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DoorDash Not Accepting New Dashers: What This Means For Drivers

Is DoorDash not accepting new dashers in your area? Are you stuck on the waitlist? We’ve got all the details on why and what you can do about it.

What do you do when you discover DoorDash not accepting new dashers after you’ve signed up?

For starters, you’ll be waitlisted.

Why Is DoorDash Not Accepting New Dashers?

It can be frustrating to find DoorDash not accepting new dashers, especially if it was your number one choice to bring in some extra cash.

There are a couple of reasons why DoorDash isn’t accepting new drivers; if the number of orders compared to drivers is low, they don’t need more contractors.

Or, perhaps you signed up in an already over-saturated market where there are already hundreds of drivers waiting for orders.

Let’s take a closer look.

Supply and Demand

The biggest reason why DoorDash won’t accept new drivers is due to supply and demand.

If there isn’t enough work for the current drivers, there’s no need to hire anymore.

On the other hand, if the business is booming but there is an excess of drivers available for work, DoorDash will waitlist anyone else who signs up until there’s additional work to go around or driver turnover.

Availability

Though DoorDash is an extremely popular food delivery service, it’s not available everywhere.

Currently, DoorDash services the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan in more than 7,000 cities.

If you live outside these areas, DoorDash will place you on the waitlist until they expand to that location.

You can determine if DoorDash is available near you by downloading and opening the app to see if there are any nearby restaurants for delivery.

What Is the DoorDash Waitlist?

The waitlist is where extra drivers are placed when DoorDash isn’t hiring.

You’ll be placed on the waitlist if you signed up in an area that doesn’t have enough business or is already over-saturated with drivers.

How Long Is the Waitlist for DoorDash?

Unfortunately, there’s no telling how long you can expect to be on the driver waitlist.

Availability of driver jobs is dependent upon business and how many drivers already service that area.

What Is Your Chance of Getting Waitlisted?

Your chance of sitting on the waitlist depends entirely on your location and demand in the area.

Typically, if you live in a larger city or area, your chances of being waitlisted are low.

But if you live in a small town or more rural area, there may not be much work so DoorDash doesn’t need any more drivers.

How To Check Your Waitlist Status

You can’t check your place on the DoorDash waitlist, but you can verify that you’ve submitted all the necessary information for onboarding when the time comes.

Follow these steps to double-check:

  1. Go to doordash.com/dash on your phone or computer.
  2. Select the “Already started signing up?” option. If you haven’t finished the process, you’ll be redirected to the most recent step.
  3. Check your email (including the spam folder) for a confirmation email from DoorDash. After you finish the activation and background steps, you’ll be notified.

If there’s anything else DoorDash needs from you, the email will provide instructions.

What To Do if You’re on the Waitlist for DoorDash

What should you do if you find yourself waitlisted?

Check out some of the tips below.

Can You Bypass the DoorDash Waitlist?

There’s no official way to bypass the waitlist, but you can try signing up to work in a different area in case the need for drivers is greater.

Is There a Quick Way to Get Off the DoorDash Waitlist?

Unfortunately, there’s no quick way to get off the DoorDash waitlist; there’s not even a way to see how far down you are on the list.

You’ll need to wait it out until DoorDash needs more drivers or expands to your area (if you were waitlisted because they don’t service your city/town).

Wait It Out

If you’re set on working for DoorDash, your best bet is to wait until you receive the email to start working for DoorDash.

You can contact DoorDash Support via chat or phone to see if they can provide you with an update on when they’ll be onboarding more drivers.

Delete Your Account

Waiting for the green light to start working for DoorDash can be frustrating — and maybe you found another gig you like better.

You can delete your Dasher account by following these steps:

  1. Visit the DoorDash Support page to start the account deactivation process.
  2. Choose either the Chat with Us or Call Us option.
  3. Provide the agent with the email address and phone number you signed up with and tell them you want to delete your account.
  4. Follow any further instructions.
  5. Uninstall the app from your device to ensure you don’t receive push notifications.

Sign Up in Another Area

In an attempt to bypass the waitlist, you can try signing up for another location.

Shoot for the nearest major city as there will likely be more need for drivers.

Try Another Food Delivery Service

Finally, if you’re sick of waiting on DoorDash’s go-ahead, try signing up for another food (or grocery) delivery service.

Some popular options include:

  • Uber Eats
  • Postmates
  • GoPuff
  • Instacart
  • Shipt
  • Amazon Flex

Why Does DoorDash Hire So Many Drivers?

DoorDash is a great side gig not only because it’s easy, but also because you choose your schedule and work as much or little as you want.

Unfortunately, that also means there could be a shortage of drivers if no one is working.

To ensure DoorDash can continue servicing its customers, thousands of drivers across all its locations.

This guarantees that there’s always someone working.

On the other hand, the drivers who are signed up but not working are hurting those on the waitlist ready to work, which is frustrating for many.

Frequently Asked Questions

Read on to learn more about DoorDash.

Can I DoorDash with my kid?

DoorDash doesn’t have a specific policy for dashing with children, so technically, yes you can.

You’re an independent contractor (meaning you’re the boss), so no one can tell you either way.

Either way, this is still a job so be responsible and ensure your child is safe should you decide to take them along.

How do you get approved for DoorDash?

The nice thing about a side contractor gig like DoorDash is that you don’t need to submit a resume or go through any interviews.

Once you’ve signed up and completed the background check, you’re good to go.

To be accepted as a dasher, you’ll need to complete the signup process and meet the following criteria:
– Be at least 18 years old
– Have a smartphone
– Have a car
– Valid driver’s license
– Have insurance
– Clean driving record

Wrapping Up

It’s very frustrating to find DoorDash not accepting new dashers and getting waitlisted.

This side gig is one of the most popular ways to bring in supplemental income, and it’s a relatively easy job so there’s a lot of competition.

The best thing you can do is keep your spot on the waitlist, keep an eye on your email, and hope you receive an email to begin onboarding soon.

In the meantime, you’ll probably want to find another gig to keep the money flowing.

Luckily, there are many options to make money in your free time, like delivering for Instacart, Shipt, Uber Eats, Postmates, Amazon, or other delivery services that allow you to choose your schedule.

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