Proven Strategies to Get More Orders on DoorDash

In the world of food delivery, every order counts. Despite the competition in the market, many people choose to become DoorDash drivers to increase their earnings. And those drivers know the importance of increasing their orders to earn more money.

But with countless people joining the DoorDash workforce, securing consistent orders to boost your earnings isn’t easy.

Luckily, you’ve found this guide, as we’ll explain how to get more orders on DoorDash and stay ahead of other drivers.

Understanding DoorDash’s Algorithm

After verifying your account and receiving your DoorDash Red Card, it’s time to maximize your earnings. It’s all about choosing the right strategies to pick orders and executing those strategies professionally.

But first, you should start by understanding the platform’s algorithm to help you earn more than the average income for a DoorDash driver.

DoorDash has a complex system that matches orders with drivers. Several factors govern the process and play a role in the number of orders you can deliver in your free time.

• DoorDash drivers positioned in high-demand areas are more likely to receive orders. The platform prioritizes drivers close to restaurants and within urban areas because they’ll be more successful at delivering their orders on time.
• Having a high acceptance rate on DoorDash means that you’ll be assigned more orders, as the platform aims at improving the experience of customers who order through DoorDash.
• Drivers with a high acceptance rate will have an advantage. The platform wants to hire people who are successful at delivering orders, and if you constantly deny them, you might not receive many orders.
• Being a long-term driver on DoorDash can have an impact on the number of orders you’re assigned. This doesn’t mean new drivers won’t receive any orders, but the more experienced ones will probably receive more.

What Should You Do?

When you have a proactive approach towards driving on DoorDash, you’ll receive more orders. Drivers who log in during peak hours and schedule their shifts in advance prove to be an asset to the company and are assigned more orders.

As a driver, you need to understand these factors and how they impact your experience as a Dasher. You must study the map and see which locations are busiest to pick the right one during peak hours. But you should manage delivery times by navigating optimal routing for better and faster deliveries.

Accepting and completing more orders means that you’ll be assigned more orders in the future. Yet, this doesn’t mean that you should accept unprofitable orders. Finally, you should push yourself to provide 5-star customer service to improve your performance on the platform.

Choosing the Right Times to Dash

As a DoorDash driver, you should schedule your shifts during peak times, when more people are likely to order through the platform. During these periods, orders will generate more money. So, check the heat map to see if it’s the right time to plan your DoorDash shifts.

• Mealtimes, at lunch and dinner, are amongst the best times to dash because there will be more orders waiting for drivers to accept them. The rush hours are between 11 am and 2 pm and 5 and 8 pm. But there will be a window for delivering breakfast meals between 7 am and 10 am. There’s also another one late at night after 9, especially when you’re near clubs, restaurants, and entertainment hubs.
• Prioritize scheduling shifts as a Dasher during weekends from Friday to Sunday. More people will order food during these periods during special occasions and family gatherings. There will also be more late-night and brunch orders on Saturdays.
• Keep an eye on local events like parties, competitions, games, and carnivals as people gather and order food. When people gather in large groups, they’ll likely order more food.
• During national holidays there will be a surge in orders, and you’ll make more money by accepting orders on these days. When it’s snowing or raining, more people will order food, so you can choose to deliver orders instead of staying at home.

Becoming a Top Dasher

A Top Dasher can deliver with the Dash Now button whenever they like. Regular Dashers need to schedule their work hours or Dash Now only on busy days.

The algorithm prefers Top Dashers and gives them priority to accepting high-value orders. But you must fulfill specific requirements.

These include maintaining a minimum rating of 4.7, an acceptance rate of at least 70%, and a completion rate of at least 95%. Drivers should also have a minimum of 200-lifetime deliveries completed and at least 100 deliveries in the previous month to be eligible for the Top Dasher Program.

Strategic Location Selection

Being close to the pickup point is one of the key factors that the algorithm uses to assign orders to different people. This is why DoorDash drivers usually focus on busy areas like business districts, entertainment areas, popular restaurants, and night spots. You can also pick a location near the airport and take hotel deliveries.

Areas with convenient parking options can help you maximize your earnings. You won’t waste your time while picking up different orders. But don’t wait too long, as you should drive around to spread your visibility.

