Uber Plus Card: How It Works and How To Apply

Did you get an email invitation to apply for an Uber Plus card?

This card allows Uber Eats drivers to use pre-loaded funds to pick up orders placed outside of the Uber Eats restaurant networks.

Read on to learn more about the Uber Plus card, how it works, and how to get one.

What Is the Uber Plus Card?

The Uber Plus card is one that Uber Eats drivers can use to pay for orders outside of the Uber Eat network.

It’s similar to an Uber credit card or Uber Eats gift card.

Uber Eats pre-loads these cards with the amount of an order after the customer pays for it.

For orders placed outside the Uber Eats networks, drivers have to contact the restaurant and order the meal the customer wants.

The Uber Plus card is a convenient instant pay method for these orders.

While it’s possible to deliver orders outside of the Uber Eats network without an Uber Plus card, applying for one of these cards can make you eligible for more deliveries.

What Is the Uber Eats Network?

Uber Eats currently has over 320,000 restaurants worldwide as part of its network.

When a customer places an order with one of these restaurants via Uber Eats, the platform will pay the restaurant directly.

Uber can also communicate directly with these restaurants and let them know what a customer wants to order.

However, not all restaurants belong to the Uber Eats network.

When a customer orders from one of these restaurants, the driver must place the order with the merchant, either in person or over the phone.

The driver is also responsible for paying for the order, either with their Uber cash reserve or a personal debit or credit card.

Drivers can also use Apple Pay, a Visa Business card, or any other payment method.

As a basic card member, there are a few benefits to using a personal credit card to pick up these orders.

However, some credit cardholders can apply for the best credit cards with restaurant rewards and earn a few additional dollars when picking up ‘Order and Pay’ orders.

Uber Eats reimburses the driver for what they spent on the meal as part of the compensation for the delivery.

However, keeping track of what you spend on meals can get confusing, especially if you complete a lot of deliveries.

With Uber Plus, card members have access to an alternative payment method for these out-of-network orders.

How Does the Uber Plus Card Work?

Uber Plus cards work for ‘Order and Pay’ orders.

The customer will create a delivery request in the app and select the meal or item they want from a local restaurant or other business.

They will then complete the checkout process and pay for their order.

If you accept the delivery request, Uber will load the funds to your Uber debit card.

You will only have enough funds to pay for what the customer ordered on your card.

You can then head to the restaurant or merchant, pick up the meal or item, and use your Uber Plus card to pay in person.

You’ll be able to confirm the order amount in the Uber app.

What Can You Use the Uber Plus Card For?

Uber will pre-load your Uber Plus card with enough funds to pay for the customer’s food.

You should only use the card to pay for the order you’re picking up.

There are no other eligible purchases for the card.

You can’t use it to pay for gas or leave a tip at the restaurant.

Where Is the Uber Plus Card Available?

The Uber Plus card is available in several markets across North America.

You should receive an invitation via email if the card is available in your area after completing a few deliveries with Uber Eats.

You can also find out if the card is available in your market by asking other Uber Eats drivers about it.

Online message boards and platforms like Reddit are a good way to learn more about your local Uber Eats market.

If the Uber Plus card isn’t available in your market at the moment, keep in mind that Uber might roll out this program where you live and work at a later date.

Is the Uber Plus Rewards Program the Same Thing as the Uber Plus Card?

If you research Uber Plus on Google, you will probably come across results about a rewards program called Uber Plus.

It’s a program that the popular ride-sharing app rolled out in India.

The Uber Plus program allows drivers to earn points for completing trips in 13 Indian cities.

Based on drivers’ ratings, the Uber Plus program assigns them a rewards tier.

As a driver earns points and moves up in the tier system, they can redeem points for rewards.

This program is different from the Uber Plus card.

Unfortunately, Uber doesn’t offer a similar rewards program for drivers in the US.

What Are the Benefits of Getting the Uber Plus Card?

You should know that there are no fees for getting the Uber Plus card.

