Lessons I learned from doing food delivery on a motorcycle

Overview

• The speaker shares lessons from doing food delivery on a scooter/motorcycle for services like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub.
• They cover which apps work best, how pay and tips behave, and the real safety/operating-cost considerations.

Apps and how orders/pay work

Uber Eats (preferred by the speaker)

• Easiest interface
  • Connects quickly and starts taking orders with less friction.
• Accept/decline behavior
  • The speaker describes that you can accept or decline, and declining may not carry penalties (as described).
• Order availability
  • Orders depend on your location/radius.
• Levels/points are a “gimmick”
  • Gold/platinum style tiers are presented as not especially meaningful; the focus should be making money.
• Pay relies heavily on tips
  • Example described: an order may show $10, but after delivery the base shown is closer to $3, with the remainder depending on tips.
  • Tips may come in within a few hours.
  • Some customers tip nothing, but the speaker still considers it relatively reliable.

DoorDash (no tipping, but trickier offers)

• No reliance on tipping (per the speaker’s explanation), which they prefer.
• More “deceptive” offer presentation
  • The offer amount can look attractive (e.g., $15–$20), but the miles are easier to miss and may represent a very long distance.
• Acceptance rate impact
  • Canceling/not accepting can hurt your acceptance rate (based on the speaker’s experience).
  • Strategy matters because declining can have consequences.

Grubhub (least liked)

• Hard to use on a scooter
  • The interface is described as difficult, with small fonts and hidden details.
  • Important info like “View Offer” can make it harder to evaluate quickly.
• Cancellation is possible
  • Similar to DoorDash in the explanation: cancellation may be possible without penalty.
• Tips
  • The speaker indicates it has no tips (as described).

Market strategy (where it works best)

• Economics rule: more drivers in an area = more competition = lower payouts.
• Speaker’s market: the Washington, DC area plus nearby Baltimore
  • Described as a large, consistently active market.
• Where pay is higher
  • Closer to Washington (within their region).
• Who tips better (as described)
  • Low-income customers tip less (understandable).
  • Extremely wealthy customers also tip less (as described).
  • Middle-income customers tend to tip better.
• Big city requirement (advice)
  • Rural/low-density areas don’t work well for this kind of gig.
  • They suggest major cities such as: New York, Los Angeles, Miami, St. Louis (or similar).

Safety and risk warnings (motorcycle/scooter delivery)

Key dangers emphasized

• Higher risk of being hit by cars than normal commuting.
• More constant distraction
  • Checking the app/phone, finding houses, and navigating traffic.
• Robbery risk
  • The speaker claims danger is higher in big-city contexts.

Safety gear/advice mentioned

• Wear reflective gear
• Use a high-visibility vest to be more visible to drivers

How orders should be evaluated (profit rules)

Common early mistake

• The speaker initially accepted every low offer (e.g., $2–$3) because they didn’t know better.

Better approach

• Avoid offers where distance eats your money
• Rule of thumb:
  • Target about $1 per mile, but aim closer to $2 per mile in practice to be profitable.
• For DoorDash, they recommend:
  • Never let miles exceed the amount of money
  • Try to target over $10 total when possible

Time factors

• Restaurant speed matters:
  • Some kitchens are slow, and profit depends on prep/wait time.
• Apartment complexity costs time:
  • Easier: leave at door, take a picture, move on.
  • Harder: elevators, confusing buildings/units, long waits—worth it only if the payout is higher.

Money expectations and taxes

Earnings examples (speaker’s experience)

• Best day/weekend example: up to $175, working until midnight
• Others they’ve heard about: $250–$400, but they say that seems less common

Seasonal slowdown

• January/February are described as slow
• People have less money, so offers/pay may drop

Tax reminder (contractor)

• As a contractor, you’re taxed
• The speaker describes Uncle Sam taking about 20% on $100 as a rough rule of thumb

Vehicle choice and operating costs

• Vehicle choice matters a lot for profit.
• Example used:
  • They started with a Honda ST1300 and call it poor for delivery economics.
• Fuel economy issue:
  • Described as ~29 mpg in the city
  • With frequent stops, fuel cost becomes painful.
• Wear/maintenance:
  • Frequent starting/stopping causes starter wear
  • Starter access/replacement is described as expensive
• Recommendation:
  • A cheap, fuel-efficient scooter/motorcycle (50–150cc) is better.
  • Reasons given:
    • Tires/belts/oil are cheaper
    • Oil usage is low
• Caution:
  • Don’t use low-mpg vehicles; the speaker references delivering with larger SUVs as not making sense.

Lifestyle/working experience (pros and cons)

Pros

• Highly independent:
  • Pick up food, deliver, minimal ongoing interaction
• No office politics:
  • You set your own schedule
• Outdoors + movement:
  • “Paid to ride”
• Discover restaurants and sometimes interesting deliveries
• Works well as a part-time gig
  • The speaker notes many people don’t stick with it long-term
• Feels like a game:
  • They liken it to Grand Theft Auto

Cons

• “Lowest-rung” service-industry treatment
  • Customers may treat couriers coldly (speaker’s description)
• Constant vigilance/danger:
  • Cars, navigation, and robbery risk
• Vehicle wear + maintenance + fuel costs
• Even with decent income:
  • After costs, it may feel closer to minimum wage

Locations, products, or notable mentions

• Apps: Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub
• Cities/regions: Washington, DC; Baltimore; New York; Los Angeles; Miami; St. Louis
• Vehicle mentioned: Honda ST1300
• General delivery vehicles: scooters (50/125/150cc)
• Possible speaker reference: “London Eats” (someone who enjoys deliveries due to other income)
• Brand/gear mention: “Moto Giant” (example of someone considering delivery in Alabama)