DoorDash Schedule: How Scheduling Works For Drivers

If you are a new DoorDash Driver or are wondering if you should sign up to be your own boss, you will have questions about your schedule and how it works.

We have done this research for you and put together a guide to setting up the best DoorDash schedule!

Can You DoorDash Anytime?

Yes. You can DoorDash at any time.

There is a feature in the DoorDash app called “Dash Now.”

This is the most flexible way to work.

By clicking this button when you sign into the app on your smartphone, you can hit the road and start earning whenever it is convenient for you.

The availability of the “Dash Now” button depends on your area and how many other dashers are currently working.

If your area already has the greatest number of dashers needed to fulfill customer demand, you will not be able to dash immediately.

Instead, you will have the option to schedule yourself for the next busy time.

Top Dasher Program

There is a loophole to get around your area already having enough dashers.

DoorDash has a driver rewards program.

The “Top Dasher Program” recognizes those drivers who meet specific criteria.

If you are a Top Dasher, you have access to the Dash Anytime feature.

This means that you can always pick up a shift, whether it is busy or not.

Top Dashers have priority for orders while they are working.

While this doesn’t guarantee that it will be busy, you will be more likely to get orders!

How are DoorDash Orders Assigned?

Different factors go into how DoorDash selects a dasher to assign an order to.

DoorDash prioritizes “Top Dashers,” as well as dashers with the highest ratings.

This means if customers rate you highly and you have very few or no late deliveries, you are more likely to receive incoming orders.

Another element to receiving an order is your distance from the restaurant.

The closest dashers will receive the offer first.

This ensures that the customer gets their order quickly.

If the order is picked up and delivered soon after being placed, customer satisfaction increases.

However, there are always special cases where one may receive an order from a restaurant that has closer dashers nearby.

It all depends on business needs and driver availability.

What Time Do Schedules Come Out for DoorDash?

Shifts for the DoorDash schedule become available at midnight each night.

This means that once it is officially midnight, you can log into your Dasher app to select the shifts you would like to work.

Sometimes these shifts fill up quickly.

In some markets, they may be gone within minutes.

To ensure you get the best DoorDash schedule, try to qualify for the Early Access Scheduling.

This is a unique program offered by DoorDash to those with the best Customer Rating and Completion Rate.

There are two ways to qualify – either by maintaining the appropriate statistics beyond your 500th delivery, or every week.

This gives you faster access to the schedule.

With Early Access Scheduling, you can manage your self-employed hours by setting your schedule six days in advance.

That means on Friday, you can select your dasher schedule for the following Thursday!

Early Access Scheduling becomes available at 3 PM six days before the date in question.

Currently, all dashers have Early Access Scheduling available.

DoorDash has indicated that this is temporary.

Is It Better to Schedule Your DoorDash Shift or Dash Now?

As a dasher trying to make the highest potential earnings, you may be wondering whether you should stick to scheduling dashes or using the Dash Now feature.

It Depends

There are advantages to either strategy.

Scheduling dashes ahead of time ensures that you set your own hours and are working when you need to be.

You can choose the shifts that will generate the most extra cash for you while working around your own schedule.

Choosing “Dash Now” gives you the flexibility needed to get on the road when you find yourself with free time.

Dash Now also allows you to take advantage of busy times.

If a shift you wanted was not available to schedule because other dashers beat you to it, it might become available if there are more orders than anticipated.

Do Scheduled Dashers Get Priority?

The Dasher Support website does indicate that the dashers who schedule their shifts ahead of time get priority.

DoorDash has stated that those Dashers who are on the schedule ahead of time will be first in line to receive orders before dashers who select the Dash Now option.

Because of this, if you can schedule a shift, you should take advantage of this perk.

In addition, dashers who are advertised as receiving priority orders from DoorDash are in the Top Dasher Program.

How to Schedule DoorDash Dashes

Scheduling a DoorDash shift is easy.

There are two ways to access the schedule.

Either click on the Schedule tab or click on “Schedule a Dash.”

The “Schedule a Dash” button is only available if “Dash Now” is not.

From there, click on “Available” and select the day you want to work with.

Choose a start and end time for your dash, and press “Save Dash.”

Congratulations! You have just scheduled a dash.

How to Delete or Edit Scheduled Dashes

Deleting or editing a Dash is also a simple process.

Follow the same process as above, but instead of clicking on the “Available” tab, just select the day you already scheduled a dash.

Tap on the dash you wish to change.

To delete it, simply press “Delete” which is located at the top of the screen, in the right-hand corner.

To edit the dash, tap on the time and make the necessary changes.

When you have finished, simply click on “Save Dash.”

Tip: Pick the Best Shifts

One of the best things about being an independent contractor with DoorDash is the flexibility it offers.

You can schedule around your own time constraints, and pick up available shifts as needed.

However, the times that you choose to dash do affect the extra money you can make with your side hustle!

You want to be sure to select the right shifts to maximize your earnings.

What are The Best Hours for DoorDash?

Whether DoorDash is a side gig or full-time work, the best way to make sure you are making the most out of your time on the road is to work the right hours.

The best hours to DoorDash are the times when it is busy enough to keep you working with very little downtime between orders.

During the week, the lunch and dinner rushes are likely to bring in orders.

For example, if you are dashing on a Monday, you probably want to be working between 10 AM and 2 PM when people who are working want to order a quick bite for lunch.

5 PM to 9 PM is when you will probably see plenty of dinner orders for families who need a quick solution.

On the weekends, you might see orders come in later than usual as restaurants are open later, and people do not have to be up early the following day.

What are The Best Days for DoorDash?

The best days to work for DoorDash are going to be days when there are plenty of orders.

You may see more orders being offered on the weekends.

Pay attention to what is happening that may keep people at home ordering DoorDash.

Families may be at home watching if there is a big event, such as a football game or televised political event or concert.

In these cases, they will want to order food with the convenience of an app.

Hot Spots

Another thing to keep an eye on is the presence of “Hot Spots”, sometimes referred to as “Hotspots”.

These are areas that are busier at the given time.

Positioning yourself near a hot spot as indicated on your driver app will allow you to generate more revenue for yourself by picking up more orders.

Troubleshooting: Why Can’t I Schedule a Dash?

If you are experiencing trouble scheduling a dash on your driver app, there may be an easy fix or simple explanation.

Common DoorDash Scheduling Errors

The most common problem when scheduling a dash is that there are no available times.

The reason behind this is usually that there are not enough orders and there are already enough dashers scheduled.

How to Fix Those Errors

In this case, the first thing to do is keep checking back to see if your desired time becomes available.

If you are unable to schedule ahead of time, log into the app when you wish to work and see if the “Dash Now” button is available.

You can also try to schedule within or travel to a different area that may be busier than your preferred zone.

How Do I See My Schedule on DoorDash?

To view your schedule on the Dasher App, click on “Schedule” at the bottom of the screen.

At the top of the next screen, you will see the words “Available” and “Scheduled”.

Tap “Scheduled.”

From here, you can select dates from the seven-day calendar at the top of the screen to see your scheduled shifts for each date.

If you wish to change them, you can do so by selecting the shift.

If you want to add more dashes, switch back to the “Available” screen and schedule from there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most common questions people have about the DoorDash schedule:

Wrapping Up

The scheduling process for DoorDash is very straightforward.

There are ways to gain priority when receiving orders, and there are resources available on the Dasher Support website.

If you are researching how scheduling works for drivers, surely you are ready to go make money!

If you have not already signed up for DoorDash, the application process is simple.

If you are a new dasher, log into your driver app and get started today.