Doing Uber Eats in Winter – 4 Things To Know

It’s no surprise that people don’t want to go out and pick up food once the temperature drops to freezing. This is good news for food delivery people after months of good weather that encourages people to get outside, hit the patio, stroll to the nearby restaurants – anything but picking up their phone and making some money for you. However, doing Uber Eats in winter does present some challenges if you’re walking, biking or even driving.

Click here to start delivering for Uber Eats

Quick tip: you can get cash back every time you fill up your gas tank by using the Upside app. It's free and pays out straight to your bank.

Let’s look at why you’d want to do Uber Eats in winter and what are some of the challenges you’ll face.

The Advantages of Doing Uber Eats in Winter

There are three main reasons, but the big one is you can potentially make a lot more money.

The reason for this is that fewer people want to be out in the cold weather. Not only is walking harder, but biking and using an electric scooter is harder in the snow. So once the snow starts and the temperature drops, they’ll be fewer people doing Uber Eats. As well, sidewalks will be less crowded, making movement faster.

Disadvantages of Doing Uber Eats in Winter

Of course, there are some downsides. The main ones are environmental. It’s cold out, it’s dark out earlier, and everything is slippery even if the city has cleaned the sidewalks.

New this year, Uber is sending notifications for extreme weather. In this case, there was a heavy snowstorm expected.
While the app didn’t go offline this time, it’s interesting that they might turn the app off if they figure the weather is too bad to go out in.
While I’d said before bad weather is good weather for you if it gets bad enough for Uber to turn off their app, then it’s probably a a sign to take some time off.

Tips for Doing Food Delivery in Winter

This is my second winter doing Uber Eats on foot, here’s a couple of things I’ve picked up. Most of this family is common sense, but if you’re new to delivery, hopefully, some of it is useful.

Dress for the Weather

Check the weather before you go out and dress for the cold. While you’ll be on your feet, your hands and head are going to get cold, so ideally have some gloves and a hat with you.
For gloves, some people like ones that work with touchscreens. Personally, I just picked up a cheap $10 pair from Walmart with lots of padding and are easy to pull on and off.

Have Good Footwear

While some people prefer winter boots, I found that running shoes with thick socks are what I prefer. They’re lighter and still have a good grip.
Unless you’re climbing through snowdrifts and the snow starts getting into them, they’ll keep your feet warm. I usually find my hands get cold before my feet.
If you do get snow in your shoes, try and get it off your feet before it starts melting. Cold and wet clothes are not a good combination, in the worst case, it can lead to hypothermia.

Have a “Home Base” To Warm Up in Between Deliveries

Try to find a place you can warm up between trips—ideally something like a mall or just somewhere out of the wind. Malls usually have accessible electrical outlets, which are good if you need to recharge your phone.

If you can’t find a mall, try a fast-food restaurant with lots of food curriers there already. Food delivery people might complain about McDonald’s, but many are open late or even 24 hours, and you can warm up while waiting on your order.

Be Aware of Your Body, Know When To Pack It In

Know the signs if you’re getting too cold. Basically, if fingers or eats are getting numb, get inside and warm up.

Conclusion

Doing Uber Eats in winter can be a good way to make some extra cash pretty quickly because everybody wants to stay inside when it gets really cold – food delivery people and your customers alike.

Click here to start delivering for Uber Eats

Save on gas & groceries: the Upside app gives you cash back when you fill up your tank, buy groceries, or eat out.

As long as you don’t overdo it, dress for the weather and stay safe, winter is definitely a good time to make some money, so get out there!