14 Best Food Delivery Services to Work For in 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic changed our lives in many ways, from how we work, interact, and go about our daily lives. As more people work from home these days than ever before, there is an increasing need for home food delivery services.

Research by McKinsey & Company estimates that the online food delivery market will reach $365 billion globally by 2030. So, the popularity of food delivery services in the United States, along with the projected market growth, suggests that becoming a delivery driver can be a profitable side hustle opportunity.

But where do you start? with so many food delivery services, it can sometimes seem impossible to choose just one or two to try out. Luckily for you, We’ve distilled the mountain of options into a concise list of our favorite food delivery services to work for so you can make some extra cash.

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Best Food Delivery Service to Work For

This list explores the best food delivery services to work for in the United States today, their payment structures, requirements, and potential earnings, and how you can make the most of this side hustle opportunity.

Keep in mind that the list is in no firm order, although we’ve put the slightly more well-known companies closer to the top in case you want to get to those first.

1. DoorDash

DoorDash offers food delivery services across the vast majority of the continental United States. In fact, DoorDash operates not only in the United States but also globally. It is available in over 6,000 cities in 45 countries, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

The company’s delivery people called “Dashers”, deliver food by car, on foot, and by bicycle (depending on the city they’re in). They can frequently earn tips on their deliveries, on top of the usual delivery fee that’s charged with each order.

What sets DoorDash apart from other food delivery apps in the United States is its market leadership and extensive reach. According to data from Bloomberg Second Measure, DoorDash and its subsidiary Caviar earned 65% of the food delivery market share in the United States as of September 2023, making it the market leader in this sector.

Additionally, DoorDash has a subscription service called DashPass, which retains 66% of subscribers after one month. It also partners with numerous restaurants and grocery markets. DoorDash’s success, market dominance, and partnerships make it a unique and profitable opportunity for individuals looking to earn extra cash as delivery drivers.

Learn more about this side hustle in our DoorDash Driver review.

Requirements:

• 18 years or older
• Valid driver’s license (for those using vehicles during deliveries)
• Social Security Number
• Valid vehicle insurance
• Have an Android or iOS smartphone

Pay:

• $15-$25 per hour on average

2. Uber Eats

Uber Eats is one of the most established and oldest food delivery services to work for on the market today. An offshoot of the explosively popular ridesharing app, Uber, Uber Eats trades passengers for takeout and delivers food to people all over the U.S., and a handful of other countries.

Uber Eats has around 88 million users today, making it available in over 6,000 cities in 45 countries. In September 2023, Uber Eats held the second-highest market share just after DoorDash with 23% of observed U.S. consumers’ meal delivery sales.

Because Uber Eats pays a little less than some of the other services on this list, you’ll want to be extra aware of your vehicle fuel and maintenance costs as you deliver for this app. Those expenses can sneak up on you and decimate your bottom-line profit margin if you’re not careful. So keep an eye on your bills and keep a running tally of your gas and garage expenditures as you drive.

What makes Uber Eats unique compared to other food delivery apps in the United States is its extensive reach and partnerships with restaurants, as well as its efforts to reduce costs by partnering with “dark kitchens”.

Uber Eats also offers incentives and bonuses to drivers who meet certain criteria, such as completing a certain number of deliveries within a specific timeframe.

Check out our full Uber Eats Driver review to learn more.

Requirements:

• Be old enough to qualify for a driver’s license (if driving)
• Be at least 18 years old (if bicycling)
• Valid government-issued photo identification
• Vehicle registration papers
• Proof of residency

Pay:

• $15-$24 per hour

3. Instacart

Instacart is to groceries what DoorDash is to takeout. In other words, Instacart offers its clients groceries delivered to their door. If you work for them, you’ll be the delivery person making that happen. There are actually two sorts of roles available at Instacart. Some people just do the in-store shopping for order takers and hand off the order to a driver, while others do both the driving and (if an in-store shopper hasn’t done it already) the shopping. (The rate we’ve posted below refers to people who drive as well as shop.)

Instacart operates in the United States and internationally. In the United States, its service is available in all 50 states Globally, Instacart expanded its operations to Canada in 2017 and partnered with major Canadian retailers like Loblaw and Walmart Canada.

