As told to

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Jay Mandel worked in marketing for decades before turning to gig work last October. Jay Mandel

2026-01-17T10:07:01.248Z

• Jay Mandel made his first delivery for Uber Eats last October.
• Mandel previously spent decades in marketing jobs as well as teaching and consulting.
• He said delivering food has supplemented his income — and given him a new perspective.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jay Mandel, a 48-year-old marketing professional who also works for Uber Eats in the New York City area. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

I worked most of my career in corporate America in digital marketing.

The highlight of my career was my eight years at MasterCard, where I worked my way up to lead global social media as a vice president. I’ve also worked at IBM. More recently, I’ve worked as a marketing consultant and an adjunct professor, but this hasn’t generated enough income. Right now, I’m raising money** **to build my own company.

The idea of starting gig work came from my therapist, who said it would do wonders for me to see how others live.

I avoided it for several months. I went to Columbia University. I have a master’s degree. I talked to people that I love, and they were like, "You shouldn’t have to resort to this."

Eventually, in October, I delivered my first Uber Eats order.

Extra effort isn’t always rewarded in gig work

Early on, I got the feeling that I was invisible to most people. For one order, I had to go pick up a cake. It turned out the bakery didn’t have the cake the customer wanted, so I spent 20 minutes on the phone with the customer while I spoke with the bakery to find something else that would work.

When I finally made the delivery, the woman who ordered the cake had a blank look on her face — no "thank you," no extra tip, or anything. In my past jobs, putting in extra effort usually resulted in some sort of recognition. With delivery work, I haven’t felt that a lot of times.

Then I realized that these companies charge so much money for these deliveries. It shouldn’t be the** **customer’s responsibility to tip.

I also don’t always feel like I have a choice about which orders I can take. Sometimes, it doesn’t work for me to pick up or drop off in the Bronx, and I usually don’t want to pick up McDonald’s orders.

I’ve done deliveries for Uber Courier, which involves delivering items between regular people. In one case, it was a backpack. Another time, it was a charger. It’s a really valuable service, and I wish that Uber leaned into more of those deliveries.

Uber Eats pays the bills, but I don’t feel in control

I use the money I earn from Uber — often a few hundred dollars a week — to make sure that my kids have a great weekend, like going out to dinner.

Overall, my experience working for Uber Eats has been humbling. I don’t see myself as any better than other delivery people. I try my best to smile and be the bright moment in someone else’s day. I also have fun, get to visit new restaurants, and see neighborhoods I would never go to otherwise.

It’s so tough to figure out how common my experience is as someone turning to gig work to pay the bills while still nurturing professional ambitions. The unemployment numbers don’t capture people like me who do gig work. I never thought I’d struggle as much as I have financially, and it feels like more of my friends than not are in my situation.

I don’t view my employment situation as a result of my actions. Whether it’s Uber Eats or teaching as an adjunct, this is part of a large system over which I have no control.

Have a tip? Contact this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com or via encrypted messaging app Signal at 808-854-4501. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here’s our guide to sharing information securely.

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