Is Pizza Delivery Worth It?

Is pizza delivery worth it to earn some extra bucks?

If your day job alone isn’t enough to make a good living, you could be thinking of getting another job. But what are the best available options for part-time jobs? You may think of investing in stocks, driving UBER, or writing short stories online.

Most commonly, pizza delivery jobs seem an easy source of side income to many. However, is it worth your time and effort? If you plan to earn some extra money by delivering pizza, you must have many questions in your mind.

And, here’s the GOOD NEWS…

In this article, we will answer your common questions about delivering pizzas and the hidden costs associated with pizza delivery.

In case you are short of time, feel free to skip to your favorite section. However, staying tuned till the end will give you many useful insights on pizza delivery job.

Five Hidden Costs of Delivering Pizza

At first glance, pizza delivery appears to be all “fun” and “effortless.”

And why not? You might remember Po in Kung Fu Panda, who loves to eat pizzas and deliver them. *kapow*

Anyway, keeping the jokes apart, it’s important to consider different angles of any job before deciding if it is worth it or not.

Therefore, let’s quickly look at the five hidden costs of delivering pizza.

● Wear & Tear:

The most common problem many pizza delivery drivers face is the wear-and-tear to their vehicles. Unfortunately, a major percentage of what they earn goes into meeting the high costs of vehicle maintenance.

From damage to the tires to high fuel/oil charges, every other vehicle-related expense on the drivers, and not the company.

Your car will not average less than 80-120 miles per night as part of this job. Covering such long distances per night can cause damage or wear and tear to your vehicles.

This means you need to spend money on your car maintenance and oil changes as well.

Above all, sometimes, the drivers are only partially given back the fuel expenses. Moreover, some companies don’t pay extra for the fuel charges.

●Issues with Tipping:

Tipping is the second most common issue faced by pizza delivery drivers. Often, companies give false hopes to the drivers that they will receive fancy tips from the customers. However, tipping is an unreliable source of income.

Almost 60% of the drivers claim “tipping” to be one of the biggest problems. While some customers pay a very little tip, some don’t pay a tip at all. Moreover, many times, customers assume that the tipping cost is included in the delivery charges.

As per one of the articles on Medium by Coworker.Org, one pizza delivery driver claims, “whenever a driver takes a delivery, their pay rate goes down significantly. I make around $8.25 per hour when I’m in the store, but after I check the delivery out, my pay goes down to $4.25.”

Hence, the tipping culture certainly makes many drivers or aspiring drivers question, “Is pizza delivery worth it?”

● Road Conditions:

Bad road conditions take us to another major question, “Is pizza delivery dangerous?”

According to various surveys, almost 64% of the drivers claim poor road conditions, traffic, and severe weather conditions as the biggest reasons for the delay in delivery and the chances of meeting road accidents.

The high pressure on the drivers for fast and timely delivery also increases accidents due to rash driving. In case of a late delivery, drivers can face harassment or abuse from the customers. Many customers also end up paying no tips in such cases out of frustration.

● Robbery and Theft:

Around 20-25% of drivers claim to have faced robbery and theft issues. They do not feel safe as there are high chances of theft and attacks on the drivers.

Even the pizza outlets are robbed at night, both for the food and money they earn. Safety is a huge issue faced by the people in this field.

● Parking Charges:

Many drivers also complain about parking issues. There are times when the drivers couldn’t find a space for parking their cars. Moreover, in some cases, they have to pay certain charges to park their cars.

Often, these charges are from the drivers’ pockets. In very rare cases, the companies pay back the cost of parking to the drivers.

All these hidden costs of delivering pizza are often ignored. Many times, people planning to get into this profession are unaware of these extra expenses.

Also, many people look at the positive side of this job. Hence, one has to consider these factors to decide pizza delivery worth it or not.

Is Being a Delivery Driver a Good Job?

Every job comes with both good and bad things. You should look at both sides of a coin to find an answer to the question, “Is pizza delivery worth it?” Just like any other job, a pizza delivery job has its advantages and disadvantages.

Let us discuss some of the pros and cons of delivering pizza before reaching any conclusion.

Pros of Being a Pizza Delivery Driver

● Flexible Working Hours:

Pizza delivery drivers get flexible working hours. As a result, you can easily manage it along with your day job. You can work for less or more number hours as per your free time.

