Food delivery
DoorDash
Deliver restaurant orders by car, bike, or scooter where DoorDash operates. You can start without buying a territory. The costs are fuel, wear, and time spent waiting.
Checked 22 September 2026. Figures are ranges, not offers.
- Where
- Cities and suburbs in the US, Canada, and Australia where the app is open to new dashers. Rural gaps are common. Not a work-from-home job.
- Hours
- Lunch and dinner peaks pay better than mid-afternoon. You can stop after one shift. Waiting in car parks is part of the hour.
- Pay
- After fuel and wear, many drivers land nearer $12–18 an hour. A quiet zone is less. Gross pay looks higher.
- To start
- Signing up is free. You need a legal vehicle or bike, a phone, and insurance that actually covers delivery if your policy requires it. Do not lease a car to do this.
Why it is listed
The company is real, signup is free, and you are paid for deliveries you complete. We include it with the costs in the open, not as a lifestyle.
What you can realistically expect
This is wages for hours driven, minus real costs. It will not scale while you sleep. Track fuel for a fortnight before you decide it is worth it.
Who pays you
DoorDash pays you for completed deliveries, to the account you set in the app. A “DoorDash hiring agent” who wants a fee is not DoorDash.
How to start
- Apply in the official Dasher app or on doordash.com.
- Check your insurance wording.
- Do two short shifts before you change anything else about your week.
- Write down miles and fuel. The guess is always kinder than the number.
Read this before you start
- Anyone selling a “DoorDash account” is breaking the rules and often taking your identity.
- Do not buy a branded kit from a third party.
- A hot zone on a map is not a promise.
Sideline will not ask you for money. Anyone who messages you claiming we will is not us. Write to [email protected] if something on this page looks wrong.
Nearby on the list
Listed openingLocal tasks in Australia and the UK
Airtasker
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You quote each task; the fee comes off what the client pays
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Deliveroo
Cycle, scoot, or drive restaurant deliveries for Deliveroo. Free to apply. The money is per drop, and the bike, the insurance, and the rain are your problem.
Per-drop fees vary by city. After costs, treat a modest hourly figure as the planning number, not the busiest Friday.
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Instacart
Shop a grocery list and deliver it, where Instacart hires shoppers. You need a car that can take bags, and a tolerance for substitutions. Signup is free.
Batch pay plus tip, before fuel. Net of costs it is ordinary gig money, not a premium hourly rate.
United States, Canada5–10 hours, 10–20 hours