Drivers should identify busy residential areas, as this means that more people will make orders. They should also focus on restaurant spots where there are various cuisines since more people will order from these spots.

The density in some spots changes regularly, so some areas can become more tempting if there’s a party. So, you can position yourself in a nearby area to be ready to accept more orders.

While working you should check the platform’s heatmap because it will show the busiest spots. This will guide you to move around to areas where there are more orders that you should pick up and deliver. But remember that the hot spots change all the time.

You can also build some relationships with the staff if you pick up orders from the same restaurants. The staff might prioritize your order, so you can make more money.

Finally, it’s crucial to remember to track your results and see if your strategy is working. Combining peak times and premium location choices should be a priority, so take a look at your performance and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Maintaining a High Acceptance Rate

As a Dasher, your acceptance rate matters . It doesn’t directly affect the number of orders you receive but indirectly impacts them. DoorDash monitors the drivers’ acceptance rate because they want to deliver more orders.

This doesn’t mean that you should accept every order and compare the payout to the mileage. If you reject many orders, there’s a chance that the number of orders you receive will decrease.

Ideally, drivers should aim to maintain an acceptance rate of 80% to 90%, and decline orders that seem impossible to deliver on time or have a low payout. Successful Dashers usually accept orders quickly before someone else accepts them. Rejecting too many orders is one of the reasons for deactivation on the platform.

Enhancing Your DoorDash Rating

Although customers don’t choose Dashers, your rating can greatly impact the number of orders you accept. The platform assigns orders to drivers with the highest rating within the restaurant’s proximity.

Improving your rating involves focusing on providing your customers with excellent service. You can become a top performer by following these tips.

• Arrive at the restaurant on time and make sure that you’ve picked every item in the order.
• Manage your delivery routes to avoid wasting time.
• Use hot and cold bags to maintain the food’s temperature.
• Help customers with any questions regarding their order.
• Follow the proper delivery instructions.
• Send a courtesy text or attach a note to confirm delivery and wish customers to enjoy their meal.

Utilizing DoorDash Promotions and Challenges

As a dedicated Dasher, you should check the app or various forums to learn about the new incentives and promos. These programs are designed to help drivers maximize their earnings and improve their status.

New Dashers receive a guaranteed minimum amount when they complete a certain number of orders within a specific period. If you’re an existing Dasher, you’ll receive an email that notifies you about new incentives for existing users . These incentives don’t work like bonuses and aren’t added to your earnings. They simply guarantee a minimum amount you’ll receive if the individual order earnings are low.

Challenges are different because the platform changes their terms depending on the conditions in the market. They’re time-sensitive and are added as a bonus on top of your earnings when you complete a certain number of orders within a specific period.

Drivers receive notifications about challenges when they log into the app, and they’re limited to certain locations. Dashers can’t refuse to be part of a challenge, and they’ll appear when you determine your starting point before you accept any orders.

Efficient Order Management and Multi-Apping

DoorDash doesn’t punish drivers who multi-app and work with various platforms. You can download various apps and sign into them, check them when you’re ready to deliver orders, and then accept the suitable one.

It’s like working for multiple contractors like Uber Eats and Grubhub to increase your income when DoorDash isn’t enough. But first, you should understand that there are several pros and cons to multi-apping.

Pros of Multi-Apping

• You have more income opportunities to choose from.
• There’s a higher potential of stacking orders and making more money.
• Income from one app can compensate for the slow days on DoorDash.
• You won’t have to accept low-paying orders.

Cons of Multi-Apping

• You have to scroll between multiple apps and offers.
• There’s less time to make decisions on offers.
• Higher opportunity of maintaining a high rating on a single app.
• There’s a lower complexity in stacking orders from one platform.

Conclusion: Building a Successful Strategy

Being proactive and thinking about improving your DoorDash strategy is a guaranteed way to increase your earning potential. It starts by studying the app and improving your location selection and time slots to accept the maximum number of orders available.

Improve your acceptance rate by quickly accepting orders that involve a higher earning potential. Following these tips will boost your rating as a Dasher and automatically you’ll be eligible for more orders.

It’s time to review your strategy on DoorDash and improve your earnings. Monitor your performance and highlight areas of improvement to make more money based on how the market changes.

Frequently Asked Questions