Are you short on money and in dire need of a side gig to help your financial situation? Or maybe you own a car or a motorcycle that you want to put to use in food delivery. If so, you’re in the right place!
You can consider becoming an Uber Eats driver; this job has minimal requirements for entry, and you can start working in one week. But how can you apply, and what associated costs should you expect?
This guide will tell you how to become an Uber Eats driver and answer all your questions about starting this gig.
- An Overview of Working as an Uber Eats Driver: A Primer
- What You’ll Need to Become an Uber Eats Driver [& Associated Costs]
- Is It Hard to Become an Uber Eats Driver?
- How to Become an Uber Eats Driver in 3 Simple Steps
- Reasons to Consider Becoming an Uber Eats Driver
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Similar Gigs to Check Out
- Wrapping Up
An Overview of Working as an Uber Eats Driver: A Primer
Uber Eats has an endless list of restaurants and cafes where customers can order meals.
All customers have to do is open the app, choose their favorite restaurant, and make an order. The application will then send the order to the restaurant, and the chefs will start preparing it right away.
Working as a Uber Eats driver means you’ll wait for a delivery request, go to the restaurant, wait for the order to get prepared for pick up, and then take it to the customer’s doorstep.
You won’t have to guess the time it takes for each activity stage—from order request to customer delivery. You only need to keep track of these on the app.
How Much Do Uber Eats Drivers Make?
According to ZipRecruiter, Uber Eats drivers earn an average of $18.78 per hour. This translates to about $3,255 monthly and nearly $40,000 yearly.
As far as side gigs go, this is one of the easiest and the most profitable.
What You’ll Need to Become an Uber Eats Driver [& Associated Costs]
If you want to become an Uber Eats driver in the near future, here’s a list of what you’ll need to start the job and the associated costs.
- Vehicle: You can work as an Uber Eats driver using your car, motorcycle, or bicycle. Since vehicles are expensive, most people don’t consider delivery gigs unless they own one.
- Valid driver’s license: You don’t need a license to ride a bicycle, but you’ll need one if you drive a car or motorcycle.
- Social Security Number (SSN): You must submit your SSN to work for Uber Eats, which means you have to be a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident, or an eligible nonimmigrant worker.
- Be older than 18: Like any job, you need to be older than 18 to work as an Uber Eats driver. But if you deliver using a car or motorcycle, you must be older than 19.
How Much Does It Cost to Become an Uber Eats Driver?
If you already own a vehicle and have a valid driver’s license, working for the Uber Eats app will cost you nothing.
However, if you need to buy a vehicle and get a license, you can expect to pay anywhere from $5,000 to $10,500 for a motorcycle.
If you get a car, the number will jump between $45,000 to $50,000.
The most affordable vehicle type is a bicycle, which you can buy for as cheap as $350.
Is It Hard to Become an Uber Eats Driver?
Working as an Uber Eats driver is one of the easiest side gigs to pursue.
It has no education requirements, and you can check your eligibility through the Uber platform. You can also apply for the job online through the Uber Driver app.
Best of all, you’ll be your own boss, deciding when to work and rest, and the job isn’t physically or mentally demanding.
The only challenging part is the long restaurant waiting time and dealing with customers’ complaints, but nothing you can’t get used to!
How Long Does It Take to Become an Uber Eats Driver?
If you’re in a rush to gain some extra cash, you’ll be glad to know you can become an Uber Eats driver in one week.
You’ll get your acceptance mail in 2-5 working days. Then, it’ll take you a few extra days to fully settle and start getting delivery requests.
How to Become an Uber Eats Driver in 3 Simple Steps
Here’s a step-by-step guide to becoming an Uber Eats driver.
Step 1: Prepare Your Documents
To apply for a food delivery job on the Uber Driver app, you’ll need to hand in a few personal documents so they can run a background screening on you.
Depending on the transportation you’ll use, they also might ask you for your driver’s license, photos of your vehicle, etc.
Before going onto the app, you should ensure your license is still valid, and everything is in proper order.
Step 2: Sign Up on Uber
Once your documents are all ready, you can sign up on the Uber application. Download it on your phone, then create a new account as a delivery person using accurate information.
The sign-up steps will include agreeing to a background screening and uploading your personal documents.
If you worked as an Uber driver before and already have an account, you can open the application, go to Account, click on Work Hub, and choose Deliver Food With Uber Eats.
Step 3: Start Delivering
After you sign up, it’ll take them about 2-5 days to run a background check on you and ensure all your personal information is correct.
Once you’re accepted, you can start working right away. And whenever you’re online on Uber Eats, you’ll receive delivery requests from customers.
When you get a request, you’ll be able to check how much you’ll earn from it before accepting.
Uber Eats allows customers to tip from the app, so you might receive an unexpected gift after you finish your trip.
Reasons to Consider Becoming an Uber Eats Driver
If you’re still hesitant about joining food delivery drivers on Uber Eats, here’s a list of reasons why you should consider this gig:
- Flexible hours: Working as an Uber Eats driver means you’re an independent contractor, so you’re in complete control of your working hours. You can work for one hour per day, on weekends only, or for the entire week.
- Minimal requirements: If you own a vehicle, you’re already halfway toward joining Uber Eats drivers around the world. The rest of the requirements are minimal and won’t cost you a lot of money.
- Quick money: Unlike most jobs that pay per month, Uber Eats pays per week, so you’ll gain money fast, which is ideal if you’re in a financial crisis.
- Easy job: Working as a delivery driver isn’t physically demanding at all, and using the Uber Eats app is as straightforward as it gets. You’ll be sitting most of the time in your vehicle and won’t have to spend hours in the sun or any harsh weather.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Will Uber Eats Pay Me After I Deliver Food Orders?
Uber Eats will deposit your earnings into your bank account at the end of each week.
You also have the option of getting instant cash after each delivery order, but you might be subject to fees.
How Can I Track My Earnings on the Uber Eats App?
Uber Eats makes it easy for you to track your earnings. You can see how much money you’re making by checking the earning cards at the top of the application’s screen.
Uber rideshare drivers make an average of $20-$35 per hour, which is more than Uber Eats drivers. However, it ultimately depends on your state and how many orders you accept.
Working in major cities and being online for longer hours automatically means you’ll gain more money, whether you’re driving people around or delivering food.
Similar Gigs to Check Out
If you want to explore different options before choosing a side gig to go with, here’s a list of similar gigs you can check out:
- How to Become a Freelance Writer: While the two jobs aren’t exactly similar, they both have minimal requirements and flexible hours. Even better, working as a freelance writer means you don’t have to leave your house to gain money!
- How to Become a Door Dasher: DoorDash is another online food delivery service you can join, and it’s as easy as working with Uber Eats.
- How to Become a Dog Walker: If you want to hit two birds with one stone and gain money while having fun, consider working as a dog walker in your free time.
- How to Become a Secret Shopper: If you want an enjoyable side gig to try in your free time, you can go undercover, shop in different stores, and provide feedback on your shopping experience. It doesn’t get any easier than this, does it?
Wrapping Up
Working as a driver for Uber Eats is one of the easiest and most profitable gigs you can try out.
All you have to do is sign up on the Uber Driver app, hand in some personal documents, and wait for acceptance. Then, you can start delivering and making money right away!
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