DoorDash Top Dasher Requirements & Is It Worth It In 2024?

What Is the DoorDash Top Dasher Program?

The Top Dasher program is designed to reward high-performing Dashers with several benefits for their dedication and performance on the platform.

To become a Top Dasher, you need to meet specific requirements by the last day of the previous month, such as a minimum acceptance rate, customer rating, completion rate, and a certain number of deliveries.

Benefits include the flexibility to “Dash Now” anytime, priority for high-value and regular orders, potentially leading to increased earnings.

However, maintaining Top Dasher status requires drivers to continually meet strict performance metrics, meaning the value of the program varied from driver to driver.

How Does the Top Dasher Program Work?

The Top Dasher program operates on a month-to-month basis. Dashers who meet specific criteria by the end of each month are automatically granted Top Dasher status on the first day of the following month.

Once the status is achieved, these Dashers can expect benefits including:

1. Dash Now Feature: Top Dashers have the flexibility to dash anywhere, anytime with the “Dash Now” feature, allowing them greater freedom in scheduling.
2. Priority on New Orders: In times of lower demand for deliveries, Top Dashers receive priority for new orders over other drivers.
3. Access to High-Value Orders: A significant perk added in 2021 is that Top Dashers see a 50% increase in high-value orders, defined as those costing $35 or more.

These benefits are accessible via the Dasher Rewards page in the Dasher app and are valid for the entire month.

If a Dasher does not meet the criteria by the end of a month, they lose Top Dasher status and its associated benefits for the next month.

This incentivizes Dashers to consistently perform well, offering them the opportunity to increase their earnings.

Requirements for Becoming a Top Dasher

After going through the special perks of being a Top Dasher, it’s time to get into the requirements.

It’s primarily a numbers game with DoorDash. You need to hit certain targets related to your customer experience, completion rate, and delivery numbers.

You’ll need to complete all these requirements by 11:59 PM on the last day of the month to earn Top Dasher status:

• Driver’s acceptance rate must be at least 70%.
• Get a 4.7-star customer rating or above.
• Earn a 95% completion rate.
• Complete at least 100 deliveries in the past month.
• Finish 200 lifetime deliveries.

In some cases, you may reach these stats by the middle of the month, but that’s not enough. You need to maintain your customer rating and acceptance rate to earn Top Dasher status.

With the 200-lifetime deliveries requirement, it would be more challenging for new dashers to enter the program. Senior riders are given a better chance of earning the rewards program.

One challenging aspect is maintaining the 70% acceptance rate, as it may require accepting low-paying delivery requests that some drivers might prefer to decline.

This requirement can make it difficult for some drivers to find the program beneficial.

Deliveries aside, although you should avoid contract violations in DoorDash, they fortunately don’t count in your efforts to become a Top Dasher.

How The Metrics Are Measured

Based on the Top Dasher program requirements, you’ll need to reach certain targets for key metrics that include:

• Completion Rate: This measures how many accepted orders you’ve completed. Some orders may not get fully delivered, so they won’t count.
• Customer Rate: It’s the rating your customers give you based on their experience with your service.
• Acceptance Rate: This determines the number of orders or dashes you accept.

Maintaining Top Dasher Status

Now that you know what it takes to achieve Top Dasher status, you’re likely wondering how you can maintain it. Well, most of the metrics are manageable and predictable.

For instance, you’re likely able to achieve 100 deliveries, complete your deliveries, and accept more orders. These objectives are more within your hands. You’ll need to complete and accept an average of 25 orders per week.

As for the customer rating metric, that target can be more unpredictable. You can offer the best service of your abilities but still receive a 4-star review, lowering your overall average and keeping you further from the 4.7 target.

Factors like late food and traffic can unfairly reflect your dasher service. Here are some tips to help you get that Top Dasher customer rating.

1. Stay Connected With the Customer

Communication with your customer can go a long way in receiving a five-star rating. Whether you’re in traffic or the order is late, it’s always better to inform the customer.

Try to always reassure them that you’re on your way. If there are some discrepancies with the address, text them to make sure you’re entering the right building or apartment complex. That way, you’ll save time and keep your customer in the loop of your whereabouts.

Remember that you don’t want to overdo the communication. Otherwise, you risk annoying the customer with multiple notifications from the app. Try to keep your notifications short and to the point.

