 to $20 per hour and sometimes more.

In addition, Kristin uses Dumpling, a grocery delivery business platform, to increase her earnings and set her own rates. Learn more about driving for delivery in Nevada here.

Which Delivery Job is Best?

Given the pros and cons listed above, it’s clear that there’s no one size fit all app when it comes to delivering food, packages, snacks, and household items in the gig economy.

My favorite thing about delivering for multiple shopping apps is that I have options. Delivery apps are a great option to have when Uber or Lyft are slow, and delivering also enables people who have children they need to bring along to still work in the gig economy.

If you don’t want to deliver restaurant meals, you can try delivering packages for Amazon Flex or groceries with Instacart.

It probably won’t hurt to sign up for a few of these apps, that way you can test out the features for yourself and see how much you’re able to earn in your market.

Do you have more questions about choosing the best delivery company to work for? Do you drive for any delivery companies? Let us know in the comments below!

-The RSG Team

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