How Does DoorDash Assign Orders to Drivers?

As more and more workers join the gig economy, becoming a driver for DoorDash is easier than ever.

It’s a great way to make quick cash on the side or make it your full-time hustle.

Navigating the system is the first step to excelling at your job.

It can also help you find out if this delivery app is right for you.

Or maybe you’re a loyal customer of DoorDash and are curious to learn more about the process of how DoorDash assigns orders to drivers.

Regardless, knowing more about the DoorDash order assigning system will help you have a more rewarding experience, whether you’re slinging orders or you’re a loyal customer.

Keep reading on to learn the ins and outs of the DoorDashs delivery system.

How Does DoorDash Assign Orders?

Like the rest of the other food delivery apps, DoorDash automatically assigns orders to drivers to ensure optimal delivery speed and efficiency.

If you are a driver for DoorDash, you cannot scroll through orders and pick the one you’d like.

Instead, the app sends you a notification to either accept or reject incoming orders.

DoorDash rewards better work with their system by assigning orders to drivers with the highest ratings (who are also within a reasonable distance from the restaurant).

This process ensures a baked-in loyalty program.

The longer you drive for DoorDash and do good work, the more work that Doordash will throw your way.

This system ensures a good deal for customers as well.

When you place an order through DoorDash delivery, the probability of getting a dasher on your experienced and highly rated order is much greater than not.

In this sense, their delivery-assigning algorithm is beneficial to both the delivery driver and the customer.

Do DoorDash Drivers Choose Their Orders?

A DoorDash Dasher is unable to choose their orders.

However, that doesn’t mean they’re completely limited from choice.

The app will assign a DoorDasher an order, and from there, they can decide whether they want to accept or decline the offer.

The app allows the Dasher a 45-second window to accept or deny.

The order is automatically assigned to them after the window is up.

The Dasher cannot see the end location for the order. They only receive:

• The restaurant’s name
• Order total
• Total tip

This setting ensures that there is no discrimination from orders.

Say you have an order placed far away.

The Dasher cannot discriminate and will only accept based on the order and tip total.

Does DoorDash Give Orders Based on Location?

DoorDash assigns orders to drivers based on their proximity to the restaurant.

So, if a Dasher is trying to increase their chances of getting an order, they will most likely hang around strips with many restaurants.

This feature is also a great deal for the customer as it minimizes the time you have to wait for your order to be picked up, which further ensures that your food will be delivered hot.

If you’re a driver and do not see any deliveries pop up, you may have to drive closer to the red zone on the map where the highest deliveries are (especially during peak hours).

How Does a Dasher Get Orders?

Beyond getting high ratings and being available during peak delivery times, Dashers can also try to get orders ahead of time.

Often merchants will know what catering orders they need to be delivered the following day, or customers will place orders the day before.

As a Dasher, you can pre-claim orders the night before. Merchants can also request certain Dashers if they work well with the restaurant.

If you’re a Dasher and you’re trying to get orders, there’s a lot you can do to up your score between the merchant and the customer.

DoorDash Orders for Drivers

If you’re a delivery driver for Uber, Instacart, or any other ridesharing delivery service, you may be wondering if switching over to DoorDash is the right move for you.

Below are some resources to help you understand how the DoorDash app works from the customer side.

Learn how to get more orders on the DoorDash app, how to pick up multiple orders at a time, and how to get orders faster so that you can make the most money possible.

How to Get More Orders on DoorDash

The best thing you can do to ensure that you will get more orders is to work during peak times.

You can also see which areas have the most order requests on your DoorDash map.

Indicated in red are the high-traffic areas where many restaurants are receiving orders.

The closer you drive to the red zone, the higher your chances are of getting more orders.

Additionally, you also can deliver when DoorDash offers Peak Pay Campaigns to earn extra money on every order.

How to Get Multiple Orders on DoorDash

Like other delivery driver apps, DoorDash gives drivers the ability to tack on more than one order during their run.

To get more deliveries, you first must go to a dense area with many restaurants where the demand is high enough.

