I'm a part-time Uber Eats driver with a 5-star rating who starts my days at 4 a.m. I've figured out how to get good tips but wear protective gear and a body cam because I fear for my safety.

• Omar Ford, 47, works part time as an Uber Eats and DoorDash driver.
• He said being picky with orders and providing great customer service are the keys to good tips.
• He said he worries about racism and his safety, which is why he wears protective gear and a body cam.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Omar Ford, a 47-year-old part-time Uber Eats and DoorDash driver in South Florida who moved there after retiring from a career in New York City. In 2022, he made about 1,778 deliveries and earned $19,804 in take-home pay from Uber Eats, according to a document viewed by Insider. Documents were also provided to verify the tips and trip figures mentioned in the story. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

My typical weekday starts at 4 a.m., when I turn on the Uber Eats and DoorDash apps.

Delivering food is a part-time gig for me, and I have a daily goal of $100, or 10 deliveries, whichever comes first. To earn as much as I can, I only accept orders with high up-front tips that pay a minimum of $1 per mile driven. For Uber Eats, my acceptance rate is 3%, which means I only accept three of every 100 orders that come my way. Sometimes it takes me the whole day to reach my goal.

While I seek out orders with good tips, I also work hard to provide great service in the hope that customers will tip more after their order is delivered.

Since I started driving in 2021, I've made over 4,000 deliveries for Uber Eats and have a 5.0 rating — I also have a 4.98 DoorDash rating after 660 deliveries. During the week of March 13, I earned an average of $6.41 in tips across 35 Uber Eats trips. During the week of February 13, I earned an average of $7.66 in tips across 45 trips on Uber Eats. In my experience, DoorDash customers tip far less than Uber Eats customers, if at all.

Constant communication with customers regarding their orders is key to getting good tips. If I arrive to pick up an order and it is not immediately ready, I send the customer an update to let them know. I've found that customers reply and are genuinely appreciative of the updates.

Investments in my craft also play a part in earning better tips. For example, I have food-delivery bags that keep the food hot during transport — I've read stories about food getting cold by the time it's delivered. The bags also prevent food from tipping over or leaking. I have drink caddies that prevent spills and leaks.

Customers often comment on how professional the presentation is because they've never seen drivers take this much effort. I have returned to restaurants because orders were incorrect. I've had to climb over obstacles to complete deliveries.

Racism is my biggest threat

Apart from the good service I provide, customers often notice the safety gear and body cam I wear when I'm on the clock.

I take these measures because racism is my biggest threat. My first experience with food delivery was back in 2016, when I worked for a local pizza shop in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I wore the company's uniform and carried the big red pizza bags, but customers were sometimes hostile.

I had a customer call security on me because they saw a big Black guy walking up their driveway — they apparently forgot they had ordered food. I received no apologies from the restaurant or customer, which led me to quit.

With the recent stories of people being shot simply for showing up at the wrong door or turning into the wrong driveway, I've taken these steps to protect myself while out on deliveries. I have three active dash and rearview cameras to record audio and video. The body camera provides a record of my interactions while on the job.

I've also had customers and restaurants misrepresent what happened during deliveries. Customers claim that their food was damaged, hoping they'll get a refund. Some restaurants leave out items or poorly package the order and then claim otherwise.

Despite these challenges, I still do food delivery because it provides me with additional income to supplement my pension and disability benefits. It also allows me to interact with people in small doses. I struggle with social anxiety and prefer my solitude, but this work provides me a way to interact on my terms.