You've seen the ads. They promise "be your own boss" and "earn big in your spare time." It sounds like a dream, right? Just hop in the car, turn on an app, and watch the cash roll in. But if you’re thinking about whether to become a DoorDash driver or Grubhub courier, the reality on the ground is a lot more nuanced than those shiny marketing campaigns suggest.
The gig economy has changed. A lot.
Back in 2020, you could basically trip over a high-paying delivery order. Today, the streets are crowded. Algorithms are pickier. Gas isn't getting any cheaper, even with the rise of EVs. If you're looking to make this your side hustle—or heaven forbid, your full-time gig—you need to know how the math actually shakes out when you're sitting in a Taco Bell parking lot at 11:00 PM.
The Brutal Reality of the "Gig"
Let’s get one thing straight: you aren't an employee. You’re a tiny, one-person logistics business. When you decide to become a DoorDash driver or Grubhub contractor, you are taking on all the risk. If your transmission blows, DoorDash doesn't care. If Grubhub’s app glitches and you lose an hour of peak pay, that’s just a bad Tuesday.
Most people fail at this because they don't track their "real" hourly rate.
If the app says you made $25 in an hour, but you spent $5 on gas, $2 on future maintenance, and $4 on self-employment taxes, you didn't make $25. You made $14. That’s the trap. You have to be cold-blooded about the numbers. Successful drivers—the ones who actually stick around for more than three months—treat their car like a tool, not a personal vehicle. They know that every mile driven is a cent out of their pocket.
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DoorDash vs. Grubhub: Which One Wins?
It depends on where you live. Seriously. In some markets, DoorDash is the undisputed king with a 67% market share across the U.S., according to Bloomberg Second Measure. If you’re in a suburban sprawl, DoorDash usually has the volume. You’ll stay busy, but the individual payouts might feel a bit insulting sometimes. Those "$2.25 for 6 miles" orders? They exist. And they hurt.
Grubhub is a different beast.
They tend to have a smaller footprint but often boast higher average order values. Why? Because they’ve historically focused more on actual "dinner" orders from sit-down restaurants rather than just fast-food runs. When you become a DoorDash driver or Grubhub partner, you’ll notice Grubhub’s dispatching system is... unique. They often send you to the restaurant the second the customer orders. This means you might spend ten minutes staring at a soda machine waiting for the kitchen to finish.
DoorDash's "Dash Now" feature is great if you just want to jump in, but in many cities, you have to "Schedule" your shifts days in advance because the zones get "greyed out" when there are too many drivers. Grubhub operates on a "Block" system. If you aren't on a block, you’re basically getting the leftovers that the "Premier" drivers didn't want.
The Multi-Apping Strategy
The pros don't choose. They do both.
They run DoorDash and Grubhub (and maybe Uber Eats) simultaneously. When a good order hits one, they pause the others. It’s a juggling act. You’re checking two phones, navigating through traffic, and trying to remember which bag belongs to which app. It’s stressful. But honestly? It’s the only way to consistently stay above $20 an hour in 2026. If you’re just sitting there waiting for one app to beep, you’re losing money.
The Hidden Costs Nobody Mentions
Taxes will punch you in the face if you aren't ready.
Since you’re an independent contractor, nobody is withholding money for Uncle Sam. You have to do it yourself. Most veteran drivers use apps like Stride or MileIQ to track every single mile. Why? Because in the eyes of the IRS, every mile you drive while the app is on is a tax deduction. If you don't track your mileage, you are essentially giving your profit back to the government.
Then there's "The Wait."
The app says the order is ready. You get there. It’s not ready. You wait ten minutes. That ten minutes just tanked your hourly rate. In the gig world, time is the only currency that matters. You have to learn which restaurants in your town are "blacklisted." That local cheesecake spot that always takes 20 minutes? Stop going there. It doesn't matter if the tip is $10. In that same time, you could have done three short McDonald's runs and made $18.
Is it Better to Become a DoorDash Driver or Grubhub Delivery Person in a City or Suburb?
Cities have more orders, but they have "The Parking Problem."
