Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi delivered UberEats orders for 3.5 hours and made $106

Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi spent part of the weekend working for UberEats, the company’s delivery arm, he said on Twitter.

Khosrowhshahi said he “spent a few hours delivering” over two days and posted a selfie sporting a helmet and a bright green backpack to transport the food.

In the tweets, he said he completed 10 trips while being online for 3.5 hours, netting him $106.71 with tips, putting his hourly pay at around $30. UberEats workers are paid per delivery as well as per mile.

Khosrowshahi’s compensation totaled just over $12 million in 2020, including stock options. (He waived part of his $1 million base salary amid pandemic-driven layoffs at Uber). That’s equivalent to about 340 times his pay as a delivery worker.

Another screenshot breaking down his trips on the same shift showed $106.71 of earnings over the course of six hours, which would put his hourly pay at around $19. 

Some users on Twitter took issue with what he disclosed and said the amount earned and the hours worked didn’t add up. A company spokesperson said the discrepancy was due to a break and tips that came in after the executive had clocked out. UberEats customers can add a tip up to 90 days after their order. 

Khosrowshahi tweeted Sunday evening that his second day delivering — six trips over the course of two hours this time — was “not as good as day 1” because of traffic, and apartment drop-offs were “a pain.” He also said he received lower tips and posted a screenshot showing that he earned about $50.

Asked if anyone recognized him, he replied: “Benefits of masking up!”

Gig workers, especially those contracted through Uber, have lamented the lack of sustainable wages as well as the lack of benefits provided for their work. The company has previously said its ride-hailing drivers make about $25 an hour on average.

But UberEats contract workers typically make less than that, and like their rideshare contractor counterparts, they haven’t historically had health benefits directly through the company. However, thanks to California’s Prop 22, Uber set up a benefits fund that provides workers with a healthcare stipend.

According to Glassdoor data, the average hourly wage for an Uber Eats worker ranges from $12 to $18.

The average food delivery driver, not just those employed at Uber, makes about $13 an hour, according to Payscale.