2. Ensure Order Instructions Are Met

Before asking for any address inquiries, make sure you carefully read the order’s instructions. The customer could have already stated where their address is and if they still receive a question about it, that could potentially tank your ratings.

3. Handle the Order Carefully

Put yourself in the customer’s position. After hungrily waiting for your food to arrive, you wouldn’t want to receive a half-spilled drink or a cold sandwich.

For this reason, we suggest using insulation bags to keep the food in place and warm. Plus, be wary of speed bumps, particularly if you’re carrying drinks or delivering on a bike.

4. Choose the Right Orders to Accept

This tip could contradict the Top Dasher requirement of taking as many orders as possible, but it’ll save you from low reviews.

Some restaurants are notorious for being late at preparing food. Plus, the place could be far from the customer’s home, leaving a lot of room for complaints about being late.

Other orders you’ll want to avoid are shopping ones that include a lot of out-of-stock items and will need substitutions.

Customers are unpredictable, so their moods can heavily affect your rating during those inconvenient moments.

Pros and Cons of Being a Top Dasher

Still weighing your options? To make an informed decision, you’ll want to reflect on the pros against the program’s drawbacks.

Being a top dasher provides you with several benefits, including priority over high-value orders, more flexibility with schedule and dashing location, and priority over regular dashers in order acceptance.

With these benefits, you get a higher chance of increasing your earning potential.

Despite that, you’ll have to think of the effort it takes to maintain that Top Dasher status. Completing 100 deliveries isn’t the main issue in this case.

What you need to focus more on is devising a strategy to balance out your acceptance and customer rate. While you can accept more orders to increase your rating, it can negatively impact your customer experience.

Is Top Dasher Worth It?

Now, let’s review if aiming for Top Dasher is worth it. You’ll be gaining high-paying orders, more priority over orders, and extra flexibility in terms of location and schedule.

These benefits could push you to try earning the Top Dasher position. Nevertheless, for other riders, it could be different.

For riders with limited time, it could be more challenging to achieve 100 deliveries. Additionally, the customer rating requirement could be keeping you from the target qualification due to accepting far-distance orders.

Either way, vying for Top Dasher status isn’t for everyone. It primarily depends on your working hour preferences.

If you’re okay with working longer hours and currently work with DoorDash alone, the program could be worth it for you.

Real-World Experiences and Testimonials

The Top Dasher program has received a lot of mixed reviews from users. One reviewer made a compelling note, saying

“As a top dasher we get “first dibs” on orders, meaning we tend to get the offer first.

First offers are usually lower. When you aren’t a top dasher, you tend to get some orders that have been declined a few times.

The problem is, when orders get declined a bunch, DD ups the offer to try and get someone to take it. This leads to no top dashers getting higher value offers.”

Meanwhile, other reviewers believed the program worked well for them with one stating, “With Top Dasher status, I am able to work anytime and in any zone, even if it isn’t busy.”

Even though some positive reviews are popping up, most have commented negatively regarding the program.

One reviewer mentioned a lack of cost-effectiveness, saying, “I’m a top dasher with perfect ratings, yet some days in eight hours I make 40 to 50 bucks.”

Alternatives to Top Dasher

The good news is that DoorDash has other rewards programs you can utilize, such as Priority Access, Large Orders, Early Access Scheduling, and VIP Support.

With the Priority Access program, you can reap the benefits of getting higher priority over high-paying orders for easier qualifying terms than the Top Dasher program. You’ll need a 4.5-star customer rating and a 50% acceptance rate.

Meanwhile, the Large Orders program stipulates the same requirements as the Top Dasher plan. Its benefits focus more on receiving high-paying orders.

Rather than resort to these incentive plans, you can also maximize your earnings by working for other delivery-riding gig companies like Instacart and Uber Eats. By diversifying your work source, you get more orders and a higher chance of better income.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion: Making an Informed Decision

As an employee in the food delivery gig market, you want to try your best to maximize your profits and increase cost-effectiveness.

Programs like DoorDash’s Top Dasher can provide that. Once you meet the plan’s qualification terms, like earning a certain customer rating and acceptance rate, you’ll enjoy several worthwhile perks, including a flexible schedule and working location.

While these perks could seem tempting, you need to evaluate your current working situation. Ask yourself whether the program aligns with your working hours, earning goals, and personal circumstances.