Grubhub Driver Expenses in 2026

TL;DR

Grubhub drivers averaged $18.03 per hour on the job in 2026, ahead of DoorDash, Instacart and Uber Eats in Solo data. But Grubhub doesn't pay for your gas, car or phone.

Miles are the biggest cost: full-time Grubhub drivers logged 15,916 work miles from January through October 2026, more than full-time DoorDash or Instacart drivers.

Drivers who log car costs in Solo spent about 19.2 cents per mile on gas and car expenses. The IRS standard rate lets you deduct 72.5 to 76 cents per mile in 2026.

Most Grubhub driver expenses are tax-deductible, as long as you keep records.

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Grubhub pays more per hour than most food delivery apps. Grubhub drivers averaged $18.03 per hour on the job from January through October 2026, up 2.8% from the same period in 2025, according to Solo (worksolo.com), the earnings, mileage and tax app used by 1M+ gig workers. That's ahead of Instacart at $16.04 and DoorDash at $15.20. But every dollar comes with costs Grubhub doesn't cover: gas, wear on your car, your phone plan and the gear you carry.

This guide breaks down what Grubhub drivers spend, which expenses you can deduct in 2026, and how to keep records that hold up. Download Solo to track your Grubhub miles and expenses automatically.

How Grubhub pays, and what it doesn't cover

Grubhub drivers are independent contractors. Each offer pays a base amount, and you keep 100% of customer tips. In Solo data, the average Grubhub order paid $3.10 in base pay and $4.73 in tips in 2026. Tips made up 58% of Grubhub order pay, a bigger share than on DoorDash (50%) or Instacart (46%).

Grubhub doesn't reimburse expenses or withhold taxes. What you spend to deliver comes out of your pay, and the tax you owe is on you. That's why tracking expenses matters twice: once to know what you really earn per hour, and again at tax time.

The biggest Grubhub driver expense: miles

Grubhub is a high-mileage app. Full-time Grubhub drivers logged an average of 15,916 work miles from January through October 2026, compared with 9,654 for full-time Instacart shoppers and 8,912 for full-time Dashers. These figures include every app a driver works, so they show how much full-time Grubhub drivers drive overall, not miles on Grubhub alone.

Platform	Average hourly pay	Full-time work miles (Jan–Oct)	Mileage deduction value
Grubhub	$18.03	15,916	$11,818
Instacart	$16.04	9,654	$7,168
DoorDash	$15.20	8,912	$6,617

Source: Solo data, January–October 2026. Hourly pay is per engaged hour (time on deliveries). Work miles are averages for drivers working 30+ hours a week, across every app they drive for. Deduction value at 74.25¢ per mile, the average of the 2026 IRS rates (72.5¢ Jan–Jun, 76¢ Jul–Dec). Verified November 7, 2026.

More miles means more cost, but it also means a bigger deduction. At 2026 IRS rates, 15,916 business miles is worth roughly $11,800 in deductions, which lowers both your income tax and your self-employment tax.

What Grubhub driver expenses actually cost

Drivers who log expenses in Solo recorded about 19.2 cents per mile in gas, car and transportation costs in 2026. Add insurance and phone bills and logged costs rise to about 21.7 cents per mile. Logged costs leave out depreciation, the biggest hidden cost of driving, so your true cost per mile runs higher.

At 19.2 cents per mile, a full-time Grubhub driver's 15,916 miles cost about $3,056 in gas and car expenses in ten months. Here's where the money goes, and how each expense is treated at tax time.

Expense	What drives the cost	Deductible?
Gas	Your biggest out-of-pocket cost, and it rises with every mile	Included in the standard mileage rate, or deductible under the actual expense method
Maintenance and tires	Oil changes, brakes and tires wear faster at delivery mileage	Included in the standard mileage rate, or deductible under actual expenses
Car insurance	Many personal auto policies exclude delivery driving, so ask your insurer about coverage	Included in the standard mileage rate; business share under actual expenses
Phone and data	The Grubhub for Drivers app runs your whole shift	Yes, the business-use share
Insulated bags and gear	Hot bags, a phone mount and a car charger	Yes
Parking and tolls	Downtown, campus and airport-area deliveries	Yes, even if you use the standard mileage rate
Apps and subscriptions	Mileage, expense and tax apps you use for the work	Yes

Treatment based on IRS rules for the 2026 tax year. Expense data from Solo, January–October 2026. Verified November 7, 2026.

