I Made Over $100K as a Food Delivery Truck Driver – Here’s How You Can Too (Even In Your First Year)
Think you need to haul fuel or go OTR to break six figures as a truck driver? Think again.
For 20 years, I drove for some of the biggest names in foodservice delivery — and I never made less than $90,000 a year, even starting out.
If you have a strong back, a Class A CDL, and a work ethic, you can earn $100K+ delivering food products locally — and sleep in your bed every night.
Let me break it down for you…
🥦🍖 What Is Foodservice Delivery?
You’re not hauling live chickens or burgers — you’re delivering restaurant goods, produce, meats, dry goods, and frozen food from a warehouse to places like:
Restaurants
Hospitals
Schools
Hotels
Airports
Big players include Sysco, US Foods, PFG, Gordon Food Service, and Core-Mark.
💵 How Food Delivery Drivers Make Over $100K
Here’s how the top drivers crack six figures:
| Income Source | Avg. Value (Annual) |
|---|---|
| Base Hourly or Daily Pay | $65,000 – $75,000 |
| Productivity Bonuses | $5,000 – $15,000 |
| Safety Bonuses | $1,000 – $2,500 |
| Referral Bonuses | $1,000 – $3,000 |
| Overtime Pay | $10,000 – $25,000+ |
| Total Potential | $90,000 – $120,000+ |
Real talk: The job is physical. You’ll be unloading pallets, stairs, ramps, and hand trucks. But the money is real, and the routes are local.
🧠 Tips From a 20-Year Foodservice Driver
Get On a Route With Stops
The more stops, the more pay. Some companies pay per-stop or per-case incentives.Show Up, Load Up, Hustle
Fast, safe unloaders rack up the hours and the bonuses.Avoid the Rookie Mentality
Don’t complain about early mornings or hand trucks. The ones who grind early get the good routes later.Use That CDL for Leverage
Class A? Even better. You’ll get better pay and access to shuttle/delivery hybrids.Stick With It
Most drivers quit within 3–6 months. If you can last, you’ll start getting handed better routes and raises fast.
📍 Best Companies to Break $100K in Food Delivery
Sysco
US Foods
PFG (Performance Food Group)
Gordon Food Service
Reinhart / Martin Brower
Core-Mark
KeHE Distributors (for smaller format foodservice)
🔎 Who Should Avoid Foodservice Delivery?
If you can’t lift 50–80 lbs regularly
If you don’t want physical labor
If you’re looking for laid-back linehaul or drop-and-hook work
✅ Final Word: This Job Changed My Life
I raised a family, bought a house, and never missed a Christmas — all because I drove a food truck.
You don’t need a college degree or 5 years of experience. Just a CDL, a strong work ethic, and the will to show up.
💥 Ready to find your six-figure food delivery job?
Browse active openings from companies like Sysco, US Foods, and PFG right now.
