Is it possible for someone to actually get paid to eat?
It may surprise you to hear that the answer is a resounding ‘Yes!’ Albeit, you may need to get a little creative with how you go about doing it.
Here are 7 Different Ways to Get Paid to Eat:
- Get Paid to Write Food Reviews
- Get Paid in Cashback Rewards
- Get Paid to Dine Out
- Get Paid as a Food Taster
- Get Paid to Eat on Camera
- Get Paid to Eat Healthy
- Get Paid to Be a Competitive Eater
Each of these methods can be used to earn extra money, or you can decide to turn one or more into a full-time income stream.
Either way, if getting paid to eat sounds like your dream job, then it’s worth checking out these methods below.
I Get Paid to Eat
*Spoiler alert*
I’m someone that gets paid to eat! As I go through this list, I’ll share with you how I earn side hustle income by sharing my love for food and savings with others.
Get Paid to Write Food Reviews
A fun way to get paid to eat is by becoming a food critic. If you thought this line of work was only reserved for celebrities like Gordon Ramsey, then think again. Your flare for eating and writing can serve as a viable way for you to earn money, and you don’t even need to be famous to get started.
Here are just a couple of ways to do that.
Field Agent
Field Agent is a gig economy app that pays you real cash to do various tasks, including food reviews. These ‘Buy & Try’ assignments generally involve you heading to your local grocery store and purchasing a product to try out at home.
Once you’ve tried the product, you’ll be asked to write a review within the app, or directly on the retailer’s website. Field agent will reimburse you the cost of the product along with the bounty when you successfully complete the task.
Your feedback on these new product trials help large well-known brands get real insight into how their product is doing and where they can improve. While you shouldn’t expect to get rich with these ‘Buy & Tries’, you can expect to get paid to eat when you share your opinion.
Start a Food Blog
Have you ever searched online for a new recipe to try out? Or maybe you searched for reviews on the best date night restaurants in Boston?
If so, then you’ve probably landed on a blog post or article that helped you with the information you needed. These blog posts are written by people like you and I who earn an income sharing helpful information with others.
Learn How to Build a Profitable Affiliate Website
(Free Step-by-Step Video Tutorials to Making Money with a Blog!)
How do food bloggers get paid?
There are many ways to make money as a food blogger, but one very popular method is with referral marketing, aka affiliate marketing.
With referral marketing, a food blogger can promote products on their affiliate site and earn a commission for each sale made.
For example, if you’re sharing a recipe on how to cook the traditional Galician dish pulpo a la gallega, then you can promote the Galician extra virgin olive oil you used in that recipe.
One of the easiest ways to get started promoting food products is to become a member of the Amazon Associates or Amazon Influencer program.
Get Paid in Cashback Rewards
This next method of getting paid to eat is one I have lots of experience in. It’s also something I think anyone interested in earning money to eat can jump into right now.
This method involves using cash back reward apps.
Below are the two grocery savings apps that earn me thousands of dollars per year to shop for groceries and eat. Crazy right? Here’s how I do it.
Fetch Rewards
Fetch is a receipt rewards app that pays you each time you snap a picture of your grocery receipt. It’s the laziest way I’ve found to earn free money to date.
Fetch will reward you with points that you can later use to redeem for free gift cards to stores such as: Walmart, Amazon, Target, Nordstrom Rack, Macy’s and more.
This insight into your shopping habits is shared with retail partners, where they use the aggregated information to better direct their marketing efforts.
In the last few months since joining Fetch, I’ve earned a whooping $1,425 in cashback rewards. That was a huge jump from how much I made in my first 30 days using Fetch.
One of the reasons I’ve earned so much with the app is because of their refer-a-friend program. For any person that uses my promo code AWPFV8 to join Fetch, they will earn anywhere between $2 – $4 just for signing up. I also earn money when my referral code is used.
And guess what? You’ll also earn money when someone uses your referral code to join Fetch Rewards.
Ibotta App
The ibotta app works in a similar way to Fetch, but the caveat is you will only earn cash back on grocery receipts with specific brand offer purchases.
So while this one isn’t entirely ‘free money,’ you will still earn money for simply shopping for your favorite brand name grocery items. Best of all, Ibotta rewards you in real money to your PayPal or bank account.
