If you already drive for Uber, you can add Uber Eats deliveries to your account directly from the Driver app without submitting a new application. The process takes just a few taps, and you can start receiving delivery requests almost immediately.
How to Enable Deliveries in the App
Open your Driver app and tap the menu. From there, go to Account, then Work Hub, then select “Deliver food with Uber Eats.” You’ll be asked to review and accept delivery terms. Once you do, delivery requests will start coming through alongside your ride requests.
The whole setup takes a few minutes. There’s no separate background check or additional signup process since you’ve already been approved as a driver on the platform.
Choosing Between Rides, Deliveries, or Both
You don’t have to pick one or the other permanently. Uber lets you toggle between ride requests, delivery requests, or both using the Preferences filter in the app. To access it, open the Driver app and tap the two bars in the top right corner. You’ll see the types of trip requests available to you. Tap a trip type to turn it on or off.
If you want to do only Uber Eats and stop receiving ride requests entirely, simply deselect the rideshare options and leave deliveries turned on. You can switch back anytime. If you want to maximize your earning opportunities, leave everything selected and the app will send you whatever request is closest or most relevant.
There’s also a “Reset” option that turns all available trip types back on at once, which is useful if you’ve been experimenting with filters and want a clean slate.
If Delivery Options Don’t Appear
Sometimes the delivery toggle won’t show up right away. If that happens, try these steps in order: delete and reinstall the app to make sure you’re on the latest version, then force-quit the app (which is different from signing out or restarting your phone), and wait at least 15 minutes for the app to sync with the update. If the option still doesn’t appear after troubleshooting, you can contact Uber support through the app’s help section to request that delivery be enabled on your account.
Vehicle Requirements for Delivery
One of the biggest practical differences between rideshare and delivery is that Uber Eats has more flexible vehicle options. For UberX, your car needs at least four doors and five seats, and it has to meet a minimum model year that varies by city. For deliveries, you can use a car, scooter, bike, or even walk in some markets.
If you’re already approved to drive UberX, your vehicle is automatically eligible for food delivery. The flexibility matters more if you’re thinking about switching because your car aged out of rideshare eligibility or you’d rather use a different vehicle. Vehicle requirements are city-specific, so check Uber’s vehicle requirements page for your area if you plan to use something other than the car already on your account.
How Insurance Works for Deliveries
You need to maintain personal auto insurance at your state’s mandatory minimum limits whether you’re doing rides, deliveries, or both. That requirement doesn’t change when you add Uber Eats.
Uber maintains supplemental insurance coverage that kicks in during active trips, but the details differ slightly for deliveries. Coverage to repair your car while you’re en route to a pickup or completing a delivery is contingent on your personal policy already including comprehensive and collision coverage. If your personal policy only carries liability, Uber’s coverage won’t pay for damage to your own vehicle. And when you’re online but haven’t accepted a request yet, there’s no Uber-maintained comprehensive or collision coverage at all.
Several major insurers, including State Farm, Allstate, Progressive, USAA, Liberty Mutual, and others, offer optional rideshare and delivery add-ons for your personal policy. These aren’t required to sign up, but they can fill gaps between your personal coverage and Uber’s supplemental policy. If you’ve been driving rideshare, you may already have this add-on. If not, it’s worth checking with your insurer since delivery driving carries similar risks.
What Changes Day to Day
The biggest shift from rideshare to delivery is the nature of the work. You’re picking up food from restaurants and dropping it off at customers’ doors instead of carrying passengers. That means no conversation, no rating anxiety from rider interactions, and no worrying about keeping your car spotless inside. You also don’t need to wait for a passenger to get in and out, which can make short trips feel faster.
On the other hand, delivery often involves parking near restaurants, waiting for orders to be prepared, and navigating apartment complexes to find the right door. Peak earning times shift too. Rideshare demand spikes during commute hours and late-night bar closings, while delivery demand peaks around lunch (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and dinner (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.). Many drivers keep both options turned on and let the app send whatever pays best at any given moment.
Pay structure is similar in that you earn per trip, but delivery fares tend to be smaller individually. Tips make up a larger share of delivery earnings than they do for rides, so your income can be less predictable. Stacking both ride and delivery requests gives you the widest pool of opportunities, especially during slower periods.