Recently, Uber Eats delivery drivers began getting unusually low payouts for orders—as low as $1.44. Base payouts are typically around $3, so drivers wonder why pay is dipping to absurd new lows.
UPDATE: The low payouts—<$2.50 for an order or <$1.50 for an add on—were most likely caused by a glitch. Trip supplements and tip info were left out of upfront payments. After completing the order, the actual payouts were much higher than the low upfront estimates.
However, base pay continues to be low on Uber Eats.
Is base pay less than $3 now? Shared by WREAK_HAVOC925 on Reddit
If you accepted all of those orders and completed them in the estimated time, your pay would be around $6 per hour!
Is there a glitch with the Uber Eats order system? Is Uber testing a new pay model? Or are economic factors driving prices down lower than ever before?
Read on to see more examples of low pay on Uber Eats, why it’s happening, and what factors can lead to low delivery pay even when Uber isn’t actively lowering pay for drivers.
More examples of extremely low pay on Uber Eats
Below are Uber Eats drivers who experienced unusually low minimum payouts.
This driver in San Diego got an offer for only $1.98. Far below the normal minimum pay.
Would you take this? Shared by shimmerchick on Reddit
Only $1.44?? That’s the lowest we’ve ever seen, and it isn’t even an order add-on.
A new low. Shared by SnooDogs559 on Reddit
Are these low payouts a glitch?
Order minimums are typically around $3, so some drivers think that these low payouts may be a glitch.
One driver said, “Yes, it was a glitch. The trip supplements and upfront tip estimates were not being included in the total shown to drivers. I cleaned up that day on orders that had been kicking around and still showed up as $2-3, but in reality were $15-20.”
Uber may be testing new order minimums
If these low payouts aren’t a glitch, it likely means that Uber is testing new order minimums. The lowest base pay for most orders was around $3, but now it looks like it maybe closer to $2.
Uber is closing in on profitability, so it’s not a surprise that they are experimenting with lower driver pay to improve their bottom line.
What is the lowest base pay on Uber Eats?
Uber doesn’t say what the lowest base pay is, but in most cities, the lowest payout from Uber is typically around $3.
To quickly refresh you on how payouts work for Uber Eats, the payout formula is: Base fare + trip supplement + promotions + tips
How delivery pay works. Notice no specific numbers for base fare
Uber says that base fare includes your pay for pickup, drop-off, time, and distance. But it isn’t a permanent, set figure and the minimum is subject to change.
Without any trip supplement, promotions (like Quest and Boost), or tips, drivers are paid only the base fare.
In the past, delivery pay was calculated using a formula that had specific rates for pickups, drop-offs, time, and distance. The current model doesn’t specify rates for pickups and drop-offs. What you see upfront is what you get.
What is average pay on Uber Eats?
According to our study of the top driver data sources, the average Uber Eats pay is around $15—$20 per hour.
But earnings can climb way higher or dive way lower than the average. Earnings are also highly market dependent: A driver in a busy city like San Francisco has higher earnings potential than a driver in a much smaller market.
The time of day, day of week, and time of year are also important factors that can affect earnings.
- Real data shows how much Uber Eats drivers really make
- The best days and times to drive for delivery apps
What can you do about low pay?
You might not be able to change Uber’s delivery payout system, but there are things you can do to boost your earnings.
Cherry pick orders: Skip the bad ones! You are free to decline any order, so feel free to skip orders that don’t meet your earnings criteria.
“No tip no trip” is a good rule of thumb. If it’s obvious that an order is base pay without a tip, skip it.
Remember that your acceptance rate doesn’t really matter—declining orders will not lead to deactivation.
But one potential consequence is that you may lose some upfront info if your acceptance rate drops too low.
What are you supposed to do when order after order is only $3 or less? You can only decline so many orders before it feels like you’re wasting your time.
Drive for other apps: The best strategy is to sign up for as many delivery & gig apps as you can and follow the money. You are rarely rewarded for loyalty in the gig economy.
If you get 10 terrible Uber Eats orders in a row, hop onto DoorDash or Instacart and see if you can do better.
Is this a sign of the economic times? Is Uber Eats still viable?
Delivery drivers are used to the occasionally low-paying order, but Uber Eats might not stay viable as a gig if this surge of low paying orders continues.
Low base pay from Uber is one issue, and an increase in non-tipping customers is another.
Tips from customers are included in the up front pay estimate, so if a delivery is only paying $2–$3, you know that the customer didn’t tip.
The occasionally non-tipping customer isn’t unusual, but back-to-back orders with low base pay and no tips is bad news for delivery drivers.
Base pay less than $3 is still a new phenomenon, so we will have to see if delivery drivers accept the new lower pay, or flee to other gig apps & jobs.
Jacob says
Recently, Uber started sending me similar offers with extremely low cost of delivery trips, I simply started to ignore them, I only accept good offers, I ignore all low-paying offers, let Uber do them itself
Nicole says
At this point, the drivers are basically paying to do these deliveries… At $1.44 or $2, the time spent driving to and from and idling picking up orders means I’m not even being paid for the gas in my car. The article recommends trying another app but they’re all the same. DoorDash started the $2 order trend here. I know as a consumer who’s used Uber Eats, I’ve paid a ridiculous amount in service fees and occasionally gas surcharges. NONE of that goes to the drivers. So non-tippers may think some portion of those fees goes to us, thereby prompting them not to tip extra. I did a trip yesterday and when I checked the info on it, I made $2.61 and Uber took over $6 from that order! How is that fair at all? I used to make around $20 an hour driving, sometimes more. Now it’s WAY less. $10-$12 an hour is average now. Idk where this article writer is coming up with $15-$20 as an average!
Janna says
Delivering in college park, md for three hours, paid $20. Hardly $7 an hour.
Nia says
If this continues like our time, gas, miles, waiting on elevators, walking blocks of halllways to leave a food by a door and all this time consuming is not rewarded with a good payment, I won’t deliver no more with Uber or any other one and I would not recommend to any of people that want to star a delivery or is doing it already.
Greg says
This is 100% not a glitch this this happens all day everyday I have hundreds of documented pictures from screenshots on my phone in the last year hundreds not even a year just today I did not take one delivery I got about 40 offers all of them were 4 to $7 to drive 30 40 minutes one One direction I don’t know who to complain to there’s no one to talk about it it’s absolutely insane what they’re doing with their drivers it’s criminal they belong in jail
Scott Stone says
The bottom line is Uber is testing how low they can go. They are charging restaurants up to 30% for platform usage and could afford to pay higher base pays but why should they when it appears the desperation factor of drivers coincides with Ubers intent.
Latika Johnson says
This is simply not true, my orders have been low NO they were NOT a glitch that is LITERALLY INCLUDING TIP what I got paid it is utterly ridiculous the gas & time I waste delivering & $3.24 is my total received. I have been complaining nonstop to Uber support & there has been no change.
chris says
was sitting next to someone else waiting on a uber trip. Trip radar hit for both of us. it offered me 2 dollars less for the same trip. my lower trips start the week before the 4th.
Mama says
not a glitch in Olympia WA we get $3 or less trips all the time and base pay here sucks. $2 or less