Meal Delivery vs. Package Delivery: Which Pays Better in 2025?
As more people turn to gig work for flexibility and extra income, one question keeps popping up:
"Should I do meal delivery or package delivery—and which one pays better in 2025?"
With platforms like DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub on the food side, and Amazon Flex, Roadie, and Spark dominating the package space, you’ve got choices. But which path offers the best earnings, more stability, and less stress?
Let’s break down the pros, cons, and payouts for each—so you can make the right move for your time and your car.
🍔 Meal Delivery: Fast, Frequent, and Flexible
🔹 Top Apps
- DoorDash
- Uber Eats
- Grubhub
- Caviar
- DeliverThat (for catering)
💵 Average Earnings in 2025
- Base rate: $2–$3 per delivery
- Tips: Can range from $3–$10+
- Hourly average: $15–$23/hr (after expenses, varies by city)
✅ Pros
- High demand in cities and suburbs
- Quick orders mean more frequent payouts
- Flexible scheduling—log on anytime
- Tips make up a large chunk of your income
❌ Cons
- Lots of waiting at restaurants
- Food spills and customer complaints
- Wear and tear from short, repetitive trips
- Heavy competition during lunch/dinner rush
💡 Who It’s Best For
- Urban drivers with a small car or bike
- Those who prefer short trips and quick payouts
- Workers who want to fit deliveries between other gigs
📦 Package Delivery: Heavier Loads, Bigger Payouts?
🔹 Top Apps
- Amazon Flex
- Walmart Spark
- Roadie
- Veho
- Shipt (non-grocery packages)
💵 Average Earnings in 2025
- Amazon Flex: $18–$25/hr
- Spark: $20–$28/hr with bonuses
- Roadie: Varies—$8 short route to $50+ for long routes
- Hourly average: $20–$30/hr (after expenses)
✅ Pros
- Bigger payouts per shift, especially on routes
- Less tipping reliance
- Fewer customer interactions (just drop-off)
- Great for those with larger vehicles
❌ Cons
- Heavier or bulkier items
- Can involve tight delivery windows
- More navigation complexity on long routes
- Limited ability to multi-app—many block out hours at a time
💡 Who It’s Best For
- Drivers with mid-size SUVs, sedans, or trucks
- People who prefer structured blocks over constant app-checking
- Rural or suburban workers looking for stable hourly pay
📊 Side-by-Side Comparison
🧾 Expenses to Consider
Both gig types share common costs:
- Gas
- Maintenance (especially brakes and tires)
- Insurance (consider rideshare-specific policies)
- Phone data usage
- Taxes (track mileage and write-offs!)
Meal delivery may have more frequent short trips, while package routes tend to be longer and more fuel-intensive.
🌆 City Analysis: Traditional Carriers vs. Gig-Driven Markets
Delivery opportunities aren’t the same everywhere. Some cities still rely heavily on legacy carriers like UPS, USPS, and FedEx for last-mile logistics, while others have shifted toward gig-economy labor, favoring independent contractors working for Amazon Flex, Spark, Roadie, or Uber Eats.
Here’s how it breaks down in 2025:
🟫 Cities Where Traditional Carriers Still Dominate
These cities have deeply rooted logistics hubs, centralized warehouse systems, or unionized delivery networks. While gig apps are active, they're not the main force for package delivery.
Examples:
- Louisville, KY – UPS global hub
- Memphis, TN – FedEx global headquarters
- Atlanta, GA – USPS and UPS are strong; limited Amazon Flex opportunities
- New York, NY – Still heavy reliance on USPS and private couriers for dense neighborhoods
- Chicago, IL – Traditional services cover large metro zones efficiently
- Salt Lake City, UT – Amazon tends to use in-house DSP drivers instead of Flex contractors
📝 What this means for gig workers:
Better opportunity in meal delivery (DoorDash, Uber Eats) than packages. If you do packages, you’ll compete with company-employed drivers, limiting access to Flex blocks.
🟩 Cities Where Gig Workers Power Delivery
These cities rely heavily on contract-based delivery drivers for packages and food. There's a wider network of warehouses or decentralized delivery points that feed into gig apps.
Examples:
- Phoenix, AZ – Huge Amazon Flex and Spark coverage, low union presence
- Las Vegas, NV – High demand for both food and package gig delivery
- Houston, TX – Vast suburban sprawl ideal for Spark, Flex, and Roadie routes
- Orlando, FL – Amazon Flex and Walmart Spark dominate suburban delivery
- San Antonio, TX – Fewer major delivery hubs, more independent contractors
- Raleigh, NC – Strong gig uptake across food and retail deliveries
📝 What this means for gig workers:
Better access to Flex routes, Spark orders, and Roadie gigs. You can build full-time income across multiple delivery platforms—even combine them with food apps like Uber Eats or Grubhub.
🟦 Hybrid Markets – Both Models Coexist
Some cities have a balance between traditional carriers and gig delivery. These areas offer flexible options—if you’re priced out of package delivery, you can still make decent money doing food runs.
Examples:
- Los Angeles, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Denver, CO
- Austin, TX
- Tampa, FL
📝 What this means for gig workers:
Flexibility is key. You may need to switch between platforms depending on the day or time block, using tools like Para, Gridwise, or Solo to optimize.
Track Your Earnings Across Food Delivery Apps?
With income coming from multiple apps, tracking everything—hours worked, miles driven, tips, expenses, and platform-specific trends—can get overwhelming fast. That’s why many experienced drivers use a dedicated spreadsheet to stay organized and maximize profits.
A well-designed tracker can help you:
- Log earnings, time, and mileage across apps
- Link each session’s expenses for accurate net profit analysis
- Visualize patterns in peak delivery times and high-performing platforms
- Forecast expected earnings and spot weak spots in your delivery schedule
- Monitor trends week over week or month over month to make smarter choices
Instead of guessing which days are most profitable or which platforms are dragging you down, you get clear, actionable insights. It’s also a major time-saver come tax season.
👉 Explore the Delivery Tracker Spreadsheet here — a smart way to fine-tune your strategy, boost your hourly rate, and take full control of your gig income.