Standard mileage rate or actual expenses?

You can deduct car costs one of two ways. The standard mileage rate is 72.5 cents per mile for January through June 2026 and 76 cents per mile from July 1 (IRS Announcement 2026-11). The actual expense method deducts the business share of gas, repairs, insurance, depreciation and other car costs instead.

For most Grubhub drivers, the standard rate wins. The 19.2 cents per mile Solo drivers logged is far below the 72.5 to 76 cents the standard rate allows, and high-mileage drivers usually come out ahead even after depreciation. You can still deduct parking and tolls on top of the standard rate. If you want to use the standard rate, choose it in the first year you use your car for delivery work.

Miles you drive to pick up and deliver orders, and between orders while you're working, generally count. Personal errands don't. Our guide to IRS mileage rules for gig workers covers which miles qualify.

Other deductions Grubhub drivers can claim

Car costs aren't the only write-offs. Grubhub drivers can also deduct half of their self-employment tax, health insurance premiums they pay themselves, contributions to a SEP IRA or solo 401(k), and up to 20% of qualified business income. And because tips are such a big part of Grubhub pay, check whether your tips qualify for the federal deduction for qualified tips, worth up to $25,000 a year against income tax.

For the full list, see our guide to delivery driver tax deductions in 2026 and what expenses delivery drivers can claim.

How to track Grubhub expenses

A dated mileage log. Record the date, miles and purpose of each trip. An automatic tracker does this in the background.
Receipts. Keep receipts for gear, parking, tolls and anything you buy for deliveries.
Bank and card statements. Paying work costs from one account makes them easy to find.
Your Grubhub earnings and 1099-NEC. Grubhub sends a 1099-NEC if it paid you at least $2,000 in 2026, up from $600 in past years. All Grubhub income is taxable, form or no form.

The IRS can generally review returns for three years after you file, so keep your records at least that long.

How Solo helps Grubhub drivers keep more

Mileage Tracker logs every delivery mile automatically, with the dates and distances the IRS expects.
Expense tracking connects your bank and cards and sorts transactions into categories like car and mileage, phone and equipment.
Tax Hub turns your earnings, miles and expenses into real-time tax estimates, and helps you file at year-end.
Earnings tracking pulls in pay from Grubhub and 15+ other gig apps, so you see what you net per hour across everything you drive for.

Read how Grubhub stacks up in Grubhub vs DoorDash driver pay, or download Solo and try any paid plan free for 7 days.

FAQ

Does Grubhub pay for gas?

No. Grubhub doesn't reimburse gas or other car costs. Gas is covered by the standard mileage rate when you deduct your miles, or you can deduct it under the actual expense method instead.

How much do Grubhub drivers spend on gas and car costs?

Drivers who log expenses in Solo spent about 19.2 cents per mile on gas, car and transportation costs in 2026. At that rate, a full-time Grubhub driver who drives 15,916 work miles spends about $3,056, before depreciation.

How many miles do Grubhub drivers drive?

Full-time Grubhub drivers logged an average of 15,916 work miles from January through October 2026 in Solo data, counting every app they drive for. That's more than full-time DoorDash or Instacart drivers.

Can Grubhub drivers deduct mileage?

Yes. Grubhub drivers can deduct business miles at the IRS standard rate of 72.5 cents per mile for January through June 2026 and 76 cents per mile from July 1. Parking and tolls are deductible on top of that.

Does Grubhub send a 1099?

Grubhub sends a 1099-NEC if it paid you at least $2,000 in 2026, up from $600 in past years. You can find it in the Grubhub for Drivers app or Driver Portal. All Grubhub income is taxable even if you don't get a form.