Instacart does not have a significant market share in the food delivery industry, as it primarily focuses on grocery delivery rather than restaurant delivery. However, it has made significant strides to gain market share over the last few years. By mid-2022, Instacart captured an estimated 3% share of the total grocery market, up from 1% in 2019.

What sets Instacart apart from other food delivery apps is its exclusive focus on grocery delivery. It offers a wide selection of items from various retailers, making it convenient for users to shop for groceries from their favorite stores.

Check out our Instacart Shopper review to learn more about this side hustle.

Requirements:

• 18 years or older
• Legally authorized to work in the United States
• Have access to a vehicle
• Have an Android or iOS smartphone
• Ability to lift 50 lbs without help

Pay:

• $10-$18 per hour

4. Grubhub

Grubhub (along with Uber Eats) is a national competitor to DoorDash. It’s available in over 4,000 cities across the United States, partners with more than 300,000 restaurants, and commands a significant share of the food delivery market in the U.S. For that reason, you’ve probably heard of them. Maybe you’ve even ordered from them before.

Over the last few years, Grubhub has experienced a decline in market share in recent years. In 2023, Grubhub holds less than 20% of the market share in the United States, while DoorDash dominates the market share and Uber Eats follows closely in second place.

Grubhub’s unique feature lies in its focus on non-delivery orders, generating most of its revenue through this channel. It also gained popularity in the early 2000s by being one of the first platforms to allow people to order takeout online.

You should be aware that you’ll need to be at least 19 years old (21+ in Chicago and Las Vegas) before you can deliver for this company. You’ll also need a checking account that accepts direct deposits.

Read our full Grubhub Driver review to learn more.

Requirements:

• 19 years or older (21+ in Chicago and Las Vegas) 
• iOS or Android-compatible smartphone
• Driver’s license
• Valid auto insurance
• A checking account (for direct deposits)

Pay:

• $12-$20 per hour

5. Shipt

Shipt delivers groceries and a handful of other items (like pet food and office supplies) to customers in over 5,000 cities across the U.S., It works much like Instacart, but you’ll need to be aware that the vehicle you use has to be less than (at the time of writing) 23 years old. Most people won’t have a problem meeting this requirement.

Shipt was founded in 2014 and acquired by Target Corporation in 2017, and it has gained significant market share in the food delivery industry as a result.

Delivering groceries with Shipt (or any other grocery delivery service) can be physically demanding, and you’ll want to make sure you keep up with your exercise. This job will have you regularly carrying 40+ pound packages up and down flights of stairs, and you probably won’t have time to stop and take too many breathers.

Shipt stands out from other food delivery apps with its focus on same-day grocery delivery and its seamless integration with retailers’ websites, providing a convenient and efficient experience for customers.

Read our full Shipt Shopper review to learn more.

Requirements:

• 18 years or older
• Own a vehicle made in 1997 or later
• Valid driver’s license
• Valid auto insurance
• Can lift 40 pounds without assistance
• Working knowledge of produce
• Android- or iOS-compatible smartphone

Pay:

• $16-$22 per hour

6. Caviar

Caviar connects people to a curated selection of some of the best restaurants in their area. Like DoorDash or Grubhub, but a little more specialized and high-end, Caviar allows you to deliver food to people in your area.

In September 2023, Caviar, along with its subsidiary DoorDash, earned 65% of observed U.S. consumers’ meal delivery sales, making it a market leader.

To make extra cash with the Caviar app, users can sign up as couriers and deliver food to customers. Caviar stands out from other food delivery apps in the United States due to its strong market leadership and its integration with DoorDash.

The pay on this app tends to range from slightly to significantly higher than what you’d make on an app like Uber Eats or Grubhub. However, we’ve found that customer expectations are also a little bit higher, so you’ll have to work extra hard for those five-star reviews.

You’ll need a smartphone with an Android or iOS operating system that’s relatively up-to-date to connect with the Caviar app. So if you still have an old-school flip-phone, this job might not be the one for you!

