Until a few years ago, the concept of ordering alcohol online and having it delivered to your front door within an hour was nothing more than a fantasy.
Now, it’s slowly become the norm to order provisions through your phone with just a few clicks.
The alcohol delivery apps like Drizly leads the market, and for a good reason.
It could be the company’s national footprint or its thousands of available products.
Either way, sales continue to rise, which indicates a need for more alcohol delivery drivers.
Driving for alcohol delivery services like Drizly is a great way to earn extra cash by simply driving from point A to point B, and this guide will help you learn how to start.
Table Of Contents
How Does Drizly Work for Drivers?
The first thing to understand is that you can’t apply to drive for Drizly through its website or app because the company doesn’t hire drivers.
Driving for Drizly isn’t anything like other delivery service apps like Postmates or Grubhub, where they have an option to become a driver.
Instead, to become a delivery driver for Drizly, interested parties must directly inquire at the local liquor store in their area.
Since Drizly doesn’t yet operate in all states in North America, 50 states, you can see if any liquor stores in your area use Drizly here.
Another way to become a Drizly driver is to have your local liquor store reach out to you by filling out their driver job board form.
The form requires you to provide or answer these questions:
- Full name
- Primary phone number
- Email address
- City and state
- If you’re looking for full time, part-time, or seasonal work
- Weekend and weekday availability
- Age (Some states only require drivers to be at least 18-years-old to deliver alcohol, while others require the driver to be 21-years of age or older)
- Relevant work experience
The Drizly driver form provides an option for you to upload your resume, as well.
Bear in mind, completing the questionnaire doesn’t guarantee a store contacting you.
Instead, the purpose of the questionnaire is to get partner retailers in touch with potential candidates.
Is Working for Drizly a Hard Job?
Working for Drizly entails the same duties as other food delivery services, but without the extra work of driving to a different restaurant or store for every order.
So, while the delivery driver task is the same, being a Drizly delivery driver is a bit more complicated.
Is It Hard Mentally?
Compared to other food delivery apps, a perk of driving for the app is that it eliminates having to go to numerous pick-up locations and navigate a new restaurant or store.
Other difficulties that may come up are different for every driver.
So there may be factors that could make the job mentally laborious that don’t relate to the delivery part of the job at all.
Is It Hard Physically?
In some cases, drivers may need to exert physical labor when delivering alcohol.
The amount of physical work required depends on the order and the liquor store.
For example, some larger orders may require drivers to load it into their vehicle.
Since each store operates differently, some may provide equipment to help with loading and unloading, while others may have different ways of dealing with larger deliveries.
Scheduling and Shifts
Since Drizly doesn’t directly hire drivers, you don’t sign any contracts with the company.
In other words, you don’t work for the company.
Instead, your employer is the retail partner or a third-party service that a liquor store uses.
Do Drizly Drivers Pick When They Work?
Yes, but there is less flexibility than other food delivery services since the partner retailer determines their hours of operation.
For example, if your store operates five days a week from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., then that’s the only option you’ll have available to drive.
How Often Do Drizly Shoppers Work?
The amount of work depends on demand and the liquor store’s hours.
If a liquor store isn’t receiving many orders, naturally, there won’t be a need to have multiple active drivers.
However, chances are, if your liquor store knows what they’re doing, then they’ve already set up their operating hours according to demand.
Most likely, hours of increased demand peak around 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., i.e., dinner time.
How often you work depends on your location as well.
Drizly shoppers in larger cities may have more opportunities to drive, even during the day.
How Long Are Drizly Shifts?
The length of shifts depends on the liquor store.
When a store receives an order, the company doesn’t guarantee a specific delivery time.
However, Drizly mentions that orders arrive in under 60 minutes.
However, the delivery time depends on the radius, order volume, and traffic.
For example, the liquor store sets its delivery radius, so a greater delivery distance could mean delivery takes over an hour to complete.
Payment and Earnings
Earning as a liquor delivery driver varies from city to city.
For example, a driver in Los Angeles, New York City, or San Francisco has a better chance of making more per hour than someone in a less-populated area.
How Much Do Drizly Shoppers Make?
According to five driver reports on Glassdoor, a delivery driver for Drizly makes an average base pay of $13 an hour – tips included.
However, the hourly wage heavily depends on the store.
The store is responsible for setting its hourly wage.
Another factor that can increase your hourly wage is the time of day you deliver.
For example, there’s a better chance of earning more on high-demand days like weekends, holidays, and events.
How Do Drizly Shoppers Get Paid?
Drizly shoppers get paid through their local retailer.
Some guaranteed earnings include a default 10% tip for customers.
Drizly sets the minimum tip, but customers can choose to tip in cash upon delivery.
A big thing to consider is that your local liquor store has complete discretion to manage individual tips sent through the Drizly app or website.