Personally, I’ve discovered so many Ibotta hacks, that I’ve been able to earn free money and free groceries on a regular basis. In the past 3 years since joining Ibotta, I’ve earned over $4,100+ in cash back rewards.
But if you really want to step up your game, you can use Ibotta with Fetch Rewards to do extreme couponing and stack your rewards even higher. This is one method used by many couponers to earn free money for shopping grocery store items.
** Update! I recently discovered additional Ibotta hacks that have earned me thousands of dollars more in free money and free food. Check it out in my Ibotta Secrets bombshell post here.
Get Paid to Dine Out
I love dining out as much as the next person. If want to get paid to be a foodie, then this next section is for you!
Here are three ways in which you can get paid to dine out without going broke.
Restaurant Mystery Shopping
One way I get paid to eat for free is by completing restaurant mystery shopping gigs. These ‘shops’ don’t require you to have any experience to get started, which makes it ideal for mostly anyone to make money doing this.
The way it works is you join mystery shopping websites such as MarketForce, Ipsos, and Coyle Hospitality, fill out a shopper profile and pick the restaurant mystery shops that interest you.
In general, these ‘shops’ will cover your entire meal (and often times that of your guest!) as well as pay you for your feedback.
In return you give your honest feedback on the service provided by the staff, evaluate the food and report back on the cleanliness of the restaurant.
I’ve completed a handful of restaurant mystery shopping assignments and have been given upwards of $200 to dine out at high end restaurants in my city!
Seated App Restaurant Rewards
In 2017, a new restaurant rewards app by the name of Seated debuted. The app entices diners to eat out more by paying them in free gift cards up to 30% of their restaurant tab.
It’s a rare gem of an app for anyone who dines out often, but there’s an even better way to get paid with Seated.
In addition to getting paid to dine out, Seated will also pay you when other people eat out. When you join Seated and share your referral link with others, they’ll earn $10 on their first meal, and you’ll earn up to $15 per referral.
Additionally, once you refer 5 new users, you’ll achieve partner status. As a Seated partner, you’ll earn 5% on all your referrals’ future meals…..for life!
It’s another way I get paid to eat. In my Seated app review, I share how much I earned while dining out in Boston recently.
Chase Freedom
One other simple way to get paid to dine out is by using credit card reward programs. This is not going to be your biggest payout, but it’s worth mentioning here.
Take for example the Chase Freedom credit card that rewards you 3% cash back on your restaurant receipts. When you dine at a Seated app restaurant, and pay your tab with your Chase Freedom card, it’s like double dipping on cash back rewards.
Additionally, new Chase Freedom members can earn $200 in free money when they spend $500 during their first three months.
Essentially, you can spend $500 dining out and earn $200 back plus 3% in cash back rewards for signing up to Chase Freedom.
Here’s all the current Chase Freedom sign up bonus rewards for new members.
Get Paid as a Food Taster
Want to taste test the newest burger creation from one of your favorite fast food joints before it launches? Or how about a refreshing new soda flavor soon to hit the shelves at a nationwide grocery retail chain?
If this sounds like an exciting opportunity for you, then read on to learn how to get paid as a food taster.
Matrix Sciences
Matrix Sciences operates as a product research company that connects brands to real consumers. As a company that’s been around for over 30+ years, Matrix has amassed a portfolio of major brand name companies that look for people of all backgrounds to taste test their products.
As a food taster, you’ll get to try out new wines, cookies, soups, fries, soft drinks and much more. You’ll stand to earn at minimum $25, but can earn more depending on the product.
To get started, simply create a profile to be added to their database. You’ll be contacted as soon as there’s an opportunity available for you.
Tasteocracy
Tasteocracy is another such company that helps brands connect with real consumers for valuable feedback on new products. Though this particular company serves people in or near the Twin Cities in Minnesota or the Tri Valley/East Bay area outside of San Francisco.
Taste testers sample food, beverages, dietary supplements and other products in a controlled environment. Kids, referred to as Taste Buds are also able to join. On average, Tasteocracy testers earn $35 or more for 30 – 50 minutes of taste testing work.
