Food delivery services such as UberEats and GrubHub are both an innovative way for consumers to get their food when in a rush and a great way to make some money on the side. However, most services require you to have a car, bike, or other mode of transportation.
Maybe you don’t have the money to spend on a delivery-worthy vehicle or you don’t like the hassle of racking up the miles on your personal car. Luckily, some food delivery services let you do delivery by foot. Delivering on foot has many advantages. You don’t have to worry about traffic and parking tickets. You also get a good workout in as you earn some money.
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If you are interested in entering the world of food delivery but only have your own two feet as a mode of transportation, here are a few apps that you can still work with.
UberEats
UberEats is one of the biggest food delivery applications worldwide. They allow drivers to use several modes of transportation, including walking. UberEats offers delivery on foot as an option in most metropolitan areas, but sadly you cannot take advantage of this opportunity if you live in a suburb or rural area where things are more spread apart. To check if UberEats offers delivery on foot in your area, look for YouTube videos or Reddit threads from people with the same experience.
Signing up as an UberEats walker has most of the same requirements as being an UberEats driver. You must be 18 years of age or older and provide your Social Security number (Canadians also need to show permission to work). You will also need to pass a background check through a third-party app that usually takes three to five days to process. Although you won’t have to provide your driver’s license, you will still need to provide some form of a photo ID and a profile photo within 14 days of signing up for your account to work.
Skip The Dishes
The popular Canadian courier service Skip the Dishes is now offering the opportunity to be a courier on foot. Like UberEats, it only allows this option for select metropolitan areas where it makes sense thanks to the population density. If you live in a city such as Toronto or Vancouver, then you can deliver on foot. However, be aware that Skip the Dishes has a more limited geographical range where it allows on-foot deliveries than UberEats.
To deliver for Skip the Dishes, you need to make an account on their website. As part of signing up, you will need to provide ID and pass a background check. You will also need to prove that you are legally able to work in Canada with a passport or work permit. Once you pass the background check and your application is accepted, you will need a smartphone with a data plan and the company’s thermal bags to work.
DoorDash
DoorDash is one of the oldest and largest food delivery companies in the United States. It makes sense that this company is still at the forefront of market trends, for example, in allowing couriers to work on foot. In most metropolitan areas, such as New York City and Chicago, you can make deliveries on foot. Just go to their website, fill out your profile, and select walking as your vehicle type.
To apply to be a DoorDash walker, you will need to fill out an application on their site. As with most other delivery apps, you need to be 18 or older.
Like all other food delivery applications, you will need to pass a background check to deliver for DoorDash. The background check looks for violations such as criminal convictions and membership on the National Sex Offender Registry. Once you complete your background check and update your bank information, DoorDash sends you a welcome kit with your very own company thermal bag as well as a manual to help you navigate the process.
FoodPanda
FoodPanda is the most popular delivery app in many Asian countries, including densely populated areas such as Singapore. The company recently expanded to allow delivery by foot in many destinations. In many places, delivery on foot is actually faster and easier because you don’t have to worry about traffic. The app will limit your deliveries to your immediate area so that you usually don’t have to walk longer than a kilometer.
To become a FoodPanda walker, you need to sign up on their website. Depending on the area where you live and work, the requirements are different. For example, in Hong Kong you only need to be 16 and older to deliver on foot, giving FoodPanda the advantage over other apps where the minimum age is higher. You will need to upload a national ID as well as proof that you are able to work in that country.
If you don’t want to apply online, FoodPanda has delivery hubs in most major cities where the company operates and a member of their team can walk you through the process. You will probably have to go to a delivery hub anyway to purchase your mandatory T-shirts and delivery bags. Once you’ve finished the application, background check, and gotten your virtual training link, you can begin work as a FoodPanda walker.
Deliveroo
The popular UK-based delivery company, which also has operations in Europe and beyond, offers the opportunity to deliver on foot in select locations. Deliveroo walkers have been able to work in Singapore since mid-2020, but in other areas of operation, including in the UK, you still need a vehicle. The best way to check if you can do Deliveroo deliveries by foot in your area is to look on the sign-up site for your location, browse Reddit, or see if you notice any delivery workers with Deliveroo bags on foot.
If you can be a Deliveroo walker in your area, then the sign-up process is simple. You will need to upload your ID card and pass a background check before you can start delivering. You will also need to get a walker kit that includes a raincoat, T-shirt, and thermal bag.
Deliveroo can be a lucrative way to earn money on foot. However, it is only available in very select areas, so if you live outside of Singapore, where the company is trialing its walker fleet, you may need to check out some other apps.
Delivering Food on Foot
If you are looking for a gig where you can earn money with minimum requirements and get a workout in while you’re at it, then food delivery on foot is the job for you. Many apps, from UberEats to DoorDash, offer the opportunity to be a food delivery walker. Usually, the sign-up process is much easier than if you are a driver as you do not need to provide your driver’s license or vehicle registration.
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However, there are still some hoops that you have to jump through before becoming a food delivery walker. First, you need to check that you can deliver on foot in your area. Delivery by foot is usually only available in big cities, and some apps have only rolled it out in certain countries. Once you pass your background check, you can start walking around town.
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