When Do Drizly Shoppers Get Paid?
Pay frequency depends on how your liquor store manager conducts their payments.
Standard payments for most gig-work jobs occur bi-weekly or monthly.
If a customer tips in cash, you won’t have to wait for the next paycheck to receive your earned tips.
Does Drizly Reimburse Expenses?
The alcohol delivery service does not reimburse expenses incurred by drivers because Drizly does not employ them.
In other words, the store you drive for handles reimbursements.
If the store requires you to use your personal vehicle, certainly consider asking the liquor store owner if they offer any repayments for expenses like gas and car maintenance.
Pros and Cons of Working for Drizly
While it may sound fun to work as an alcohol delivery person, there are some cons.
Before starting, be sure to weigh the following advantages and disadvantages of working as a Drizly driver.
Pros of Working for Drizly
There are many reasons working as an alcohol delivery person sounds attractive.
For one, driving for Drizly requires little interaction with the customer, and even less now with the company’s COVID-19 update asking retailers to eliminate the need for customer signatures upon arrival.
While drivers still must check customers’ IDs with the verification technology Drizly provides through the retailer app, drivers are encouraged to avoid contact when scanning customers’ IDs.
So, while delivering alcohol requires some communication because of the verification process, it’s a generally simple and relaxing job that’s great for people who want to earn some extra cash and enjoy driving.
The verification process also adds a depth of human interaction that food delivery driving services don’t offer.
Sometimes it’s great to talk to someone, even for a short while, especially if you enjoy meeting new people through casual conversation.
Additional pros include the following:
- Easy gig to make some cash on the side
- Options to work part-time or full-time
- Direct line to your employer
- Only one work location for pick-up
- The retailer receives and accepts orders, so you don’t have to make that decision
While the pros make working as an alcohol delivery person seem like a simple way to make some extra money, there are a few cons.
Cons of Working for Drizly
One con is that some orders may require you to deliver multiple boxes full of heavy liquor or lift 160-pound kegs.
This factor is important to consider, since you may need to handle and transport large orders.
Additionally, Drizly is an excellent resource for mom-and-pop businesses that might otherwise struggle to deliver their products according to their States’ delivery laws.
However, that likely means you’ll have to use your personal vehicle to deliver for Drizly.
If your local store requires you to use your personal vehicle, you may want to make sure there’s enough space to load these larger alcohol orders.
Now, that doesn’t mean you need to own a heavy-duty pick-up truck or anything, but a car with back seats that fold down will certainly make the delivery process easier.
Some other cons of working for Drizly are:
- The available hours to work may not be as flexible as other delivery services.
- The liquor store manages tips received through the app or website, so it’s up to the store to decide when you receive them.
- The possibility of maximizing hourly profits ultimately depends on factors outside of your control, like your hourly wage, the store’s operating hours, and if a customer tips through the app or when you arrive.
Is Working for Drizly Worth It?
If you’re looking for full-time work as an alcohol delivery driver, Drizly may not be worth it.
But, that depends on the market demand in your area.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide if driving for Drizly is worth the money.
The best way to decide if you should drive for the platform is by contacting your local liquor store that partners with Drizly.
You can do this by inputting your address into the search bar of the company website.
Or, you can wait for someone to contact you by filling out the questionnaire on Drizly’s website.
However, remember that submitting the form doesn’t warrant a call.
If there’s a retailer partner in your vicinity, I suggest calling or visiting the store owner to discuss how they operate their deliveries.
During your conversation, some questions you should consider asking are:
- Are you currently hiring drivers?
- What hours do you operate?
- What is your hourly wage?
- Do you offer full-time or part-time?
- How often do you receive orders through Drizly?
- Do I need to use my own car?
- Do I need to cover my own expenses incurred on the job?
Talking to a potential employer is the best way to know if working for the company is worth it since they’re responsible for hiring and managing staff – not Drizly.
Frequently Asked Questions
With a better understanding of how driving for Drizly works, you know if delivering alcohol to customers is an ideal job for you.
If you still have questions, explore the answers to some common questions below.
Can You Work for Drizly Without a Car?
Depending on the company or liquor store, you may not need a car.
For example, some stores and companies may provide their employees with a vehicle to complete deliveries.
But, for the most part, assume that you will likely use your personal vehicle to drive for Drizly.
Can You Work for Drizly with a Baby?
Yes and no.
It’s up to the discretion of the local liquor store to decide if you can work with a baby.
How Do I Quit Working for Drizly If I Don’t Like It?
If you want to quit working for Drizly, you’ll need to speak to the store directly.
Just like any job, resigning requires communicating your request with your employer.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have all the information to become a Drizly driver, inquire through the platform’s website or call your local Drizly partner store to see if delivering alcohol to customers is a profitable side-gig you would enjoy.
