How Much Can You Make Driving For Uber Eats? Earn up to $1K a Week

The gig economy can help you increase your income, particularly through flexible roles such as driving for Uber Eats. For many seeking to supplement their finances, whether as a part-time side hustle or a main source of income, understanding potential earnings is crucial. Keep reading for a thorough look at what Uber Eats entails, including strategies on how to make $1,000 a week.

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How Much Can You Earn Driving for Uber Eats?

On average, Uber Eats drivers earn around $20 an hour. Figuring out how to make $1,000 a week with Uber Eats requires some math — but don’t worry, you won’t have to dust off your high school calculator. Here’s a quick breakdown of how much Uber Eats drivers really make.

• According to Glassdoor, the median hourly pay an Uber Eats delivery driver can expect is around $17. This figure includes “additional pay,” which, for Uber Eats drivers, means tips.

• Assuming you can earn around that same amount, that would give you $680 for a 40-hour work week, which is short of that $1,000 goal — especially when you subtract fuel and maintenance costs.

• According to Indeed, the median hourly wage for Uber Eats drivers is approximately $23 per hour, though there’s no information about money earned through tips.

• Assuming you work 40 hours a week, you’d pull in about $920, which is still short of one thousand.

It’s worth noting that the Indeed estimate is based on earnings information provided by Indeed users, and the sample size isn’t very large. The site claims 32 data points over the past three years, or less than a dozen Uber Eats drivers volunteering their pay data per year.

Other sources report very similar numbers, so it’s safe to assume that, on average, Uber Eats drivers are making around $20, tips included, per hour.

How To Make $1,000 a Week With Uber Eats: 8 Strategies

While pulling in $1,000 a week with Uber Eats is achievable, it may not be easy. However, there are methods you can use that could help significantly increase your weekly earnings, potentially catapulting you to that $1,000 goal.

Here are six strategies you can use to maximize your Uber Eats earnings:

1. The Power of Tips

If you can boost your pay rate past that $17 to $23 average hourly range, you might be able to avoid working longer hours. Even a few well-earned tips can dramatically boost your hourly earnings. Remember that it’s not all up to chance or your customer’s mood.

Here are some ways to improve your service and your chances of getting higher tips consistently:

• Include a well-lit profile picture: Make sure that your profile picture shows your face in clear detail — and don’t forget to smile. A smile makes you look friendlier and relatable, and may inspire customers to be more generous.

• Show you care: If you can get more napkins, sauces, straws or utensils, go for it. Customers can adjust their tips after you deliver, so a little extra effort may pay off.

• Keep your customers looped in: Is the restaurant slow? Did you run into traffic? Tell them beforehand so that they don’t blame a slightly delayed delivery on you. The extra communication could translate into extra pay.

• Pay attention to detail: Be meticulous when handling customers’ food and double-check for any mistakes at the restaurant before setting off for delivery.

• Be friendly: This is a bit of a no-brainer, but you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Greet them with a smile, maintain a friendly attitude and thank them when you make the handoff.

2. Embrace the Weekends

Friday nights and weekends are a great time to drive for Uber Eats. Order volumes skyrocket, offering more opportunities for surge pricing and peak pay on your deliveries. Weekend orders often cater to gatherings or post-bar hangouts, meaning larger orders and likely bigger tips.

3. Work the Surge

Surge pricing is a game-changer. It kicks in whenever order requests are higher than average, meaning your per-delivery earnings will increase significantly. Best of all, it doesn’t require any heavy lifting. The Uber Eats driver app will automatically flag areas where surge pricing is live in your delivery city.

Take advantage of any predictable events, like big sports games or holidays when people gather in each other’s homes. Working during these times increases the chances of reaping the rewards of peak pay.

4. Multitask

Running multiple apps simultaneously is a great way to boost your food delivery income. If your ultimate goal is $1,000 a week, it doesn’t matter if you get that through Uber Eats or across several delivery platforms.

Many couriers utilize the double-app or multi-app approach, keeping two food delivery apps open to receive multiple order requests. This way, you can cherry-pick the best-paying gigs.

What Other Driving Gigs Can You Do?

Looking for driving gigs beyond Uber Eats? Here are some other options:

• DoorDash: Like Uber Eats, DoorDash offers you the chance to deliver restaurant orders to customers with similar pay and mechanics.

• Grubhub: Yet another food delivery option is Grubhub.

• Instacart: If you enjoy grocery shopping, Instacart gives you the opportunity to shop for and deliver groceries to customers.

• Shipt: Another grocery delivery option, Shipt operates in many U.S. cities. Sign up to shop and deliver groceries while earning money.

• Amazon Flex: Deliver Amazon packages and get paid for it. Many people earn as much — or more — than Uber Eats drivers.

Remember, the best driving gig depends on your location, availability and what you like to do. Take into consideration the driver demand in your area, the pay rates and your schedule flexibility when making a decision.