For instance, you may want to head near a popular restaurant where you know they get many DoorDash orders.

That way, when the rush hits, you are in a prime location to get as many orders as you can handle that come through that restaurant.

Then, to add multiple orders onto your queue, simply press the “Add Order to Route” option when the app advertises an incoming order.

DoorDash even color codes your orders to streamline the process.

How to Get DoorDash Orders Faster

It can be a drag to wait around for orders to come in.

The best way to get orders faster is to design your schedule to accommodate the busiest times and peak hours.

If you have a low rating, it’s best to accept any offered order to increase your rating.

The higher your rating, the more likely it is that the algorithm will send orders your way.

You can also try to pre-claim orders the night before, although this is reserved for premier drivers who are very experienced and who have high ratings.

Troubleshooting: Why Am I Not Getting Orders On DoorDash?

There could be a couple of reasons why you are not receiving orders as a DoorDasher.

The first reason is your network connection might not be strong or may not be working at all.

Check that you are connected to the internet or that you have a network connection.

Another reason is that Doordash may pause your Dash account.

Sometimes you can be suspended from your account if you drop below a specific customer satisfaction rating.

If you confirm that you are connected to the internet, it might be worth checking to make sure that you have not been suspended if you are logged in.

DoorDash Orders for Customers

Ordering from DoorDash can be a confusing process.

Whether you’re wondering if you can request a specific driver or trying to understand how to troubleshoot an issue with your order, read on to learn more about the process.

Can You Pick a Specific DoorDash Driver?

Unfortunately, DoorDash does not allow customers to choose a specific DoorDash driver.

Even if you have a positive experience with a driver, you probably won’t get the same driver again (unless you live in a very remote area with not a lot of drivers).

Rest assured, even though DoorDash doesn’t allow users to select drivers, the app has firm control over giving you the best service possible.

Since DoorDash assigns orders to those with higher ratings, the chances that you receive your order from an equally excellent Dasher are more than likely.

You never know. If you order from DoorDash a lot, you might cross paths with that same Dasher again.

Can You DoorDash Your Own Order?

Yes! With DoorDash’s new pickup service, you can place an order at your favorite restaurant through DoorDash and place the order for pickup.

This service allows you to cut down on a delivery fee and have all the conveniences of ordering through DoorDash without having to pay extra delivery fees or wait around for someone to drop your food off.

If you live close to the restaurant, you may want to consider placing your order through DoorDash pickup and DoorDashing your order.

If you’re a Doordash driver and a customer and are considering ordering food just to try to pick it up on your app to get paid, it’s relatively unlikely that you’ll be assigned unless you live in a small town and close to the restaurant you picked.

Can You Block a DoorDash Driver?

Technically, you can’t outright block a DoorDash driver or stop them from bringing food to you again.

However, if you have reasonable cause to be unhappy with your driver, you can reach out to customer care and block the driver for you.

There are several reasons why you can reach out to customer service to have them block the driver from delivering to you again.

For example, if you have a rude or late driver, that is grounds to block a driver.

Troubleshooting: What Happens If No Dasher Picks Up My Order?

If no Dasher picks up your order, the chances are that you are putting on too low of a tip.

Dashers can see the tip amount before they accept an order.

Since the rates for a Dasher are relatively low (and gas prices are so high), Dashers make most of their money through tips.

When a DoorDash customer excludes a tip, orders usually get bounced around from delivery worker to delivery worker until the app eventually cancels and refunds your order.

To increase the chances of your order getting picked up, try tipping more.

This tip is especially the case if you are ordering during peak times.

Since the Dashers have plenty of options, they probably won’t stop to take an order with a low or no tip since they know a bigger one is just around the corner.

Wrapping Up

Navigating the ridesharing delivery app can be a complex process.

However, DoorDash provides an excellent tool for gig drivers that help reward higher ratings and exemplary job performance.

If you are looking for a job with fast pay or to make some extra money on the side, zipping over to local restaurants as a DoorDash delivery driver may be the choice for you. It’s a way for gig workers to make fast cash.