The contemporary gig economy has opened up a bevy of job opportunities that leverage the potential of side income big time. It’s ideal for those who prefer a freelance job environment or wish to try out multiple workplaces on contracts. One of the most popular outcomes of modern gig economy is the job of fast food delivery driver as its very simple to get up and running - see our previous post, What do I need to be a Fast Food Delivery Driver?. The perks of flexible working hours and handy tips have caught the attention of the young energetic populace today – leading to speedy acceleration of the fast food delivery industry.
However, the work of a fast food delivery driver comes with its own sets of pros and cons. Are you too planning to join the bandwagon? Well, here is a brief on the brownie points of joining a leading fast food delivery app like Uber Eats, Just Eat, Deliveroo etc. Of course, with the pro's, there are always cons. We will wind up the article with a compact discussion on the inconveniences faced by fast food delivery drivers to help you reach an informed decision.
The Pros
Flexible working hours
This is certainly the #1 advantage of working as a fast food delivery driver. You are not a permanent employee here and you have the liberty to choose your own working hours. You will be able to decide the start & finish time as well as the intervals at which you wish to work. It’s especially great when you need an extra income revenue alongside your full time job. For example, let’s say your full time shift ends in the evening. Now, there are many restaurants that operate throughout the night and they need delivery drivers for odd hours. So, after the office, you could take up the shift of late night deliveries and boost your bank balance.
It works great for students as well. No wonder, a good lot of fast food delivery drivers are studying alongside their job. They can easily work in the evenings and at night after they are done with their studying.
More income during boost hours
Some of the major fast food delivery apps offer extra income opportunities during incentive moments or boost hours. If you manage to squeeze out some time for those hours, you will earn more than you will earn at regular shifts.
Ability to work for multiple food delivery apps
If you are fast food delivery driver with UberEats or Deliveroo, it doesn’t mean you can’t work with Just Eat. In fact most of the fast food delivery apps allow you to work for multiple food delivery companies. The only thing is that you have to reach the respective deliveries on time and safely and it can be a nightmare to keep on top of your upcoming jobs.
Some smart drivers know how to make the most of it. They sign up with more than one fast food delivery company. As the orders start pouring in, they check and shortlist their preferred location, distance and tip. This way, they get a broader scope to customize their working schedule as per their preferences. However, you will be at a better position to work for multiple food delivery apps when you are not tied to any full-time job.
Instant pay
This is another great advantage of working as a fast food delivery driver. Most of the fast food app companies assure instant pay for the drivers. You will be get paid just after you perform the needed transfer.
Guaranteed incentive
Even if you can’t manage to take time out to boost your hours, don’t sweat. Leading fast food delivery apps generally offer guaranteed incentives on your income. But as with every reward, with this one too you are required to perform on a specific level as set by the company itself. It usually means working consistent on 5-9 p.m. slot. Moreover, you will also have to accept minimum 80% of incoming orders during that slot to touch the set level for guaranteed incentive.
And of course, we don't want to misrepresent the industry here so here are 3 cons.
The Cons
Rash driving
When you are working as a fast food delivery driver, you are expected to be superfast with the deliveries. But congested traffic, especially during busy hours, hamper your speed big time. However, you can’t deny the pressure of reaching to the customers as fast as possible since it’s your job. And all these compels many drivers to take to rash driving which may leave them with real scary results. Accidents are not exactly uncommon for fast food delivery drivers which in turn bumps up insurance costs.
However, this is where fast food delivery driver insurance comes to your rescue. This insurance is especially tailored for fast food delivery drivers and understands that you are a higher risk. It covers all the damages and liabilities incurred by the driver due to on-road accidents while enroute to delivery.
Problem with door-to-door delivery
It is always easier when you have to deliver to a house. But things get complicated when you have to deliver in an apartment, especially in a high-rise. In that case, you just can’t drop the food to security and ask the security official to deliver it to your actual customer. It’s you who will have to take the onus to find the block and the specific door to complete the delivery. And undoubtedly, that takes a whole lot of time which means further delay in your next deliveries.
Parking issues
This is another con of working as a fast food delivery driver. It’s especially common when you have to find a door in a huge apartment block. You can’t just leave your car or bike in the middle of the road, before the apartment's gates or entrance. You will have to find out a suitable parking space for your vehicle and after that you can proceed to find the customer’s door. Then again, after you deliver the food, you will have to walk all the way back to your car to drive to the next delivery. Such a lengthy process gobbles up good lot of your time, leaving you under the pressure of late deliveries and angry customers.
Overall
So, yes, working as a fast food delivery driver can be a challenging one. But from the above discussion, we can see the pros are easily outweighing the cons big time. All you will need here are good time-management skills and ability to perform under pressure.