5. Minimize Expenses

You shoulder work-related expenses like gas and vehicle maintenance as an independent contractor. Finding ways to trim these costs is essential to keeping more dollars in your pocket.

A fuel-efficient vehicle can help you reduce the amount you put in the tank. Hybrids or electric cars are generally an even better option, but for all-electric, be mindful of any charging downtime.

Be sure to keep receipts for fuel, tires and any repairs you might need — they’re tax deductible and can make a difference in maximizing your take-home pay.

6. Set Measurable Goals

If your goal is $1,000 a week driving for Uber Eats, you’ll need to put in 50 hours if you’re earning at an average rate. While you might be able to do that working typical Monday through Friday dayshift hours, you’ll have better odds of maximizing your earnings if you work weekends and evenings. Remember to try to take advantage of surge events.

Keep track of how much you’re making. If you hit your goal early, take that extra time off. If you’re not quite there, you’ll have an idea of how many more hours you’ll need to work to reach that goal. Hard work paired with clear daily targets can significantly bolster your success. However, remember that the key to long-term prosperity is ensuring you don’t burn out.

7. Cancel Bad Orders

Time is money, and if a restaurant takes too long, you can cancel without getting deactivated. But don’t cancel too often, or this can happen. In addition, you can be picky about what orders you accept. If you know a certain drive-thru always gets an order wrong, you don’t have to say yes. Efficiency increases your earnings; wasting your time does not.

8. Use Apps to Help Optimize Your Time

Apps like Gridewise are valuable gig worker tools that track your earnings and work mileage and maximize your time by showing you the most profitable times and places to drive. Plus, the Where and When to Drive features on the app shares a wealth of useful information, such as the city’s hotspots and high-traffic areas to avoid, helping you spend less time in unprofitable areas.

Final Take

Participating in the gig economy through platforms like Uber Eats offers not only flexibility but also the potential for substantial earnings. However, achieving a steady income, especially one as ambitious as $1,000 a week, involves more than just putting in the hours. It requires strategic planning, such as enhancing customer service for better tips, optimizing work hours during high-demand periods like weekends, and efficiently managing work-related expenses. By setting clear goals and tracking your progress, you can align your efforts with your financial targets, making that $1,000-a-week milestone not just a possibility but a realistic achievement.

FAQ

Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about being an Uber Eats driver.

• Can you work full-time as an Uber Eats driver?

  • There are no limits to the number of hours you're allowed to work. Pulling in $2,000 to $3,000 a month with Uber Eats could be a possibility if you don't have other obligations that would keep you from being able to work the necessary hours. It's worth noting that most people tend to consider Uber Eats a source of supplementary income rather than their sole day job.

• Can you make $200 a day from Uber Eats?

  • Earning $200 a day with Uber Eats is achievable, but earning that daily rate depends on a few key factors. The area you're working in significantly impacts your earnings. Smaller markets can be capped to a lower amount, so it's worth the extra effort to service a bigger city if possible. The amount of time you're willing to put in also makes a difference. You can work a maximum of 12 hours a day with Uber Eats, and if you average $20 an hour and work at least 10 hours, that's $200.00. Find a good shift that keeps you busy with high-paying orders. Work multiple apps. When one slows down, switch to another delivery service.

• Can you make $1,000 a week from Uber Eats?

  • Yes, making $1,000 a week with Uber Eats is possible but requires strategic planning and effort. Drivers need to work smart by leveraging tips, peak times like weekends and managing expenses effectively to hit this target. It often involves working more than the standard 40-hour workweek.

• Can you make $3,000 a week with Uber?

  • Making $3,000 a week with Uber, considering both Uber Eats and Uber rideshare, would be highly challenging and is not the norm for the majority of drivers. Such earnings would require an extraordinary number of hours, high demand and consistent surge pricing, which is not guaranteed.

• Can you make a lot of money with Uber Eats?

  • While "a lot of money" is subjective, many drivers find Uber Eats a viable way to earn a significant income, especially when employing strategies for maximizing earnings like working during surge pricing times, multitasking with multiple delivery apps and delivering exceptional service for better tips.

• How much money can I make with Uber per week?

  • Earnings with Uber can vary widely based on several factors, including location, hours worked and whether you're driving for Uber Eats, Uber rideshare, or both. On average, Uber Eats drivers earn around $20 an hour, which means potential earnings of around $800 to $1,000 for a 40 to 50-hour workweek, with variations based on the specific circumstances and strategies employed by the driver.

Heather Altamirano contributed to the reporting of this article.

Data is accurate as of June 27, 2024, and is subject to change.

The article above was refined via automated technology and then fine-tuned and verified for accuracy by a member of our editorial team.

Editorial Note: This content is not provided by any entity covered in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, ratings or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.

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