Requirements:

• 18 years or older
• Own a vehicle (including bicycles, scooters, cars, light trucks, etc.)
• Android- or iOS-compatible smartphone
• At least two years of driving experience

Pay:

• $20-$28 per hour

7. Favor

Favor is like a one-stop shop when it comes to delivery services. If you’re a “Runner” for Favor (which is what they call their delivery people), you might find yourself delivering a takeout order one minute and picking up someone’s drycleaning the next.

Favor operates in various cities in Texas, including Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and others. Due to its availability, Favor’s market share is limited compared to other major players like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub.

What makes Favor unique, is its focus on personalized services. The app assigns a personal “Runner” to each order, who handles the entire delivery process, from picking up the order to delivering it to the customer. This one-to-one approach aims to provide a more personalized and efficient delivery experience.

The other unique feature as noted above is that Runners will deliver a variety of items. This variety is a great way to stay engaged and interested in what can quickly become monotonous work. After all, you might be sick of waiting around at restaurants for other people’s food orders and would welcome a change of pace.

If that sounds like you, and you happen to be in one of the cities Favor serves, you may as well give them a shot.

Requirements:

• Android- or iOS-compatible smartphone
• Have access to reliable transportation
• Pass a background check
• 18 years or older

Pay:

• $10-$18 per hour

8. Saucey

Saucey connects locals with the app to their nearest alcohol provider. Drivers for Saucey will deliver alcohol orders to local clients. Importantly, Saucey promises that a client’s order will be there in 30 minutes or less. That delivery window is significantly narrower than almost every other delivery app company out there. As a result, you’ll need to be especially sharp to make your deadlines each time.

Saucey only operates in San Francisco, Chicago, Sacramento, and Los Angeles. As a result, Saucey’s market share in the delivery industry is rather limited.

Saucey’s uniqueness lies in its niche to deliver alcoholic beverages to its customers. So, if this interests you, then Saucey might be the delivery app for you.

Of course, given the nature of the work, you might occasionally have to deal with an intoxicated customer. Just use your best judgment in these situations, and you should be alright. After all, takeout drivers have to deal with drunk people, too.

Requirements:

• 21 years or older
• Own a vehicle made in 2007 or later
• Android- or iOS-compatible smartphone
• Valid auto insurance
• Pass a background check (including a DMV check)

Pay:

• $15-$20 per hour

9. goPuff

goPuff delivers convenience items (like snacks, drinks, and basic household items) to customers across 650 cities in the United States.

goPuff functions a little differently than other delivery apps. Instead of just sending you to the nearest restaurant, liquor store, or shop, goPuff actually maintains a warehouse of relevant items. After scheduling shifts a week in advance, you’ll report to the nearest goPuff warehouse and begin making deliveries. All of the deliveries are paid for with a flat rate fee, and you’re not required to go to a third-party location to pick up anything else.

What sets goPuff apart from other food delivery apps is its focus on delivering convenience store items. Unlike other apps that primarily deliver restaurant meals, goPuff delivers a wide range of products, including snacks, drinks, household essentials, electronics, and more, within 30 minutes. This unique offering makes goPuff a convenient option for customers in need of everyday essentials.

Requirements:

• 21 years or older.
• Access to a reliable vehicle
• Valid auto insurance
• Driver’s license.
• Be able to pass a background check

Pay:

• $12-$15 per hour

10. Amazon Flex

Amazon delivers hundreds of millions of packages every month, and all of those packages have to get to their final destination somehow. Amazon Flex is one of the strategies the company uses to ensure the product gets from a nearby Amazon warehouse to a local address and recipient. Aside from packages, Amazon Flex drivers will deliver orders for Prime Now, Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh, and Amazon Restaurant Delivery.

After signing up and verifying that you have a 4-door sedan, truck, or van (so you’ll have enough room to deliver the packages), you’ll report to the nearest Amazon warehouse, pick up your parcels, and make your deliveries.

As with grocery delivery, you’ll need to be in pretty good shape to do this job. There’s nothing like lugging a 40+ pound box up a flight of stairs when you’re not in peak physical condition to make you wish you were.

What makes Amazon Flex unique compared to other food delivery apps in the United States is its focus on package delivery and partnership with small businesses.

