Food delivery apps are the new norm, and DoorDash is arguably the biggest of them all.
In 2021, DoorDash increased its revenue by a staggering 241%.
So much so that DoorDash is a name that’s synonymous with on-demand food delivery.
But, there’s no such thing as a perfect service.
While DoorDash’s food delivery service is top-notch, there may be instances where you need to cancel DoorDash orders.
Perhaps the delivery timeline is too long for you.
If you suddenly remember having to honor dinner plans or reservations, you’ll also need to learn how to cancel a DoorDash order.
The good news is you can cancel a DoorDash purchase order at any time.
The better news is you can cancel a DoorDash order and get a refund.
How much of a refund you get after canceling a DoorDash purchase depends on when you cancel the order.
And in this blog, we’ll explain all you need to know about maximizing DoorDash refunds.
Table Of Contents
Cancel DoorDash Orders: An Overview
Below is a bird’s eye view of canceling DoorDash orders.
Can I Cancel an Order Before it is Received?
Yes, you can cancel an order before receiving it.
While you can cancel a DoorDash order while it’s on its way to you, you may not get a full refund.
If your goal is to figure out how to cancel a DoorDash order and receive a full refund, you need to move fast.
Can a Dasher Cancel an Order?
Under typical situations, a Dasher can’t cancel your order.
If they’re at the restaurant and there’s an issue with the pick-up, there may be a need for the Dasher to cancel the order.
However, they don’t have this power.
Instead, they’ll have to liaise with customer support and the customer to cancel the order.
What Happens if I Cancel an Order?
Timing is a crucial part of how to cancel a DoorDash order.
If you manage to cancel the order before the restaurant confirms it, you can get a full refund on your order.
However, if you cancel the order after the restaurant confirms or a Dasher picks it up, you’ll only get a partial refund.
DoorDash will have to pay Dasher fees for the distance driven.
They may also have to pay the restaurant fees for preparing the food.
What Are My Rights When Cancelling an Order?
DoorDash is not under any obligation to refund customers for canceled orders.
Similarly, completed orders are fully non-refundable.
But depending on the circumstance, DoorDash may offer refunds.
A discretion-based system is in place to prevent customers from abusing the refund system.
DoorDash will issue a refund for the following cases:
- If you receive someone else’s order
- Missing items in your order
- Late arrival on food orders
- Incorrect food preparation
- Quality issues
- Extended estimated delivery time
For example, if it takes an extra hour to get your meal, you may get a partial or full refund in the form of DoorDash credits.
If you get the wrong order, say a chicken sandwich instead of a cheeseburger, DoorDash may refund you with credits.
Getting a Refund on DoorDash
A refund on DoorDash can come in many forms.
You may get a full refund, a partial refund, or DoorDash credits for your next order.
What Type of Refund to Expect
Whether you get a refund in the form of credits or monetary remuneration, DoorDash will send you an email with your details.
1. Full Refund
You can get a full refund on DoorDash if you cancel an order a few minutes after making it.
If you wait before canceling the order, it’s unlikely you’ll get a refund.
2. DoorDash Credits
Instead of cash refunds, DoorDash may offer you credits.
These credits work just like coupons.
You can use them to get savings on your next DoorDash order.
You can also use them to give tips to Dashers.
Did You Know?
New DoorDash users can earn account credit by applying a DoorDash promo code to their first order during checkout.
This is a great way to save money as a new user.
3. Partial Refund
Canceling a DoorDash order after the restaurant starts preparing your meal will only afford you a partial refund.
A delivery charge applies if a Dasher is already on the way with your order.
How much of a refund you’ll get depends on different variables.
If the Dasher had to spend a lot of time getting to the restaurant, you might not get much of a refund.
4. Re-Delivery
You’ll be eligible for a re-delivery on your order if food items are missing from it.
If the delivery is late, you may also get a re-delivery.
Re-delivery is a rare refund type on DoorDash.
Because it involves many minutes of consultation with customer support agents, many people ignore this refund type.
How to Get a Refund After Cancelling
Requesting a refund on DoorDash is easy with the mobile application.
With it, you can fill out a simple refund request.
DoorDash will ask you to choose between credits or cash after you fill out the refund request.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to asking for a refund:
- Find the orders tab on your app and choose the one you want a refund on from the list.
