If you’re thinking about joining the gig economy, you’re probably considering Grubhub.
Most people choose it for their first gig job, and for several good reasons.
But applying to and working with Grubhub isn’t as simple as logging into the Grubhub delivery app and switching to an employee profile.
There is a whole application process, a separate app you need to access and set up, and several requirements you need to meet to even be eligible for employment.
So if you want to know what the application process and driver app setup for Grubhub are really like, keep reading.
This article will walk you through everything you need to know, from why you should consider driving for Grubhub, to how to apply and set up the driver app, to driver requirements, earning potential and how to make your first delivery with Grubhub.
Once you’re done, you’ll know every step of the process.
So let’s get started.
What Is Grubhub?
Grubhub is one of the most popular ways to order food delivery in the United States.
While Grubhub started as a local restaurant menu resource site in 2004, it rapidly dominated the food delivery space as a delivery service.
Grubhub Inc. now owns a portfolio of food delivery services including Seamless, MenuPages, OrderUp, AllMenus, Delivered Dish, LAbite, Restaurants on the Run, Eat24, and DiningIn.
As of early 2018, Grubhub had over 14 million active users ordering from 80,000 restaurant partners in across 1,700 cities in the United States alone.
And it’s growing!
Grubhub is one of the most popular gig economy jobs and many gig workers turn to Grubhub first, whether they’re looking to earn a full-time income or just some extra cash around their full-time job or school schedule.
Why You Should Consider Driving for Grubhub
One reason Grubhub is such a popular gig economy company is due to having a lower minimum driving age than other driving apps like Lyft or Uber.
The minimum age for Grubhub drivers is 19, which is comparable to similar food delivery apps like DoorDash, Postmates, and Uber Eats.
Grubhub is also more likely to hire delivery driver applicants than ridesharing apps like Uber or Lyft, in part because Grubhub delivery drivers are only transporting food, not people.
The liability for transporting food is much lower, which translates to less stringent vehicle standards and the ability to use public transportation or deliver on foot in major cities.
How to Set Up the Grubhub Driver App
You can’t work for Grubhub if your Grubhub driver app isn’t downloaded and correctly set up on the phone you plan to use for work.
You should have been emailed the link with your acceptance letter from Grubhub — the driver app is not available in the Apple or Google Play stores.
If you lost the email, you can download the app by clicking here, but you won’t be able to log in until your Grubhub driver application is processed and approved.
Once the app is downloaded, you’ll need to tap the icon and enter the email address you used when you applied to Grubhub.
You’ll be asked to provide a PIN, which will be texted to your mobile phone number.
After you receive the PIN, you’ll need to confirm the code in the app screen.
When you finish this confirmation process, you’ll be asked to set a new password and to add a clear photo of yourself to your driver profile.
After you’ve successfully downloaded the app and before you can begin to complete deliveries, you’ll need to navigate to “Settings” and click on “General.”
Then select “Device Management.”
Click on “GrubHub Inc.” and select “Trust.”
If you have any issues setting up the driver app, you can contact Driver Care at 1-312-637-8458, or email them at [email protected].
How to Sign Up to Drive for Grubhub
Signing up to drive for Grubhub is a multi-step process, but it’s not complicated.
First, Load driver.grubhub.com and fill out the initial sign-up form you see on the page.
You’ll be asked to provide some basic contact information.
You’ll then need to provide the required documentation — your driver’s license or valid state ID, bank account information, and auto insurance paperwork — and accept the Grubhub terms and conditions.
If you don’t have your required documentation handy right now, apply when you do.
Once you’ve filled out the form and selected “Start Earning,” you’ll be redirected to a six-question survey.
This survey is to verify that you meet the Grubhub driver requirements and that you are comfortable dealing with restaurants and people.
After completing the survey, you’ll get an email confirmation from Grubhub and be required to complete an in-person interview or an online onboarding session.
The in-person interview is not really an interview so much as it is a driver training.
The online onboarding session is pretty much the same as the in-person interview, except that at the in-person interview, they will give you a Grubhub delivery bag and uniform.
