DoorDash Driver Not Moving - What's Happening?

Why is your DoorDash driver not moving? It’s a question you might ask yourself if you place an order and find your driver is in one place and hasn’t moved in a while.

When you place an order on DoorDash, you can see where your delivery driver is from the moment they accept your order to when they pick up your order and deliver it. On rare occasions, you might see your driver sitting in one spot on the map, not moving at all.

In this post, we’ll look at the main reasons why your DoorDash driver is not moving. Here are the reasons, in no particular order.

Your DoorDash Driver Is Waiting For A Stacked Order

The most common reason your DoorDash driver might be in one spot for a while is that they are waiting to pick up another DoorDash order. To improve efficiency, DoorDash often stacks multiple orders with one driver. That means your driver may be assigned your order, then also be assigned another order along the way.

Ideally, the new order would be ready as soon as the driver arrives, but unfortunately, some restaurants can be slower than others. So, if you see your driver in one spot for a while, they could be waiting for the restaurant to prepare the other customer’s order.

If your driver has a stacked order, the DoorDash app should tell you so you know what your driver is doing.

Your DoorDash Driver Is Multi-Apping

Another common reason your DoorDash driver might not be moving is that they are multi-apping. Multi-apping is the practice of working for multiple delivery apps at the same time. As a driver, you can dramatically improve your earnings by accepting orders from multiple delivery apps, rather than just relying on DoorDash.

In an ideal situation, multi-apping doesn’t impact the delivery experience for the customer so long as the restaurants are preparing orders on time. Problems can arise when restaurants are busy or slow. In that case, a driver that is already delivering a DoorDash order can find themselves waiting at a restaurant for another order from Uber Eats or Grubhub.

The DoorDash App Is Glitching

Finally, it’s also possible that the DoorDash app is glitching and your driver is actually moving, but the app isn’t updating. The DoorDash app is known for crashing every once in a while, so if you see your driver sitting in one spot for a while, it’s very possible that the app has glitched.

What Your Driver Probably Isn’t Doing

There are people who jump to worst case scenarios when they see that their driver isn’t moving for a while. Most of the time, though, the things they think drivers are doing isn’t what they are doing.

Here are some things your driver probably isn’t doing.

Eating Your Food. While there are reports of DoorDash drivers eating the customer’s food, the vast majority of drivers do not do this. Most people are simply not going to stoop to that level. That isn’t to say it’s not possible, but you have to believe that most people aren’t that low-class to eat your food while they’re delivering it.

Taking A Nap. I’ve seen some sources suggest that drivers are taking a nap if they aren’t moving for a while. This is simply ridiculous and is likely not happening. There’s not much more I have to say about that. Is it possible they’re napping? Sure. But is it likely? No, it’s not.

Doing Something Else Nefarious. Finally, whatever you think is happening, your driver likely isn’t doing some nefarious. Most likely, they are stuck in traffic. Or maybe they are having vehicle issues. Or they might be picking up a stacked order or a multi-app order. Unless the food is extremely late, don’t worry about it.

What Should You Do If Your DoorDash Driver Is Not Moving?

It can be understandable to be upset if you see your DoorDash driver not moving for a while. If the food is extremely late, then you can be upset. But most of the time, your order is probably still going to arrive in the expected time frame that was given to you.

If you have been waiting for a long time, you can contact DoorDash support and ask them to cancel your order and give you a refund. In some cases, you may be able to get DoorDash credits as reimbursement for the delay.

If you want, you can message the driver to see what is happening. But be aware that most drivers do not appreciate being hassled by customers like this (I know I don’t).

Final Thoughts

There are many reasons why your DoorDash driver isn’t moving. Most likely, it’s going to be because they’re waiting for another order to be ready – either because they picked up a stacked order or they’re multi-apping.

Either way, so long as your order within the expected time window, you shouldn’t have much reason to complain. Let your driver work – that’s my advice.

More Recommended Ebike/Scooters

Check out these other ebikes/scooters I've had the chance to do a review for:

GEN3 Outcross Bike – The GEN3 Outcross is a solid, affordable fat tire ebike that does a good job of doing what I need it to do. It works great for city riding, giving me a smooth ride in all conditions. It’s works really well as a winter ebike since the fat tires give it good traction over snow and ice. Check out my GEN3 Outcross Review.
Himiway Escape Bike – The Himiway Escape is an interesting bike for anyone looking for a moped-style ebike. If you’re a gig economy worker, the Himiway Escape is particularly interesting and it’s possible to think of it as an investment, especially if you can opt to do deliveries with the Himiway versus using a car. It’s not cheap, but you can definitely make your money back when you compare the mileage you’ll put on your car versus using an ebike. Check out my Himiway Escape Bike Review.
Espin Sport Bike – The Espin Sport is a good ebike for someone who is looking for an ebike that feels and rides more like a regular bike. There are many ebikes that are really only bikes in name. In reality, they’re basically electric mopeds. The Espin Sport, by contrast, is a bike you could probably ride without the battery and you’d feel like you’re just riding a regular bike. Check out my Espin Sport Review.
Varla Eagle One Scooter – The Varla Eagle One is an excellent scooter that can make sense for a lot of people. It can work as a primary mode of transportation. You can use it to work on gig economy apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. And it can also be a recreational vehicle if you’d prefer to use it for that. Check out my Varla Eagle One Review.
Fucare H3 Scooter – The Fucare H3 is a fun scooter and I’ve enjoyed testing it out. For a daily commuter or quick trips or errands, the Fucare H3 is probably the scooter I’ll use. It’s portable and easy to maneuver, so it’s just easier to take on the road when I need it. Check out my Fucare H3 Scooter Review.