- After selecting the order, click the “Help” tab. You’ll get a drop-down asking you to explain your issue with the order.
- There’s a “Details” section where you can add information about what went wrong with the order.
Call DoorDash
Requesting a DoorDash refund is possible via a phone call.
DoorDash customer service is reachable through 855-973-1040.
During the phone call, you can explain why you want a refund.
Getting a refund via phone will take your time.
Sometimes, DoorDash may suspend its phone service during periods of high call volumes.
Live Chat with DoorDash Customer Support
If you prefer chatting with customer support, DoorDash offers you the opportunity to chat with customer service agents.
Simply visit DoorDash’s Contact Us page and find the chat icon.
A live chat option may be the best route to getting a refund if customer support is busy.
While chatting with the customer care agent, explain your issue with the order and why you prefer a refund.
How to Cancel a DoorDash Order
There are two routes to canceling a DoorDash order.
You can either go through the app or use a desktop computer.
1. Through the DoorDash App
You’ll start by logging into your DoorDash user portal. Then, follow this step-by-step:
- Find the “Orders” tab on your dashboard
- The order menu offers a drop-down that shows your in-progress orders.
- Find the order you’re looking to cancel and click “View Order.” It should be at the top of the orders menu.
- Then click “Help” to start canceling the DoorDash order. Clicking “Help” will bring up the Support menu.
- DoorDash will show you the extent of your refund (whether full, partial, or zero).
- Click “Cancel Order” if you’re happy with the terms of the cancellation.
2. Using a Personal Computer
Visit the website using your computer browser. Then, follow this step-by-step:
- Find the Hamburger menu. Typically, it’s in the left-hand corner of the landing page.
- Select “Orders” from the drop-down menu. It should be somewhere at the top of the list.
- Choose the order you’re looking to cancel.
- Click “Cancel Order”
Frequently Asked Questions
Because of DoorDash’s refund policy, figuring out how to cancel an order can be a tad complicated.
Below we provide answers to some of the common questions:
Is it Bad to Decline Orders on DoorDash as a Dasher?
When DoorDash sends an order to a Dasher, they can choose to accept or decline.
The system keeps a record of orders a Dasher declines or accepts.
These numbers determine the Dasher’s acceptance rate.
The acceptance rate is calculated based on your last 100 orders.
The more orders you accept, the higher the acceptance rate.
As you may have guessed, declining incoming orders will lower your acceptance rate.
While it can be a good flex to have high acceptance rates, it has no bearing on the offers you receive.
The idea that DoorDash gives better-paying offers to riders with a higher acceptance rate is nothing but a myth.
Conversations with a DoorDash insider reveal that Dashers can’t get deactivated due to low acceptance rates.
Acceptance rates are only a stat to help you feel good about your work.
If you receive an order far out of your area of reach, there’s nothing wrong with declining orders.
I am Unable to Cancel the DoorDash Order. What Can I Do Now, and how do I Get a Refund?
DoorDash’s service and payment terms state that charges on completed orders are irreversible.
What this means is that DoorDash isn’t under any obligation to refund your order.
Instead, DoorDash issues refunds after reviewing each unique case.
Above, we have discussed different ways to cancel a DoorDash order.
But, if you’re unable to cancel the order, the policy is to contact DoorDash customer support and discuss the specifics of a refund.
The online food delivery service will issue a refund under the following circumstances:
1. Missing food items
2. Late delivery
3. Receiving someone else’s food order
Quality issues
Wrapping Up
DoorDash is the leading provider of food delivery services in the USA.
They offer swift delivery and a great user experience, whether on iOS or an Android device.
A crucial part of their user experience is canceling orders and getting a refund (based on a window of time).
Above, we have provided a stepwise guide to getting a refund.
You can do it through the web application, via a call with customer support, or live chat.
Through these mediums, you can explain why you want a refund and receive a favorable response.
Depending on the unique situation, DoorDash may offer a total refund or a partial refund.
Sometimes, they offer refunds in the form of credits which can be helpful for future transactions on the DoorDash app.
Good luck!
Dashers generally have a very hard time finding my house, I eventually learned to guide them to me using the chat in the app. I did get a full refund the last time I had a problem, the Dasher spent like 30min driving around my block trying to find me before I cancelled the order. I complained in chat support and received a phone call from an agent who immediately refunded me.