I earned over $20 an hour working for GrubHub. Read on to find out how I did it!
Convenience is one of the greatest services you can offer these days. A business can have a rock-solid business model, but unless they provide easy access to their goods and services, I doubt they would last very long in these ultra-competitive times.
Since not all businesses can provide on-demand services, a few other companies have gone into the business of helping other businesses. Enter GrubHub. Have you ever heard people use the term “Uber for…”? Well, GrubHub is the Uber for food delivery. You sign up and earn money by making food deliveries using your vehicle.
I gave GrubHub a shot, after noticing that more and more consumers are demanding speed, convenience, and reliability. I’m here to talking about the ins and outs of working as a GrubHub driver. Was it lucrative? Was it fun? Read on and find out!
Money-making opportunities
Let’s tackle the most important question first: how much can a GrubHub driver expect to earn? The site claims drivers can expect to make $20 and over for each hour working for them.
This is an ideal scenario, but only if you work on peak days, which are Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. You can still earn on work days, but not as much. Still, I recommend working as much, and as often, as you can.
Like any work opportunities, you make out of it what you put in. Just get out there and hustle hard, regardless of peak times and whatnot.
How will you get paid?
GrubHub offers two payment schemes:
Flat rate
GrubHub will pay you a basic fee of $3.25, with an extra 50 cents thrown in for every mile you travel while making bringing food to a customer. Also worth mentioning is the fact that you get to keep the entire tip. Awesome, right?
Guaranteed pay
The next payment option is a bit like working full-time for the company. Under this payment structure, you need to be on-call for a set number of hours.
I like this structure, but you need to weigh your options carefully. On the one hand, guaranteed pay is awesome for slow nights. But on really busy days, you could end up earning less than if you had signed up for the flat rate.
The only way to find out which scheme works for you is to try each one out. That way, you can make a more informed decision and try to stack the deck in your favor.
Another good thing about this scheme is that GrubHub offers financial incentives to select areas. Drivers in those areas can make $10.50 per hour if they take at least 85% of booking requests. Sounds pretty sweet, but again, it’s up to you to test the waters and decide based on experience.
Payouts
Payments for drivers are deposited directly into their bank accounts. This worked for me because it’s more convenient than getting paid with PayPal or other payment gateways. Don’t get me wrong; I like PayPal, but nothing beats getting your money placed directly in your bank account.
You’ll get paid every Thursday for deliveries you made the last Mon to Sun.
Driving for GrubHub: the Good
Now that we’re done talking about payment methods, it’s time for me to talk about what it was actually like making deliveries for GrubHub. (Make sure you read through to the end because I also offer some tips and secrets on how to make your GrubHub experience more fun and lucrative)
Here are the things I liked about driving for them:
You’re never in the blind. Before accepting a booking, you’ll get complete info on the delivery, and that includes the tip they’ll be giving. Speaking of tips…
You get to keep your entire tip. Tips are between the customer and you, so it makes sense that you get to keep the entire amount.
Work when you can, when you want. Even with under the guaranteed payment scheme, you get some options when it comes to fixing your schedule. This is useful for me, who used GrubHub as a part-time thing.
Quick and regular payment. GrubHub distributes payouts every Thursday. No need to bug clients or make follow-ups.
The system is pretty easy. The customer does the ordering and paying. All you have to do is swing by the restaurant, pick up the order, and deliver it to the client.
I seemed to get more bookings from GrubHub than competing services. This is important because it tells me that momentum is on GrubHub’s side.
The last item is especially noteworthy. GrubHub is a fast-growing company. Even if it isn’t available in your area, it’s only a matter of time before it does.
Secrets for making the most of your time on GrubHub
Earlier, I mentioned the need to hustle and pound the pavement (maybe even literally). You gotta work hard, but you also gotta work smart. That’s where the hustle part comes in.
With that in mind, here are some methods I discovered that improve one’s hustle.
Commit your weekends
Making deliveries on a Saturday night may not be at the top of the list of things you want to do on that day, but trust me, it’ll be worth it. Weekends are peak days for deliveries, and you’ll earn the most working on these days. Think of it as a sacrifice for a future payoff.
Schedule carefully
Lunch and dinner hours are peak times. So cash in on the opportunity and make sure you’re on call during those times.
Think carefully before you accept jobs
When things get competitive, it’s tempting to immediately press the accept button without looking at the info about the job.
You’ll want a job that maximizes the money you’ll be making. So try to be mindful of things like traffic and parking. How fast can you make the delivery? You’ll want a fast turnaround time for deliveries to make more money. Next is the parking. It doesn’t matter how fast you can get to a location if you can’t leave your vehicle to hand over the food.
It takes experience to know which places have sketchy parking, but personally, I’ve found condos, offices, and commercial areas to be particularly difficult.
Consider getting a small vehicle
You may want to get a subcompact car or even a motorcycle. These types of rides are cheaper, easier to maintain, use less gas, and are easier to park.
Getting a car for GrubHub may seem like a big commitment, but in time the vehicle could pay for itself. And you use other courier apps; you’re effectively spreading the cost of the vehicle. Speaking of using other apps, that’s my next secret.
Use other courier apps
I mentioned a while ago the GrubHub provided the most number of jobs for me. That said, I still used other courier apps. As good as GrubHub is, there will be times where you’ll find more (or better) jobs on other apps. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
You can try out:
Uber Eats
Door Dash
Post Mates
Disclaimer: I’ve used all three apps before, and I was mostly satisfied with them. But note that this review is for GrubHub only. I might write reviews for those three apps at a later date.
What you’ll need to work for GrubHub
So you’ve made it this far, and like what you’re hearing. Now you want to become a GrubHub driver. Below are the things you’ll need.
A vehicle
The most basic, and important, requirement. You can make deliveries using either a car, bike, motorcycle or even scooter.
GrubHub isn’t picky about the mode of transport you use; as long as it’s reliable and legal.
Insurance
This is already a requirement for all motor vehicles (and bikes and scooters in some areas), but it’s worth mentioning.
Valid Driver’s Licence
It’s a no-brainer that you’ll need a driver’s license for your car, but again, it’s worth mentioning here.
You’ll also need a valid ID (which a license is) to work for GrubHub.
Bank account
I mentioned a while ago that GrubHub transfers money directly into your account. For that, you’ll, of course, need a legit bank account.
Smartphone with a data plan
Drivers get jobs via the GrubHub app. For that, you will need an iPhone with at least iOS 8 or an Android phone running version 4.0 and up.
19 years old and above (21, for Chicago drivers)
You’ll also need two years driving experience to qualify.
Applying to GrubHub
Prepare the requirements listed above, then follow these steps:
1. Head over to driver.grubhub.com to start your application process and send the requirements.
3. Wait for their approval and background check.
2. Once approved, set your schedule.
3. Get on the road and start accepting jobs!
Who won’t like working for the company?
I enjoyed my time making deliveries for GrubHub, but I know the job may not appeal to everyone. Think about if you:
Prefer keeping your weekends open
Would rather not working during peak hours
Don’t have a vehicle/have one with high fuel mileage
Don’t like running from point A to point B, then repeating the process multiple times in a day.
The Verdict: Legit or Scam?
Legit!
But like any other money-making opportunity, you get what you put into it. So work hard, work smart, and you’ll make this a lucrative opportunity.
GrubHub Screenshots
Click to Zoom
Your Turn
So this is my experience. Have you tried using GrubHub? Let me know what you think about the service!
Non ref link: https://www.grubhub.com