Requirements:

• 21 years or older
• Social Security Number
• Be able to pass a background check
• Possess a 4-door sedan, truck, or van
• Valid driver’s license
• Valid auto insurance
• Android- or iOS-compatible smartphone

Pay:

• $18-$25 per hour

11. Roadie

Roadie is an interesting concept. The company originally started as a peer-to-peer delivery service. If you were headed in a particular direction in your car or truck, and you wanted to make a few bucks (or a few hundred bucks, depending on the distance) to take a product from Point A to Point B along the way, including food delivery, then Roadie was a great way to do that.

The company has quickly evolved from its early days, and today, Roadie offers a fast and flexible same-day delivery service nationwide, covering over 20,000 zip codes across the United States.

What sets Roadie apart from other food delivery apps in the United States is its focus on urgent, same-day, and local next-day delivery of various items, not just food and groceries. The app provides an easy and inexpensive way to deliver anything, from emergencies to supply chain needs.

Roadie drivers earn anywhere between $10 to $15 per hour to deliver everything from antique lamps and lost luggage to artisan food and groceries.

Requirements:

• 21 years or older
• Social Security Number
• Access to a reliable and clean vehicle
• Valid driver’s license
• Valid auto insurance

Pay:

• $10-$15 per hour

12. Bite Squad

Founded back in 2012, Bite Squad is a Minneapolis-based delivery app operating in more than 14 states across the country (i.e., Arkansas, Florida, Hawaii, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin).

Bite Squad hires drivers through Delivery Logistics as 1099 Independent Contractors. You get to choose your own hours, drive at your own pace, and start earning some cash in your spare time.

Although Bite Squad operates in 14 states, its market share in the food delivery industry is very limited compared to other apps like DoorDash, Uber East, and Grubhub.

As a Bite Squad driver, you will be delivering food from local restaurants.

Requirements:

• 18 years or older
• Clean driving record
• Valid driver’s license
• Valid auto insurance
• iPhone or Android smartphone

Pay:

• $10 – $12 per hour on average

13. Eaze

Eaze is a cannabis delivery service founded in 2014 operating in major cities in Michigan and California including the Bay Area, Central Valley, LA County, Sacramento Metro, San Diego County, Ventura County, Macomb County, Oakland County, and Wayne County. Eaze drivers deliver things like vapes, concentrates, edibles, and more.

Eaze drivers are hired as W-2 employees and earn a guaranteed hourly rate, plus mileage reimbursement. Since drivers are W-2 employees, Eaze is obligated to compensate them $0.545/mile for all driving done on the job. 

For instance, if you drive 500 miles, they are required to pay you an extra $272.50 (500 x $0.545).

Requirements:

• 21 years or older
• Have a vehicle model year 2005 or newer with a section of interior space not visible to the public (trunk)
• A vehicle equipped with an active alarm system
• Clean driving record
• Valid driver’s license
• Valid auto registration
• Valid auto insurance
• iPhone or Android smartphone
• Must agree to use a company-issued GPS tracking device 

Pay:

• $14-25 per hour on average

14. Delivery.com

Delivery.com is a delivery service based in New York City that enables drivers to earn money by delivering goods from local restaurants, liquor stores, grocery stores, and dry cleaners.

Currently, Delivery.com has over three users and an online marketplace of more than 19,000 restaurants, wine and liquor stores, grocery stores, and laundry/dry cleaning providers. The service is available in more than 2,400 cities across the United States, including in the states of Texas, California, New York, Illinois, Oregon, Washington, Florida, and more.

Delivery.com offers a flexible schedule, allowing drivers to work part-time or full-time based on their availability.

Delivery.com aims to provide a convenient and reliable platform for customers to order from local businesses and for drivers to earn extra income through deliveries.

On average, drivers can expect to earn anywhere between $14 to $21 per hour, but it all depends on what type of orders the driver is fulfilling and the total amount of time they commit to the app.

