Uber Eats is available in all 50 states and provides couriers with an accessible way to earn a living. Some delivery drivers are curious if they can work in another city or location.
Are you interested in driving for Uber Eats in a nearby city? Here’s everything you need to know and more.
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Can I Switch Cities on Uber Eats?
Yes, you can typically change cities on Uber Eats. However, you’ll need to meet certain requirements of the city you wish to drive in before you can start. You might have to wait up to 14 days to start driving, even if you meet all the requirements necessary.
Can I Do Uber Eats Anywhere?
You can deliver orders for Uber Eats nearly anywhere in the United States. Uber Eats is available in all 50 states, alongside Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. However, you’ll need to use the steps below if you want to switch the city or state you currently deliver for.
How to Change Cities on Uber Eats
It’s possible to change to different cities on Uber Eats and deliver in different locations. However, you’ll have to go through a process and meet any requirements for the new location. Here are the steps to change cities on Uber Eats:
- Visit the official Uber Deliver page.
- At the bottom of the page, you should see your current city.
- Select your current city and enter the new location you’d like to drive in.
- Ensure you’re still on the Uber Deliver page and go down to the delivery requirements area.
- You’ll notice various delivery requirements for the city you want to move to.
- You can let Uber know that you would like to switch cities if you meet all the requirements for the new location.
Keep in mind that Uber Eats does not support temporary city changes. Changing the city you deliver in can take up to two weeks to process, and your mileage will vary.
How Far Can You Travel With an Uber Eats Order?
Uber Eats has a certain radius and distance that food couriers have to follow. Uber Eats will only allow food couriers to travel a certain distance, which varies by location. That being said, the usual Uber Eats delivery radius is around five miles.
Shorter travel times allow the customer to receive their orders faster, and they’re less likely to be cold. This is how Uber Eats stays ahead compared to its competition, like DoorDash or Instacart.
Maximum Travel Distance
Food couriers working for Uber Eats don’t necessarily have a delivery distance ceiling. You can start at one location and drop off an order five miles away. From that location, you can keep picking up orders, traveling five miles, and so on.
There’s no maximum distance where Uber Eats requires you to stop from your initial start point. You could end up traveling and delivering orders over 40 miles away from your starting point without repercussions.
Average Travel Distance for Uber Eats
The average travel distance for delivery orders will vary depending on the location, market, restaurants, and more. For instance, denser, urban cities like San Francisco will typically have shorter travel times.
On the flip side, rural areas and spread-out cities will have longer delivery distances on average, typically ranging from 5 to 10 miles. Your mileage will vary depending on these factors.
The Uber Eats Radius
Uber Eats has a radius that encompasses the complete distance that a courier has to travel from the pickup location and the drop-off area. The radius that Uber Eats uses will highly depend on your location and market.
What’s the Typical Radius?
As mentioned earlier, Uber Eats has an average radius of five miles. This allows customers to receive their orders quickly without their food becoming cold or unappetizing. However, the Uber Eats delivery radius will vary depending on the location and market.
How Is the Radius Decided?
Merchants partnered with Uber Eats will decide on a specific delivery range based on where their client’s drop-off areas are located. Rural and less dense cities will typically have a larger delivery radius, resulting in longer travel distances for couriers.
Denser and urban environments will have a much smaller radius ranging as low as two to three miles. Your Uber Eats delivery radius will depend on these factors, including your location and market.
How Does the Radius Impact Your Earnings?
The larger the delivery radius, the more you’ll have to travel, and the less you’ll likely earn per order. Larger travel distances result in more maintenance costs, gas expenses, and lower acceptance rates.
A Smaller delivery radius can help you earn more. Smaller delivery distances mean you won’t spend as much on gas and maintenance, and you won’t have to decline as many orders.
Will Uber Eats Let Me Drive in Another City?
Uber Eats will usually allow delivery couriers to switch cities. However, Uber Eats requires its couriers to meet certain requirements before doing so. You’ll have to apply, register, and meet your new city’s requirements before you can start driving.
What’s more is that you’ll have to wait up to two weeks before you’re accepted, even if you meet all the requirements necessary. You can apply to deliver for Uber Eats in another city by visiting the official Uber Deliver page.