● Good for College Students:

If you are a college student, being a pizza delivery driver can be a good source of pocket money for you. Moreover, you can easily handle the pressure of this job alongside other pressures of exams, assignments, presentations, and so on.

● Extra Income/Tips:

It is a good source of extra income. In addition, sometimes you get really good tips that can be an additional benefit. Although many drivers face tipping issues, tips can also be an advantage at times.

● Discounts and Vouchers:

Pizza delivery drivers are eligible for employee discounts. What’s better than taking home a large pizza for under ten bucks? And if you are a student, you can treat your friends at amazing discounted prices.

● On-the-Go Job:

If you are tired of a desk job, this is the perfect job for you. It involves a lot of physical activity which is good for your health.

You will have to drive to different locations, walk with large boxes of pizzas, and climb stairs. In short, it will always keep you on your toes.

Cons of Being a Pizza Delivery Driver

● Risk of Road Accidents:

Pizza delivery comes with its risks. Due to the high pressures of delivering on time, there are chances of getting into a road accident. Often, drivers also have to bear poor road conditions and bad weather conditions that can delay delivery and risk their lives.

In such cases, the question, “Is pizza delivery worth it?” becomes an important question that needs a clear answer.

● Low or No Tips:

Tipping culture is another biggest disadvantage of a pizza delivering job. Many drivers claim to receive extremely low or no tips for most of their orders.

● Harassment:

Pizza delivery drivers are sometimes the worst victims of customers’ rude behavior and harassment. For example, many drivers have to hear rude comments and abuses if the delivery gets delayed.

There is also a fear of robbery and theft, and many drivers report to have faced the same.

How to Make Good Money Delivering Pizza?

To start earning by delivering pizzas, you first need to find a good job as a pizza delivery driver. To do so, you can search for “pizza delivery jobs” on Google. Once you manage to get a job, you can start making money by delivering pizza.

However, to make more money than your fixed hourly pay, you need to get good tips.

To earn from tips, ensure that you have a positive attitude and amazing at your service. If you are punctual, you can get a 20% tip on your orders.

Besides, you can always ask your company to pay for oil and car maintenance charges. It will save a lot of your earnings.

FAQs

● Does pizza delivery ruin your car?

Yes, pizza delivery could damage your car. Many drivers confirm that they have to spend a huge amount on their vehicles due to the wear and tear they face while delivering pizzas.

Due to poor road conditions and extreme weather conditions, your car’s tires can get ruined. Moreover, driving rashly to deliver on time can make your car hit here and there, causing dents and other damage.

● What happens if you don’t answer the door for pizza delivery?

The pizza delivery driver has to face many difficulties if you don’t open the door because of some reason. He will have to wait, make multiple calls, knock on the door, and confirm your address with the restaurant.

If there is still no response, the ordered food is returned back to the store. The returned food is either neglected, or at times, the manager might cancel the order, and finally asks the employees to eat it.

● Do pizza drivers make good money?

Yes, pizza drivers make somewhere around $12 to $15 per hour, including the tips.

However, some of their earnings go into maintaining their vehicles and oil charges if they don’t get paid for these expenses at the company’s end.

● Is it safe for a girl to deliver pizza?

No, pizza delivery could not be a safe job for girls, especially if they are into night shifts.

There is a constant fear of robbers, theft, and harassment seen in the women employees. Many women pizza drivers also claim that they feel signaled out because of their gender.

● How much should you tip the pizza guy?

15% is the average tip that you should make to the pizza guy.

Usually, people pay 10% or less for the average delivery service. Nonetheless, it can go up to 20% if the customer likes your service.

Conclusion

So, let’s finally answer the question, “Is pizza delivery worth it?” As you have seen, a pizza delivery job has its pros and cons. While there are certainly hidden costs and some disadvantages of delivering pizza, it can be a good side income source.

On average, you can earn $12 to $15 per hour from delivering pizza. However, a pizza delivering job is good only if the company provides you with their vehicle or reimburse the oil charges or vehicle maintenance cost.

In addition, there should be better provisions for the safety of the drivers. If all these conditions are met, pizza delivery is a good medium to earn some extra dollars.

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