How Much Does Grubhub Pay In 2024? [Hourly & Monthly] (2024)

How Much Does GrubHub Pay Drivers?

The average overall earnings for a GrubHub driver sit around $14.50 per hour. However, this may range from anywhere between $7 at the low end all the way up to $30 per hour on the high end.

The amount a driver can earn varies based on factors like proficiency in driving, local market conditions, and the time and mileage involved in deliveries.

Comparing Grubhub Driver Pay to That of Other Delivery Services

For some context, let’s compare this to some other food delivery service pay rates.

The average hourly pay rate for Uber Eats is $15.19. However, this ranges considerably depending on location; in cities such as Miami and Cincinnati, wages sit around $13 an hour. Meanwhile, cities such as San Francisco and the Bay Area can offer up to $20 per hour.

DoorDash is another popular food delivery service, and their average hourly rate is very similar at $15 per hour. Again, this is highly dependent on locations.

DoorDash locations where you’ll earn less include Miami and Orlando at around $12 an hour, while locations with the highest earning potential are Seattle and Portland at just over $17 an hour.

Finally, Instacart offers some impressive hourly rates, averaging $18.95 across the United States.

Becoming an Instacart shopper in Tacoma-Olympia will likely earn you the most, with an average earning potential of $32 per hour!

This is followed by Seattle and Milwaukee at around $26 per hour. Cities in the United States that have lower earning potential for Instacart shoppers are Birmingham and Atlanta, which average around $14 per hour.

Understanding GrubHub’s Pay Structure

To fully grasp what GrubHub drivers earn, it’s important to understand the components of their pay.

A GrubHub driver’s income is a combination of delivery pay, GrubHub contributions, tips, and special offers. Delivery pay is the base amount for each delivery, calculated based on factors like mileage. Tips, which drivers keep entirely, also contribute to their earnings.

GrubHub often provides special offers, giving drivers extra monetary incentives for completing certain tasks or reaching goals.

There’s also the GrubHub payment or contribution, designed to guarantee drivers a minimum income. However, this payment hinges on certain conditions: drivers must accept all orders, work scheduled blocks in the GrubHub timetable, and maintain satisfactory commitment rates.

Factors Influencing Grubhub Driver Earnings

Understanding your potential earnings as a Grubhub driver involves several factors.

Firstly, the time of day impacts your income. Deliveries during busy periods like lunch (11 am to 2 pm) and dinner (6 to 8 pm) usually pay more. Weekday mornings are generally slower, but weekends are consistently busy, especially for late-night deliveries.

Your location also plays a role; some U.S. cities offer higher pay rates. Moreover, larger orders and deliveries to distant customer homes typically yield higher earnings.

Additionally, Grubhub occasionally runs special promotions or peak-time bonuses, further influencing your earnings. Drivers can also participate in “special missions,” which offer monetary bonuses for completing challenges like a certain number of deliveries within a set time frame.

Real-World Earnings Scenarios From Driver Forums

We’ve already covered the factors affecting a GrubHub driver’s earnings. Now, let’s look at real examples from drivers to see these factors in action.

Location and working hours are crucial. For instance, a Minnesota driver reported earning over $1,300 in a week by working until 9 PM daily.

However, earnings can vary greatly depending on the area. A driver in Culver City and Santa Monica mentioned that only $30–$40 of their average $200 daily earnings came from tips, pointing to the region’s low tipping culture.

Drivers in large or rural areas often face challenges too. According to a Reddit post, these locations typically require long hours to make a decent income.

Maximizing scheduled blocks and capitalizing on local events can significantly boost earnings. One driver, for example, earned over a hundred dollars in just a few hours by working during a football game at a nearby university.

Keep an eye out for GrubHub’s missions, which can appear at any time and offer extra income.

It’s also important to consider external factors. Changes in platform policies, like modified tip options, can affect earnings. Additionally, economic fluctuations over the years have also had a notable impact on driver incomes.

Pro Tips To Maximize Grubhub Pay

To maximize your earnings as a Grubhub delivery driver, here are the consolidated tips:

1. Track Expenses: Monitor your fuel, mileage, and other costs closely to understand your earning needs.
2. Set Aside for Taxes: Allocate part of each payment for taxes, aiding in effective budget management, including living expenses and tax obligations.
3. Choose Unfavorable Shifts: Work during less desirable times, such as rainy or cold periods, when people are more likely to order in and offer generous tips.
4. Qualify for Driver Recognition: Improve your stats like attendance, order acceptance rate, and low drop rate to qualify for Grubhub’s Driver Recognition Program. This program gives access to high-paying time blocks and catering orders, thus providing more lucrative job opportunities.
5. Distance and Route Optimization: Ensure the delivery payment justifies the distance and always take the most direct, quickest route.
6. Bundled Offers: Accept multiple orders simultaneously to maximize earnings per hour.
7. Accept Large and Alcohol Delivery Orders: These orders can lead to higher earnings.
8. Schedule Blocking: Commit to specific work times to get priority for incoming orders. Your driver level (determined by schedule rate, offer commitment rate, and on-time arrival rate) affects your access to these blocks, with higher levels receiving priority.
9. Earn More through Tips: Providing excellent service can significantly increase your tips, which are entirely yours to keep.

By implementing these strategies, you can effectively increase your earnings as a Grubhub driver.

Challenges and Considerations

But what about the downsides of the job? Are there any challenges that GrubHub drivers will likely face?

One issue GrubHub drives may encounter is the reality of a potentially inconsistent income.

As a GrubHub driver, income is likely not going to be the same day-to-day or week-to-week. While this is the nature of the job, it can potentially be minimized by working the same scheduled hours every week.

However, committing to scheduled block shifts may be another issue GrubHub drivers struggle with.

Drivers who have committed to a block shift have priority over orders, while drivers who cancel their shifts will see their driver-level stats plummet. Therefore, it’s best to only commit to shifts you are certain you can do it!

Lastly, becoming a GrubHub driver will involve additional expenses such as gas and repairing any wear and tear of your vehicle. It’s important that you take these factors into consideration before committing to becoming a driver.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wrapping Up

In summary, becoming a GrubHub driver can be a decent way to bring in some extra cash quickly!

If you’re willing to work peak hours during lunch and dinner time, have blocks of time you can commit to shifts for, and are ready to offer excellent customer service, then GrubHub may be a great option for you.

Once you learn how to effectively maximize your earnings by utilizing GrubHub incentives, earning decent tips, and taking on large orders, you may find yourself earning a decent wage.

However, if you’re looking for a reliable and consistent stream of income day in and day out, this may not be the most ideal role for you.