Requirements:

• 18 years old or older
• Own reliable vehicle
• Hold a valid driver’s license
• Maintain proof of auto insurance
• Have a smartphone
• Pass a background check

Pay:

$14-21 per hour ($17 per hour on average)

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How To Select The Best Delivery Service To Work For

Whether as a side hustle or a full-time job, there are multiple criteria to look for in a good food delivery service to work for. Here are some tips to help you make the right choice:

• Availability: Look for a delivery service that operates in your area and has a wide range of restaurants and businesses available for delivery. At the time of this writing, DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub are the most widely available food delivery apps in the United States today. Instacart is the most popular one when it comes to delivering groceries.
• Earning Potential: Consider the delivery service’s pay structure, including base pay, tips, and bonuses. Look for transparent and competitive rates that will help you maximize your earning potential. It is also important to consider the hours available to deliver with a given app. For instance, with apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats, you can pretty much deliver at any time. On the contrary, with apps like Shipt and Instacart, you are constricted by the hours of operation of the grocery stores.
• Flexibility: Choose a delivery service that offers a flexible schedule, allowing you to work when it suits you. Look for options to set your availability and pick up shifts according to your preferences.
• Support and Training: Opt for a delivery service that provides comprehensive training and ongoing support to their drivers or shoppers. This can include resources, guides, and a responsive customer support team.
• Technology and Tracking: Look for a delivery service that offers advanced technology and real-time tracking features. This will help you navigate efficiently and provide a seamless experience for both you and the customers.
• Safety Features: Ensure that the delivery service has robust safety measures in place, including insurance coverage and protocols for handling difficult situations.
• Reputation: Research the reputation of the delivery service among both customers and drivers. Look for reviews and feedback about the company’s reliability, fairness, and overall experience.

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Tips To Maximize Your Earnings As A Food Delivery Driver

How To Make $1,000 A Week As A Food Delivery Driver (2023)

To maximize your earnings when delivering food as a full-time job or side hustle, consider the following tips and strategies:

• Work for multiple apps: By working for multiple delivery apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub, you can cherry-pick the highest-paying orders and increase your earning potential. This allows you to have more options and flexibility in choosing the most lucrative deliveries.
• Optimize your time: Be selective about the deliveries you accept. Avoid longer-distance deliveries that may eat up your time and gas expenses. Focus on deliveries that are closer to each other to minimize travel time and maximize your efficiency.
• Take advantage of peak times: Work during the busiest hours or peak times when there is high demand for delivery services. Many apps offer higher pay during these periods, allowing you to earn more for each delivery.
• Utilize bonuses: Keep an eye out for bonuses and incentives offered by delivery apps. These can include sign-up bonuses, referral bonuses, and peak-hour bonuses. Taking advantage of these opportunities can significantly boost your earnings.
• Provide excellent customer service: Going the extra mile and providing exceptional service can lead to higher tips from customers. Deliver orders promptly, be polite and courteous, and ensure the food arrives in good condition. Positive customer reviews and ratings can attract more orders and increase your earning potential.
• Track your expenses: Keep detailed records of your business-related expenses, such as phone expenses, car-related expenses, and necessary purchases for the job. This will help you accurately calculate your earnings and take advantage of tax write-offs to minimize your tax liability.

Remember, each delivery app may have its own specific strategies and tips for maximizing earnings. It’s important to familiarize yourself with the policies and guidelines of the apps you work for to optimize your earnings potential.

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FAQ Best Food Delivery Service to Work For

The nature of these food delivery services gives rise to a lot of questions. That’s understandable. We’ve grouped the most common questions we receive about these services into a short FAQ, which you can find right here.

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Final Thoughts

As you can see, you’ve got a world of choices when it comes to making food deliveries in exchange for cash. And while the requirements for each company vary slightly, the general rule is that you’ll need access to reliable, licensed, and insured transportation, and you’ll need to be able to pass a background (meaning, a criminal record, and DMV) check to work for most of these folks.

Assuming you can meet those criteria, you may want to consider taking up a food delivery job for one of these companies. People in the right area at the right time have been known to make enough money from these roles to quit their regular jobs and focus exclusively on driving.

You may not be as lucky, but the odds are you can still make enough to make it just a little bit easier to pay your next bill or buy your next load of groceries. And isn’t that what a side hustle is all about?

If you are still conflicted as to which app to choose, we highly recommend you check out DoorDash as it’s the most popular food delivery app today and it offers one of the best hourly rates compared to the competition.

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