I’ve seen drivers get a $65 parking ticket while trying to deliver a $12 burrito. That’s a week’s worth of profit gone in thirty seconds. If you’re working a dense urban core like New York or Chicago, a bike or a scooter is almost mandatory. If you're in the suburbs, your car is your castle, but your gas mileage will be the silent killer.
Suburban driving involves higher speeds and more "dead miles"—that's when you drop off an order in the middle of nowhere and have to drive five miles back to a restaurant "hotspot" without getting paid. You have to learn the "Dead Zone" geography of your town. If a delivery takes you out of the zone, the payout needs to be double.
The "Acceptance Rate" Myth
DoorDash loves to talk about "Top Dasher" status. To get it, you have to accept a high percentage of orders.
A lot of people think they have to accept every order that pops up. You don't. You’re a contractor. You can say no to any job that doesn't make sense. If an order pays less than $1.50 per mile, most experienced drivers will tell you to hit "Decline" faster than a heartbeat. Don't let the app's "High Priority" badges scare you into taking a loss.
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Safety and Wear and Tear
Let’s talk about your car.
If you drive 100 miles a day, five days a week, that’s 26,000 miles a year just for delivery. You’ll need oil changes every two months. You’ll burn through tires. Your brakes will squeal. If you’re driving a brand-new car, you’re destroying its resale value at an alarming rate. The smartest drivers use a "beater"—an older, fuel-efficient Toyota or Honda that’s already depreciated.
Also, safety isn't a joke. Delivering to unlit apartment complexes at 2 AM has its risks. Always have a high-powered flashlight. Always check the "drop off" instructions before you leave the restaurant. If something feels sketchy, it probably is. No $5 tip is worth your safety.
How to Actually Succeed
If you've decided to pull the trigger, do it systematically.
- Sign up for everything at once. Waitlists are common. You might get onto DoorDash today but have to wait four months for a spot on Grubhub. Get your name in the hat now.
- Invest in a good insulated bag. The cheap ones the companies give you are garbage. If the food is cold, your rating drops. If your rating drops, you get fewer orders.
- Pick your "Power Hours." Working from 2 PM to 4 PM is a waste of time. That’s the "dead zone" where you’ll find yourself staring at your phone in a parking lot. Focus on 11 AM - 2 PM and 5 PM - 9 PM. Late nights on weekends can be goldmines if you can handle the drive-thru lines.
- Communication is king. If the restaurant is running late, text the customer. A simple "Hey, they're just bagging up your order now, I'll be there ASAP!" can turn a $2 tip into a $10 tip. People appreciate not being left in the dark.
The Verdict: Should You Do It?
If you need $500 fast to cover a bill? Yes.
If you want a flexible way to supplement your income while you're in school or between jobs? Absolutely.
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But if you’re looking for a stable, high-income career with benefits? This isn't it. The gig economy is built on volatility. One week you’re making $30 an hour, the next week the app updates its algorithm and you’re struggling to make $12. It’s a tool. Use it like one. Don't let the apps use you.
When you become a DoorDash driver or Grubhub courier, you are essentially betting on your own efficiency. If you are organized, understand your local geography, and treat your vehicle like a business asset, you can absolutely make it work. Just keep your eyes on the odometer and your hand on your wallet.
Actionable Next Steps to Get Started
- Audit Your Vehicle: Calculate your cost per mile. Include gas, insurance, and an "emergency repair fund" of at least $0.15 per mile. If your car gets less than 20 MPG, the math will be very difficult to make work.
- Download a Mileage Tracker: Don't wait. Use Stride or Hurdlr starting with your very first delivery. This is the difference between paying the IRS $0 or $2,000 at the end of the year.
- Check Your Insurance: Most standard personal auto policies do not cover you while you're delivering food. Look for a "Gig Work" or "Delivery" rider. It usually adds $15–$30 a month, but it prevents you from being completely wiped out if you have an accident while on the clock.
- Apply to Multiple Platforms: Go to the DoorDash and Grubhub driver portals and start the background check process simultaneously. Each platform has different requirements for vehicle age and driver history, so having multiple options increases your chances of getting approved quickly.
- Identify Your "Hub": Look at a map of your city and find the highest concentration of non-fast-food restaurants. This is where you should start your shift. Avoid malls if possible, as the time spent walking through a food court is wasted money.