Do you want to know some tips to make the most of your DoorDash driving experience? With some good advice, you can improve your efficiency as a Dasher and save and earn more money with these DoorDash hacks.
DoorDash is a popular meal delivery service that millions of people across the country have used.
Getting a delivery job or side hustle at DoorDash is also considered a favored gig since it allows you to make extra money on your own schedule. You may read the complete DoorDash review for more details about the platform.
While this article is particularly for DoorDash drivers, it also includes some creative solutions about getting free credit or scoring free food for everyday consumers. There’s also a section about the issue of a real computer system hack that hit DoorDash and how it could have affected you.
But for now, let’s get ready to hitch a ride and maximize your DoorDash experience.
12 Best DoorDash Driver Hacks
DoorDash drivers are the unsung heroes of the food delivery industry. They brave bad weather, traffic, and sometimes even uncooperative customers to deliver our meals on time.
Being a DoorDash driver is more than just a job: it’s also a way to earn some extra cash. Here are 12 hacks that will help you earn more money as a DoorDash driver.
1. Learn the Map
You can avoid getting lost and wasting precious time by memorizing key streets and landmarks.
Knowing your way around town will help you reach your destinations faster and impress customers with your navigational skills. It will also save you time by avoiding heavy traffic and taking the fastest possible routes.
Next time you’re behind the wheel, take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the area, and you’ll soon be on your way to becoming a top-rated driver.
2. Doordash Fast Pay Hack
Normally, drivers must wait a few days for their earnings to be deposited into their accounts. But with the DoorDash Fast Pay feature, you can get paid as soon as your shift ends. You just need to sign up for a Fast Pay account and activate the feature before your next delivery.
This is specifically useful if you need money now or if you need to pay rent tomorrow and you’re in dire need of some extra cash.
When you’re finished with your shift, just head to the Fast Pay page on the app and request a payout. DoorDash will deposit the money into your account within minutes, so you won’t have to wait around to get paid.
3. Build Good Rapport With Customers
It may sound simple, but maintaining a positive connection with the people you’re delivering to can make all the difference in your earnings.
Invest your time learning about your customers and what they like, and you’ll find that they’re more likely to leave bigger tips and give you higher ratings. That being said, you’ll also get more repeat business, which is always good.
4. Utilize Peak Pay Hours
You can make up to 50% more in peak pay hours, so it’s worthwhile to plan your shifts around them. Need help determining when they are in your area? Open the app and check; you can see the marked peak hours.
And if you want to maximize your earnings, consider working during multiple peak periods in a single day. You’ll be most likely to earn $500 a week with DoorDash.
5. Separate Hot and Cold Items
This one is simple but important. If you have hot and cold items in the same order, keep them separate.
That way, you can deliver the hot items first while they’re still hot, and the cold items will stay cold until they’re delivered. Your customers will appreciate it, and you’ll avoid any messy accidents.
6. Update your Customers
Whether through texts, calls, or even just a quick update in the app, letting your customer know you’re on your way will help keep them happy.
Leave them a text when you arrive at a restaurant or are 5 minutes away, or even inform them about an unexpected delay. Hungry customers just can’t wait to hear back from delivery riders, so updating them might please them.
7. Always Keep a Sharpie in Your Car
As a DoorDash driver, you’re always on the go. So, you never know when you’ll have to make a quick stop or when you’ll need to jot down an address. Keeping a Sharpie in your car is always a good idea.
With a Sharpie, you can quickly write down an order or an address without searching for a pen. Plus, a Sharpie will come in handy if you ever need to make a sign.
8. Take Stacked Orders
Stacked order is when you have more than 1 delivery to make simultaneously. This usually happens when you deliver to 2 different food establishments close together. So, accept stacked orders if you’re thinking of making more money.
To check for stacked orders, click the “Possible Stacks” section in the DoorDash app, and they pay a little extra for stacked orders.
9. Wait Near Ghost Kitchens
If you’re unfamiliar with ghost kitchens, it’s a kitchen that only delivers food and doesn’t have a dine-in option. These places are great since they tend to be much less busy than restaurants with delivery and dine-in options.
As a result, you can often get orders from ghost kitchens much faster and with less competition.
10. Prioritize Caviar Orders
Caviar is a premium food delivery service that offers higher payouts for drivers. By prioritizing Caviar orders, drivers can earn more money without extra hours.
Caviar orders often come with tips that supplement your earnings.
11. Avoid Becoming A Top Dasher on DoorDash
Being a “Top Dasher” is not a good idea. You might think that becoming a Top Dasher would mean more orders and bigger tips, but the truth is that you’re likely to end up with orders that are deemed undesirable.
As a Top Dasher, you get prioritized for orders that are much more challenging delivery-wise. So, those orders that are less prioritized are given to average drivers. These average drivers tend to receive more delivery orders, which means many more opportunities to earn money.
So, what’s the best way to avoid becoming a Top Dasher? Stay below the 90% mark of accepting orders and try to decline some orders once in a while.
12. Behave Professional On the Job
As a DoorDash driver, you are the face of the company. First impressions matter, so looking professional on the job is imperative.
It doesn’t mean you must dress in a suit and tie, but you should avoid wearing t-shirts and shorts. Instead, opt for clean, pressed clothing that gives you a polished appearance.
You should also keep your hair well-groomed and your face clean-shaven.
How to Get Quick Cash From DoorDash
You’ve just completed a DoorDash delivery, and you’re dying to get your hands on that cash. Who can blame you? With Fast Pay, DoorDash makes it easy to get your money as soon as possible.