Get Paid to Eat on Camera
If you want to be the star of your own show, then getting on camera may be the avenue for you. There are creative ways you can get paid to eat on camera, and below is one profitable idea that may excite you.
Start a YouTube Channel
As a fellow YouTuber, I can tell you that getting paid to be on camera is a great way to make extra money. It’s one revenue stream that consistently provides me with monthly income.
One way for you to make money eating on camera is by creating a channel that serves the food community. This can mean creating videos of delicious 20 minute keto dinner meals that serve keto dieters to sharing gluten-free meals that serve those with other dietary restrictions.
Or in my case, I serve the food community by sharing my love of saving money on groceries by using couponing apps. Below are three ways to monetize your passion for eating on camera.
YouTube Monetization
Once your channel reaches 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours, you can apply for YouTube monetization. Once approved, you’ll be able to earn a portion of the ad revenue from ads placed on your videos.
In this video, you can see how much YouTube paid me in ad revenue money for 3,000 subscribers.
Affiliate Marketing
I touched upon this earlier in this post, but YouTube affiliate marketing is another way to get paid to eat on camera. This is where in the descriptions of the YouTube video, you can place affiliate links to a product you’re promoting. When someone clicks on that link and makes a purchase, you’ll earn an affiliate commission.
Sponsorship Deals
Brands are always interested in working with micro-influencers who have a smaller following, but who are highly engaged followers. Brands are willing to pay you a set amount of money to mention their product or service in your videos. These can be extremely lucrative deals for YouTubers.
Get Paid to Eat Healthy
Health buffs rejoice! Did you know there are apps that pay you to eat well and be healthy overall? Yes, it’s a real way to make money! Below are two apps you can download today and start getting paid to eat healthy.
Evidation App – Formerly Achievement
The Evidation app will pay you for your healthy actions such as walking, meditating, logging meals, and answering questions about yourself. You’ll earn points for staying fit and can later redeem these points for real cash via PayPal or bank deposit.
On occasion, you may also receive survey opportunities worth up to 200 additional bonus points. The app is free to use and the data you log is shared with healthcare companies to use as research.
HealthyWage
HealthyWage is a weight loss challenge app that uses money as a means to motivate you to lose weight. The psychology behind it seems to work as both fitness guru Jillian Michaels and celebrity comedian Sherri Shepherd both endorse the app.
The premise behind it is you place a wager on how much you think you can lose in a given amount of time. The app will calculate the amount of money you can win based on your goal and wager. If you meet your goals, then you win the prize!
The app helps keep you on track with weekly weigh-ins and community support. If you lose, then you also lose your wager amount. So while this app will pay you to eat healthy, it will also cost you money if you go off track.
Get Paid to Be a Competitive Eater
If you’re someone that enjoys good competition, then getting paid to be a competitor eater may be right up your alley. Food competitions are events where you can get paid to eat your heart out. Below are two such contests you may want to consider.
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest
If you want to get paid $10,000 for scarfing down as many hot dogs as you possibly can in 10 minutes, then check out Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating contest. The famous yearly contest brings out the best of the best, and the competition can be fierce. The reigning champion for 2021 devoured 76 hotdogs and buns in 10 minutes time. If you can stomach that, then it may be worth joining as a contestant.
The competition also pays out $5,000 to second place winners, $2,500 for third place winners and also has a fourth and fifth place prize award.
Major League Eating Organization
If competitive eating is something that truly interests you, then you should familiarize yourself with the Major League Eating organization. There, you’ll find resources on where and when the next best eating contests are happening, records held, top competitors and much more.
For instance, some of the events currently being shown on the website include: The World Famous St. Elmo Shrimp Cocktail Eating Championship and The Mattituck Lions Club World Strawberry Shortcake Eating Championship contest. To join these and other competitions, visit the Major League Eating organization website.
Conclusion
There are plenty of creative ways to get paid to eat.
Some of these methods can serve as a fun side hustle for extra income, while others can turn into a full-time income stream.
Use these methods to get paid $100 a day for your food obsession. Or if you prefer to make even more money, then try these other methods to earn $400 fast.
Whatever way you decide, my best advice is to have fun with it. That’s always the best way to make a living!
