Locale food delivery offers drivers $25/hr

With a new twist on deliveries, Locale is an up-and-coming service that delivers all types of food nationwide – going much farther than the typical local delivery most gig companies provide. Basically, if you’ve ever had some incredible pizza from Chicago, for instance, but wish you could get it delivered to where you live, like California, you can with Locale!

Locale was founded in 2020 and is backed by investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Y Combinator and Decent Capital. Originally, Locale operated out of the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Now Locale offers nationwide delivery of select products.

It’s true you can’t get every product from your favorite restaurant delivered (yet!), but if your favorite food is available on Locale, you can order it and have it delivered by a Locale gig worker. Not only is it packed in dry ice to ensure it’s delivered fresh, but Locale provides this all for only a $5 delivery/shipping fee.

An example of some of the restaurants and farms you can order from with Locale

Quick Summary:

  • Locale offers $25/hr earnings for their drivers
  • Drivers keep 100% of tips and have bonus opportunities available to earn more
  • Locale is continually expanding to include more markets

Locale Drivers

Locale currently uses a fleet of 200 drivers who’ve completed over 50,000 deliveries. Locale has connections with over 150 small businesses and farm partners.

Drivers in the Bay Area can drive Monday through Saturday, and those in Los Angeles can drive on Fridays. They’ll handle approximately 15 orders during their shift. Typical orders are approximately 16x10x12 and weigh between 5-15 pounds.

A typical route will take about 2-4 hours to deliver, but longer routes are available for up to 8 hours, and tend to pay more.

Locale Driver Pay

Locale estimates drivers’ pay to be an average of $25 an hour. According to a Locale representative, “Last week, our average route paid $142 and took 4 hours. Our highest paid route paid $260 and took 6 hours.”

Driver pay is based on base pay, mileage, and tips, with drivers keeping 100% of their tips. Plus, there are opportunities for additional bonuses. Yes, drivers are independent contractors, but they know ahead of time when they will be driving by choosing a reserved time slot.

Visit Locale’s career page to view and apply to any driver openings currently available.

Where Does Locale Operate?

Locale operates mainly in Los Angeles and the Bay Area. However, Locale continues to expand to include more restaurants across the country, offering even more delivery options.

Their website states, “We give customers the ability to discover new food and support businesses all across their community.”

Pros and Cons for Drivers

Pros: 

  • High average pay compared to other delivery companies
  • Flexible scheduling
  • Various length delivery routes to suit your goals

Cons:

  • Limited opportunities for the moment; only available in select CA markets
  • Only a handful of days available for work (for the LA market)

Summary

Locale is an exciting new delivery service that expands what we think of “local delivery” to nationwide. It’s not only exciting for customers, who can now order their favorite pizza from NYC to be delivered to their home in Austin, Texas, but it’s a profitable way for delivery drivers to expand their earnings opportunities. Couple delivering with Locale with DoorDash or Instacart to continue to maximize your earnings and stay busy while you’re on the road.

-Paula @ RSG