You must sign up for an account and select Fast Pay when you complete a delivery. Once your request is approved, DoorDash will deposit the cash into your account within two days. And the best part? There’s no fee to use Fast Pay.
There are some security concerns surrounding Fast Pay, which allows drivers to receive payment for their deliveries immediately after completing them. Unfortunately, this feature has led to some customers being charged twice for their orders, as the driver can keep the first payment and then cancel the order.
How to Get Free Food From DoorDash
DoorDash is a great way to get your favorite food delivered right to your door. But what if I told you that you could hack DoorDash for free food? That’s right!
With creativity, you can score free meals from DoorDash. Here’s how.
Earn Free DoorDash Gift Cards From Survey Sites
First, sign up for survey sites like Swagbucks and Drop. These sites offer rewards for completing surveys, and you can cash out your rewards for DoorDash gift cards.
Additionally, download the Ibotta app and look for deals on DoorDash restaurants. Once you’ve amassed enough rewards, simply use them to place an order on DoorDash. And voila, free food!
Create an Account and Refer a Friend
If you’re looking for a way to hack DoorDash for free food, here’s what you need to do:
- Create a new account and use a referral code to get $5 off your first order.
- Then, refer a friend to DoorDash, and both of you will receive $5 off your subsequent orders.
- Once your friend has placed an order, cancel it, and you’ll receive a credit for the order amount. Use this credit to offset the price of your order.
- Repeat this process as often as possible to get free food from DoorDash!
DashPass
DoorDash also charges a delivery fee, which can add up if you order multiple items or from multiple restaurants. However, there is a way to get around this: by signing up for DashPass, you can get free delivery on all your DoorDash orders!
DashPass is a monthly subscription service that costs $9.99 per month, but it’s well worth it if you order from DoorDash frequently. Plus, you can use promo codes to discount your DashPass subscription further.
Postscript: When DoorDash Was Hacked
Recently, DoorDash admitted that the company had been hacked after a phishing attack. User data has been compromised.
Hackers have gained access to DoorDash’s databases through ransomware and have stolen user passwords. Not only this, but according to security experts, credit card information, health information, social security numbers, phone numbers, email addresses, passport numbers, and other sensitive account information were accessed by the attackers during this data breach.
Hacking Redux
DoorDash has responded to the hack by temporarily disabling its website and app. However, it is important to note that this is one of many times DoorDash has been hacked.
In 2015, DoorDash was breached, and a hacker stole user data. Unfortunately, cybercriminals have used sophisticated methods to gain access to DoorDash’s systems this time.
DoorDash Response
DoorDash has imposed stricter protocol enforcement to improve data and identity theft protection, such as implementing 2-factor authentication and encrypting passwords. However, the company still needs to completely stop security breaches and cyberattacks.
Despite this data breach, DoorDash continues to be a popular food delivery app, thanks to its ease of use and a large selection of restaurants.
The incident highlights the importance of cybersecurity. It underscores the need for companies to take security measures to protect their systems from data leaks and prevent exposing customer data and cybercrime.
Consumers are likewise encouraged to observe basic online precautions like changing passwords regularly, extra care in giving out financial information, and being updated on the latest possible scams.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Best DoorDash Hacks
What Was the DoorDash and Amazon Glitch?
Some DoorDash customers woke up to quite a surprise on Thanksgiving morning: their accounts had been charged for an Amazon order they had never made.
A glitch in the system caused some DoorDash orders to be placed with Amazon instead. While Amazon eventually refunded the charges, it was a major inconvenience for those affected.
How Do You Get Free Stuff From DoorDash?
There are a few ways to get free stuff from DoorDash. First, you can sign up for survey sites like Swagbucks and Drop to earn rewards that you can redeem for DoorDash gift cards.
You can also refer friends to DoorDash and receive credits when they place an order. And finally, you can sign up for DashPass to get free delivery on all your DoorDash orders.
Can You Make $200 a Day With DoorDash?
Yes, you can make $200 a day with DoorDash. However, this will require you to complete a high volume of deliveries or deliver to areas with higher delivery fees.
You can increase your earnings by signing up for DoorDash’s Boost program, which offers higher pay for completing deliveries during peak times.
What Time Does DoorDash Fast Pay Reset?
DoorDash Fast Pay resets at 3 a.m. EST every day, which means you can only access the funds deposited into your account until then. Any deliveries completed after 3 a.m. will not be processed until the following day.
Conclusion – Best DoorDash Hacks
With the best DoorDash hacks listed above, you can push the limits of your DoorDash experience, whether as a driver or customer, to earn or save more money.
Unlike that infamous computer hack against DoorDash, these clever tricks are legit and innovative pro advice that gives you the best advantage when using this app. Use your favorite hack or two to maximize DoorDash’s money potential for you.
If you like this article, here are some money and life hacks that you might find useful:
Founder of Spark Nomad, Radical FIRE, Journalist
Expertise: Personal finance and travel content
Education: Bachelor of Economics at Radboud University, Master in Finance at Radboud University, Minor in Economics at Chapman University.
Over 200 articles, essays, and short stories published across the web.
Experience: Marjolein Dilven is a journalist and founder of Radical FIRE, a personal finance platform, and Spark Nomad, a travel platform. Marjolein has a finance and economics background with a master’s in Finance. She has quit her job to travel the world, documenting her travels on Spark Nomad to help people plan their travels. Marjolein Dilven has written for publications like MSN, Associated Press, CNBC, Town News syndicate, and more.
