Do Domino's Delivery Drivers Pay For Their Own Gas?

If you are applying to be a delivery driver at Domino’s, the first question on your mind is probably about your car. You know you make an hourly wage and you get to keep your tips, but driving 50 to 100 miles a night eats up a lot of fuel.

So, do you pay for your own gas?

The short answer is: Yes, you pay for your own gas at the pump, but Domino’s reimburses you for the miles you drive.

Here is exactly how the mileage reimbursement and gas situation works in the real world.

How Mileage Reimbursement Works

Domino’s does not give you a corporate credit card to use at the gas station. You must fill up your own tank using your own money. However, at the end of every single shift, the store pays you back for the driving you did. This is known as mileage reimbursement.

Most Domino’s franchises calculate this in one of two ways:

• Per Mile Driven: The store’s computer system tracks the exact mileage from the store to the customer’s house and back for every order you take. At the end of the night, you are paid a set rate per mile (usually between $0.35 and $0.45 per mile, depending on local gas prices).
• Per Delivery Taken: Some older franchises pay a flat rate per delivery taken (e.g., $1.25 per delivery). If you take a “double” (two orders in one run), you get $2.50.

At the end of your shift, when the manager “cashes you out,” they take your credit card tips, add your mileage reimbursement, subtract any cash you owe the store, and hand you the remainder in cash (or put it on a specialized debit card).

Is the Reimbursement Enough?

This is the million-dollar question. If you drive a massive V8 pickup truck that gets 12 miles to the gallon, the mileage reimbursement will not cover your gas, and you will lose money.

If you drive a reliable 4-cylinder compact car (like a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla) that gets 30 miles to the gallon, the reimbursement will not only cover your gas for the night, but it will usually leave you with a few extra dollars to put toward oil changes and tire wear.

The Hidden Costs of Delivering

While the gas is technically covered by the reimbursement, the wear and tear on your vehicle is not. Driving for Domino’s means your car will need:

• Oil changes twice as often.
• New brake pads every year.
• New tires much sooner than a normal commuter.

The Verdict: Delivering for Domino’s is incredibly lucrative (drivers often average $20 to $25 an hour on busy nights), but you must drive a fuel-efficient, reliable car to make the math work in your favor.