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Working as a DoorDash driver is a great way to make extra cash. You get to work on your own schedule, be your own boss, and don’t have to shuttle strangers around in your car.
Plus, if you are smart about your deliveries and how you approach this, you can make a good amount of money. Enough that some people do it as a full-time job!
The average DoorDash driver earns $23 per hour.
Well above minimum wage. The app is available in over 5,500 cities across North America, so chances are you have DoorDash where you live.
Being a gig worker means your earning potential is unlimited. And food delivery isn’t going out of style anytime soon.
To help you make the most of your gig job, we’ve gathered some tips and tricks to earn the most delivering food for DoorDash.
1. Take Advantage of Low Competition
It may seem obvious that you would want to work during the lunch and dinner rush, but so do the other DoorDashers. This leads to a lot of competition, and while you will still make money, it is worth considering working hours that others don’t.
If you are an early riser or don’t mind getting up early to make some extra cash, start scheduling yourself for early morning hours. You might be surprised by the amount of breakfast orders you receive.
Another less popular time to consider is later at night. People tend to tip better…. especially if they have been drinking. While you may not get many calls, you will likely make it up with orders, plus large tips.
Bad weather can be another great opportunity. People who don’t want to go out often in the rain or snow may order deliveries. Many drivers choose to stay home, leading to less competition for Doordash orders. EntreCourier
2. High demand, high earnings
On the other hand, it can pay to drive when most orders come in. The best times to drive for DoorDash include:
- Lunch Rush from 11am to 2pm
- Dinner Orders from 4:30pm to 8pm
- Late Nights on Fridays and Saturdays
- Add day during the Weekend
More Orders mean more Money.
Yes, you’ll be competing with other Dashers to get those deliveries and their tips, but it’s usually worth it. Check it out and see what time pays the most for you.
Tuesday and Wednesday are generally slower days as well, so try to Dash on weekends and Friday to make as much money as possible. Tom Blake
3. Work the weekends
Working weekends isn’t anyone’s idea of a good time, but there are a lot of food orders on the weekend. If you are serious about earning more, working a couple of weekends a month can pay off.
If you don’t mind working late into the night, Friday and Saturday from 10 pm to 3 am are peak money making hours. People like their late night weekend treats and are more likely to tip well.
4. Book your hours in advance
You can do “Dash Now” and start working whenever you please. But, if DoorDash is slow or there are a lot of other Dashers on the road, the app may not let you go online in your preferred area. That’s why it’s best to schedule your shifts in advance whenever possible.
Booking your hours ahead of time will give you an advantage over those who just show up whenever they please to deliver. You can secure your spot in busy areas of town when you schedule your time ahead.
Let’s say you dash in an area with well-paying customers, but you notice it’s slowly getting more competitive. When this happens, open the dasher app and book the area you want to work in. This trick will let you get into even the most competitive areas. George Poullo
5. Find your perfect spot
You may think sitting outside a popular restaurant is a smart idea, but so do a lot of others.
Find a spot to park that is close to several restaurants. Somewhere like a mall parking lot. That way you can quickly get to a few restaurants instead of being limited to only one or two.
6. Don’t limit yourself to one spot
Try different areas to see where you get the most orders and make the most tips. Some areas are more lucrative than others depending on the income bracket and time of day, so it’s good to experiment.
7. Wait near DoorDash hotspots
The Dasher app will actually highlight hotspots, areas with high demand, and more earning opportunities. So you’ll know strategic places to stop and wait. Of course, it doesn’t always work, but it’s still a good idea to be in an area with lots of restaurants so you’re more likely to be close to orders when they come in.
8. Learn your driving routes
This one may seem obvious or completely useless if you use a GPS, but knowing shortcuts and alternative routes is a good way to ensure you deliver efficiently and on time. Timely deliveries get more tips than late ones, obviously. Plus, it will maximize your efficiency so you can take on more orders and earn more money.
9. Decide if an order is worth your time
Before accepting an order, determine if it is worth your time. Not every order is, and that’s ok. If you are driving several miles for only a few dollars, passing on the order and finding something with a better return is a good idea.
Weigh the cost of driving to and from a delivery against its base pay. Aim for at least $2 per mile when considering base pay for any Doordash order. Anything less is fine for quick orders that won’t take much time out of your schedule.
10. Don’t accept every order
Having a high acceptance rate on the app is important, but taking every low-paying order miles away is a surefire way to lose money. The whole point is to earn extra cash. Be selective with the orders you accept. Look for ones with a high monetary value, multiple orders in the same area, and orders with a tip. Do remember that some customers will tip after they get the order.
11. Cancel orders if needed
This isn’t a habit you want to get into; having a low completion rate will get you removed from the app.
However, if you have to wait for an order you have already accepted, canceling might be the smarter option.
Know when to cut your losses and cancel. If you arrive and find out the food will take another 20 to 40 minutes, it’s not worth the wait.
