Food Delivery Hustles

Side Hustle Blog (Week 1)

No matter how long you have been following Your Path Financial you probably know that we are all about paying down debt. One of the most effective ways to do this are “side hustles.” So I started interviewing those around me to see what their first hand experience was or is with some of the most popular companies out there. I will be posting “side hustle” blogs every "make it Monday" over the next few weeks. My goal is that the interviews would be helpful information on some of the most popular side hustles and also take the guesswork out of it. Many of us don’t like change and get apprehensive with the unknown. I hope these blogs help in both of those areas. If you find any of these blogs helpful then contact Your Path Financial and just maybe I’ll keep interviewing.

Week 1 Grocery Delivery/Food Delivery - Caviar, GrubHub, & Instacart

What did you like about working for these companies?

I liked the opportunity to get out from behind a desk and be my own boss for a while. Also, while driving for GrubHub and Caviar it was great to see all the Philadelphia neighborhoods such as Center City in the Summertime.

How long have you been with the companies?

I have been working for these on-demand companies Caviar, GrubHub, & Instacart for about 2 years.

What were some of the challenges you faced?

Well, most of these on-demand delivery jobs are based out of large cities (ie Philadelphia) and parking is always an issue. If you're not careful, the Parking authorities will ticket your vehicle if you're not parked in a legitimate parking spot or loading zone. Also, expenses can add up such as bridge tolls, paid parking not to mention tickets received from the Parking authority and gas. The constant starting and stopping is also hard on the vehicle. Finally, one of the biggest that is common with all the platforms are that some addresses are difficult to find.

What is something you wish you knew before you started the position?

I guess I wish I knew how challenging it was going to be to find parking for the various restaurants. Also, knowing which merchants in the city had off-street parking (such as Whole Foods when doing grocery delivery for Instacart) would have been beneficial.

Would you recommend this company?

I would recommend Caviar and Instacart without hesitation. Grubhub can actually give you more orders than Caviar and Instacart but the pay is less and the driving distances may not be ideal based on what you're making. Caviar pays the most per order because they cater (pun intended) to higher ticket restaurants. Their tipping system is good and they sometimes give bonuses for doing more than 2 (South Jersey) or more than 4 or 5 (Philadelphia) orders per night. This is usually on significant days, such as when there is inclement weather. It is to encourage more driver participation. Caviar even has a policy for paying specific parking tickets after you have completed so many orders and even a policy for paying your parking ticket after so many orders have been completed in the event you receive one.