Pizza Delivery ROI

Way too much, Dave Ramsey!

If you’ve ever listened to Dave Ramsey on YouTube, you know that he promotes getting out of debt by any means necessary. One of the ways he’s mentioned getting out of debt has been pizza delivery driver. Now I have never personally worked as a pizza delivery driver. While I've never been a pizza delivery driver, I'm aware that many use this role to boost their income and pay off debts. I prefer flexible gig apps that allow me to work on my schedule, but a fixed part-time job could potentially offer more structured earnings.

The Snagga Job App

I frequently use job and gig apps, and one of my favorites is 'Snag a Job'. This app showcases local job listings, making it easy to apply. Browsing it one day, I decided to apply to Papa John's on a whim and was quickly hired. Could make money, let’s try it. I was hired in about a week.

The Pay 🤦🏾‍♀️

I decided to take a gig at Papa John's, working Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday evenings after my regular job. But let me tell you why the pay situation felt like a rude awakening.

At Papa John's, pizza delivery drivers earn a mere four dollars an hour – yep, just four bucks. The bulk of our earnings are supposed to come from tips. Now, I always tip my delivery drivers, so I assumed others did the same. Boy, was I wrong! Many customers don't tip at all. My first Tuesday shift was an eye-opener: I drove 30 miles and made only $24 over four hours. I chalked it up to a slow day, hoping Friday would be more profitable. After all, I was treating this job as an investment, expecting a decent return on the time spent.

Friday's shift

At Papa John's was hectic. The place was swarming with over nine drivers, and when we weren't out delivering, we were stuck folding boxes. There I was, folding away and thinking about the harsh reality: making just $4 an hour and completely reliant on tips for a decent income. That night, I managed about five deliveries in five hours. And here's a crucial point: as pizza delivery drivers, we've got to stick to the speed limit, no exceptions. Why? Because of the GPS tracking through the light cap on our cars. Speed too often, and you're out of a job.

By the end of the night, I'd covered 71 miles and earned $74 – a busy Friday for sure.

Now, let's break down the numbers for that night. My car runs on 30 miles per gallon, and with gas prices at about $2.25 a gallon, I used up roughly 2.36 gallons for the 71 miles, costing me $5.31 in gas. So, from my $74 earnings, deducting the gas costs leaves me with $68.68. Divide that by the five hours worked, and you get an hourly rate of $13.73 – not bad at all! Interestingly, my paycheck turned out to be more than these calculations, though I'm not entirely sure why. This shows that working here could be a viable way to earn some extra cash.

I Quit

After taking a hard look at the earnings versus the time invested, I decided to call it quits. Sure, the job was manageable during busy periods, but driving under the speed limit? Not my thing. Dodging honks and near-misses from impatient drivers wasn't exactly a joyride. And the vibe inside the store? Definitely not my scene. I saw an employee casually throw an insult at the manager and brush it off as a joke. Not cool. Then there was the time a coworker slipped on the flour-dusted floor - their shoes just couldn't keep up. And let's not forget the sneaky vaping sessions by another employee when the boss turned a blind eye. All this chaos made me realize that I'm better off sticking to my DoorDash, GrubHub, and Instacart gigs, where I have the freedom to work on my terms. Folding pizza boxes during downtime? Yeah, that's not really my thing.