Notify the customer and let someone else pick up the order once it is actually ready to go. You don’t get paid to wait on food.
12. Aim for excellent customer service
A high DoorDash rating will help you receive bigger orders and possibly more tips. People appreciate when someone goes above and beyond for them.
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Delivering food that is still hot or still cold, being friendly and polite, throwing in some napkins/cutlery, and double-checking orders before leaving the restaurant can all go a long way to ensuring your customers are happy. Happy customers tip better and leave better reviews. All essential for gig workers.
Good customer service benefits you in two ways. One, it helps you complete deliveries more quickly with fewer headaches. Second, sometimes it can lead to an additional customer tip amount. EntreCourier
One great way to ensure happy customers and larger tips is insulated courier bags. These keep your hot items hot and cold items cold. And you can deduct them from your taxes as a business expense.
13. Contact your customers
If you have an order that is taking longer to prepare than expected, if you run into traffic, or if anything at all comes up, let the customer know. Use pre-written texts so as not to slow down.
Keeping the lines of communication open is a great way to provide good customer service. No one likes to be left in the dark.
14. Follow the instructions
Always check the instructions when you accept a new order. If someone wants their order dropped off at a specific spot at their house or doesn’t want you to ring the bell because they have dogs, you need to follow those instructions. Delivering an order as requested is a great way to get a high customer rating and have a more pleasant experience with your customers.
15. Work for multiple apps
Being a gig worker means you can work for more than one app. Your loyalty is to yourself and your bottom line. If working for a few apps and picking up only big orders payoffs, then why not? Just be sure you can juggle them all without leaving a trail of unhappy customers.
There are a ton of other food delivery apps out there. The top ones, besides DoorDash, are UberEats, GrubHub, and Caviar.
Since you’re driving around anyway, why not pick up some passengers when food orders are low? Lots of drivers toggle between Lyft and Uber to make the most money in the least amount of time.
16. Reach out for support
If you are struggling with anything, don’t hesitate to reach out to the DoorDash support team, instead of wasting your time trying to figure it out. Time is money. Don’t waste yours when that’s why they’re there for.
17. Track your expenses
When you work as a gig worker, it is up to you to ensure you are making money and are ready for tax season.
Track your gas mileage, food courier bags, car maintenance, gas, toll fees, auto insurance, and any other money you spend while working. You can then deduct these from your taxes as work-related expenses.
You can even deduct a portion of your phone expenses since you need your phone to run the DoorDash app!
Track mileage using apps like Everlance or Hurdlr.
Use cashback reward apps like GetUpside or Checkout 51 to save money on gas! Every penny counts.
18. Dress the part
No one wants to open their door and find someone dressed in tattered clothing and greasy hair delivering their food. You don’t have to dress up but looking presentable and well-kept is a must.
If your appearance makes it clear you are there to pick up a delivery, that can speed things up tremendously. A professional appearance and the presence of a delivery hot bag is the best non-verbal way of saying you’re there to pick up an order. EntreCourier
If you want to go the extra mile, purchase a DoorDash T-shirt and really look the part.
19. Get into a business mindset
You are not an employee when you work for DoorDash; you are an independent contractor, in other words, a small business owner. Looking at it as a business will help shift your mindset from being an employee to your own boss. You are in charge of how much you earn and how to increase your earnings.
20. Focus on Profitablility
Don’t just think about how much money you’ll earn per order, but overall profit and costs. Consider your mileage, time spent on deliveries, and expenses when choosing which orders to take and which to pass up.
21. Accept Batch Orders
This is when you pick up two orders from the same location but make two separate drop-offs. It can be tricky since you have to be efficient and make sure the food doesn’t get cold. But they often pay quite well and so are worth the extra effort.
Before you take a batch order, make sure the pickup and drop off locations are close by. And ideally, the drop-offs are on the same route.
Carry a Sharpie with you to write the customer’s name on the bag to prevent mixing up orders. Most places attach the receipt to the outside of the bag, but it’s better to be safe than sorry!
22. Take Advantage of DoorDash Promotions
From time to time DoorDash will offer incentives that pay you more. Common ones are Peak Pay where you’re paid more per delivery. This usually happens during busy hours or unpleasant weather.
Challenges are another bonus DoorDash offers. Here you’ll be rewarded for finishing a set number of deliveries in a certain amount of time. Check the Dasher app for any DoorDash challenges.
23. Always Check Your Deliveries
Mistakes happen and yes, it’s normally the restaurant’s fault for messing up the food but that doesn’t mean you won’t be blamed.
Avoid disappointed customers (and bad tips) by checking your bags when you pick up the order. It’ll take a little more time but is worth it to make the customer happy and get those good reviews and tips.
The Bottom Line
Success in the gig economy is about working smarter, not always harder. Try these tips and tricks to increase your pay and see what works for you.
