Orange Crate: Freelance Delivery Gigs

What is Orange Crate?

Orange Crate is a delivery service that enlists freelance drivers to pick up and deliver restaurant orders.

How it works (for drivers):

Orange Crate invites workers to deliver restaurant meals in their free time. The site requires that you have a valid driver’s license, insurance, can carry 40 pounds and walk up and down stairs without a problem. Delivery experience is preferred, but not required.

Driver pay

Driver pay is made up of a delivery fee, plus mileage, plus tip. But the delivery fee and mileage payments are not overly generous. So, the way you make money here is largely based on how well people tip.

To be specific, Orange Crate promises drivers 80% of the delivery fee and 100% of the tip. The delivery fee is $2.99, plus 54 cents for each mile driven over the first two miles.

If the delivery is five miles from the restaurant, for instance, the delivery fee would be $2.99 plus $1.62 (3 extra miles x 54 cents) = $4.61. The driver would get 80% of that, or $3.69. If the customer tipped, the driver gets that amount too.

Drivers are paid once every two weeks. However, it appears that their payment goes through a service called Jobble, which charges another 60 cents for each order. Bottom line: in the above scenario, the only guaranteed payment would work out to about $3.

That said, the site says the average delivery fee is $12, which would give the driver nearly $10 before tip. So, if you get a decent sized order, you can take home a decent amount on each order.

Net pay

But remember that you have to pay for your car, gas, maintenance and insurance. And, you’re not paid for time between deliveries. So, once you account for costs and uncompensated down time, it’s hard to imagine that you’d make much more than minimum wage here.

Where they’re located

Orange Crate operates in 14 states, including California, Texas, Georgia and Illinois. (You can find the full list here.)

Recommendations

If you want to work in food delivery, your best bet is to work only rush hours, when you are likely to get several deliveries in an hour. Work for multiple apps at the same time. And pick and choose your deliveries to ensure you’re not driving all over town.

Other food delivery apps to consider: GrubHub, Uber Eats and DoorDash.

What their drivers say (From Indeed):

Working with Orange Crate has been a great experience for me. I typically make more than I would make at any other job with no degree. On busy nights it’s easy to average $20+ an hour. What makes it so great is that I can create a schedule that works for me without ever needing to call out or find someone to cover a shift. Only downside is the miles I’m putting on my car.

I really like working with OrangeCrate. You pick your own hours which is awesome and you get paid milage as well as tips. The only downside is you get paid per delivery so if you’re having a slow day you don’t make much.

Make your own hours and work when you want or need to. Potential earnings are great. Its only a sad affair when its slow.

Not earning much for a lot of driving

Must work two shifts and you get 60¢ for a successful delivery and 100% tips. 20 mile radius from the store or restaurant. Sometimes out of town deliveries