If you do the online onboarding instead of the in-person interview, you’ll get your Grubhub delivery bag and uniform in the mail.
You will need both the delivery bag and the uniform before you’re able to start accepting delivery orders from Grubhub, so if you can attend an in-person interview, do it.
You’ll be able to start earning money with Grubhub sooner.
Grubhub Driver Requirements
To apply to be a Grubhub driver, you’ll need to meet the following driver requirements:
- Be 19 years of age or older (21 years or older in Chicago)
- Have an Android with 4.0 or higher or an iPhone with iOS 10 or higher with a working mobile phone number and a data plan
- Have a valid driver’s license (if you plan to make deliveries using a motor vehicle) or a valid state ID (if you plan to deliver on foot, on a bicycle, or using public transportation)
- Have proof of car insurance (if you plan to deliver by car)
- Have a working checking account (so you can get paid by direct deposit)
- Be able to pass a Grubhub background check
How Much Can You Earn?
Your earning potential as a Grubhub driver will depend greatly on where you live.
Some cities pay more.
However, the basic formula Grubhub always uses to calculate pay for delivery team members is:
Per order rate + $0.50 per mile from the restaurant to the customer + 100 percent of your tips = your pay
The per order rate is the part of your pay that will vary the most and depends on where you’re working.
Cities with a higher cost of living like NYC, Los Angeles, and San Francisco will have a higher per order rate than less expensive cities like Atlanta and Seattle.
No matter where you live and work, as a Grubhub delivery driver, you can expect to earn above the local minimum wage.
The easiest ways to maximize your earnings as a Grubhub delivery driver are to provide great customer service and to work in an area with high order volumes.
Higher volume order areas just have more orders that need to be delivered.
This higher volume will keep you busy and earning more money, both from Grubhub delivery rates and from customer tips.
Always make sure to provide great customer service — it will result in increased tips.
Your tips are the part of your pay you can most easily and effectively impact.
How to Make Your First Delivery
In order to get your first delivery order assigned to you, you’ll need to make sure you’re within a delivery zone.
Grubhub divides cities up into delivery zones to make sure areas with the highest demand have enough drivers on hand to deliver orders.
To verify that you’re in a delivery zone, open up the Grubhub driver app and tap on the navigation in the upper left-hand corner.
Choose “View Region Boundaries” to confirm you’re inside the boundaries of a delivery zone.
Image: driver-support.grubhub.com
Now that you know you’re in a delivery zone, you need to let Grubhub know that you’re ready to start accepting food deliveries for the first time.
Keep the driver app open and click on “Unavailable.”
Toggle the red dot over to “Taking Orders.”
When an order becomes available to you, you’ll be notified by the driver app.
You’ll have just 90 seconds to accept the order before it’s offered to another driver, so don’t get distracted.
As you gain experience and good reviews, Grubhub will increase the number of orders it sends to you.
You’ll even become eligible for larger catering orders on a regular basis.
You build and maintain good ratings as you respond to a higher percentage of orders.
Good customer service and responsiveness will earn you more money both right away and in the long term.
Enjoy Being a Grubhub Delivery Driver
Being a Grubhub delivery driver has a bit of a learning curve and a multi-step application and set-up process.
But getting from the first step of the application to completing your first few dozen deliveries only takes a few days and flexible schedule, and earning above minimum wage income is generally well worth the effort.
You know everything you need to about this process, so if you’re still game, it’s time to apply.
Good luck!
Hi, I want to be a foot deliverer but the area I chose only has scooter can I choose scooter and still be a foot delivery?
Ty Dot
As a driver, you forgot about the expenses driving for GrubHub. Fuel, maintenance, breakdowns, and in some cases, you must carry commercial insurance like in my case. These cut severely into your profit margins. I have had days when I went to work and spent more in fuel to start my day than I made for the entire time I was out and I worked until close so -wages are not above minimum wage. Expenses count against your wages, and several people have destroyed their personal vehicles to do this type of work. So, with that being said, if you have an old car the still runs well that you don’t care about because you have a new car, then yes, GrubHub or any other service like it are good side gigs.