The main benefit of applying for an Uber Plus card is that you will qualify for deliveries outside the Uber Eats network.

Even though thousands of restaurants have partnered with Uber Eats, many establishments still don’t wish to join this network.

The additional deliveries you qualify for will depend on your market.

You might only get a few additional delivery options in a city like Miami, where Uber Eats represents 55% of the local food delivery market.

However, a city like Los Angeles, where Uber Eats only has 15% of market shares, might have many more establishments that haven’t joined the Uber Eats network yet.

Having an Uber Plus card could help you earn more and potentially access more delivery requests to choose from.

If there are days or times where things are slow in your area, getting an Uber Plus card could help you get access to more opportunities.

Plus, using an Uber card to pay for an order means you can sometimes call the restaurant in advance and pay for the order over the phone.

This method can help you save time on some deliveries.

Are There Any Downsides to the Uber Plus Card Membership?

There are no major downsides to getting an Uber Visa debit card.

And once you have the Uber Plus card, there are no obligations to accept ‘Order and Pay’ orders placed outside the Uber Eats network.

However, you should know that you’ll have to place the order in person or over the phone, which introduces a risk for potential mistakes and unhappy customers if you don’t get the order right.

You might also run into problems with the amount loaded to the Uber Plus card.

When a customer places an order outside the Uber Eats network, the San Francisco-based company will estimate the amount and load it to your Uber plus card.

However, Uber isn’t always right.

A restaurant might update its menu price and charge more for the purchase.

You might also have to reach out to the customer and ask them to update their order if the thing they wanted isn’t available, which can result in a higher price.

These problems are quite common with restaurants that don’t share their menus online.

You’ll have to pay for the price difference out of pocket or even pay for the entire order with cash if you run into an issue with the Uber Plus card.

Uber will reimburse you, but using cash can be an inconvenience.

How to Get an Uber Plus Card

You’ll receive an invitation from Uber Eats to apply for a card.

Keep an eye on your emails since you will get a message from Uber Eats once you qualify for a card or this service rolls out in your area.

What Makes Me Eligible?

You need to meet a few conditions to qualify for an Uber Plus card.

First of all, you need to be an active delivery driver on Uber Eats.

You might have to complete a few deliveries before Uber Eats sends you an email invitation to get a card.

You also need to have the latest version of the Uber Eats app installed on your phone.

You can visit the app store to see if a newer version is available.

You should also have delivery requests enabled for ‘Order and Pay’ orders.

If you don’t have this setting enabled, Uber Eats won’t show you orders placed outside the Uber restaurant network.

You can find this setting by tapping on the menu icon and selecting Trip Planner.

You will find a preference icon at the bottom right of the new screen that opens.

You will be able to toggle delivery requests on or off from this screen.

Don’t forget to save your preferences.

If you meet all these conditions but haven’t received an invitation email yet, you might need to complete more deliveries to qualify, or the Uber Plus card might not be available in your area.

You can always reach out to the Uber Eats driver help team to ask about the card and find out if you will eventually qualify.

How Can I Sign Up for an Uber Plus Card?

Keep an eye on your emails.

You’ll get an invitation with a link to start the application process.

Click on this link, and Uber Eats will ask you to fill out a form with some basic information.

You should receive your Uber Plus card in the mail within a week or so.

How to Activate an Uber Plus Card

Once you get your card, you’ll have to activate it and link it to your Uber driver account.

Here is how to activate your Uber Plus card with the app:

• Open the menu and look for the Plus Card option.
• You should see a button that says, Activate Card.
• Tap this button, and the app will ask you to enter and confirm your card number.
• The app should activate your card instantly.

Wrapping Up

The Uber Plus card is a convenient way of paying for some pickup orders placed outside of Uber’s network.

If you receive an invitation to apply for a card, take a few minutes to fill out the application since you could qualify for more delivery requests and potentially earn more.

Take a look at our articles on Ridester to learn more about Uber Eats, the Uber Plus card, and related topics!