More Recommended Investing App Bonuses

For additional investing app bonuses, be sure to check out the ones below:

M1 Finance ($100) – This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $100 for opening an account. Check out my M1 Finance Referral Bonus – Step-By-Step Guide.
SoFi Invest ($25) – SoFi Invest is an easy brokerage account bonus that you can earn with just a few minutes of work. Use my SoFi Invest referral link, fund your SoFi Invest brokerage account with $100 and you’ll get $25 of free stock. I also have a step-by-step guide for the SoFi Invest referral bonus.
Moomoo (5 free stocks) – Moomoo is a free investing app currently offering 5 free stocks (usually worth around $75-$100) if you open an account using a referral link and deposit $2,000. Read my Moomoo referral bonus guide for more information.
Webull (5 free stocks) – Webull also gives you 5 free stock valued between $3-$3,000 each if you open an account using my referral link. Here’s a guide I wrote about how to earn your free stocks using Webull.
Robinhood (1 free stock) – Robinhood gives you a free stock valued between $2.50-$225 if you open an account using my referral link.
Public (1 free stock) - Public gives you a free stock valued between $3-$70 if you open an account using my referral link.

More Recommended Bank Account Bonuses

If you’re looking for more easy bank bonuses, check out the below options. These bonuses are all easy to earn and have no fees or minimum balance requirements to worry about.

Chime ($100) - Chime is a free bank account that offers a referral bonus if you use a referral link and complete a direct deposit of $200 or more. In practice, any ACH transfer into this account triggers the bonus. This bonus is easy to earn and posts instantly, so you’ll know if you met the requirements as soon as you move money into the account. I wrote a step-by-step guide on how to earn your Chime referral bonus that I recommend you check out.
US Bank Business ($500) – This offer is limited to customers in the following states: AZ, AR, CA, CO, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, NC, ND, OH, OR, SD, TN, UT, WA, WI, WY. This is a fairly easy bank bonus to earn, since there are no direct deposit requirements. In addition, you can open the Silver Business Checking account, which comes with no monthly fees. Check out how to earn this big bonus here.
SoFi Money ($275) – SoFi Money is a free checking account from SoFi. They’re currently offering a $25 referral bonus if you open a SoFi account with a referral link and deposit $10. You can also make an additional $250 as well if you complete a direct deposit. This is a good bank that is also 100% free, so you won’t have to worry about managing this account. Here’s a post I wrote with instructions on how to earn your SoFi Money bonus: SoFi Money Referral Bonus: Step By Step Guide.
Fairwinds Credit Union ($100) – Fairwinds Credit Union is offering a referral bonus for users that sign up using a referral link. Fairwinds has no fees or minimum balance, so this is a particularly easy bonus to earn. Since this is a smaller credit union, my gut instinct tells me this offer won’t be around long, so if you’re in a position to meet the bonus requirements, grab this bonus before it’s gone. Here is my step-by-step guide on how to earn your Fairwinds Credit Union bonus.
Upgrade ($50) – Upgrade is a free checking account that’s currently offering a $50 referral bonus if you open an account and complete three debit card transactions. These bonus terms are easy to meet, so it’s well worth doing this bonus as soon as you can. Importantly, this bonus says that it’s now scheduled to end on April 15, 2023. As long as you get your account opened before April 15th, you should be eligible. Here’s a post I wrote with more details: Upgrade $50 Referral Bonus – Step By Step Directions.
Current ($50) – Current is a free fintech bank that’s offering new users a $50 referral bonus after signing up for an account using a referral link.Current is an easy bonus to earn and also gives you access to three savings accounts that pay you 4% interest on up to $2,000. That means you can put away up to $6,000 earning 4% interest. That’s very good and makes Current an account I recommend to everyone. Check out my step-by-step guide on how to earn your Current Bank bonus.
Digital Federal Credit Union ($20) – Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) is a free, nationwide credit union that I recommend to readers for two reasons. First, DCU has a $20 referral bonus if you open a free DCU checking account with a referral link. Second, DCU has a saving account that gives you 6.17% interest on your first $1,000. Check out my in-depth post on how to set this account up.
Netspend ($20 + 5% Interest Savings Account) – Netspend is a company that provides 5% interest savings accounts. If you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get a $20 signup bonus once you make your first deposit into your Netspend account of $40 or more. That means you get a 5% interest savings account and a free $20 to start! Make sure to check out my in-depth guide on how to set up these accounts.
Novo Bank ($40) - Novo bank is a free business checking account that’s currently offering a $40 bonus if you open a Novo business checking account using a referral link. In addition to being a good bank bonus, Novo is also a good business checking account. It has no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements and operates a good app and website. Indeed, it’s the business checking account I currently use for this blog. Check out my post on how to easily open a Novo account.
Varo ($30) – Varo is a free fintech banking app similar to Chime or Current. It’s currently offering a $30 bonus to new users that open a new Varo account with a referral link. The bonus for this bank is very easy to meet, all you need to do is spend $20 within 30 days of opening your Varo account. Check out my step-by-step guide to learn how to earn this bonus.

Kevin is an attorney and the blogger behind Financial Panther, a blog about personal finance, travel hacking, and side hustling using the gig economy. He paid off $87,000 worth of student loans in just 2.5 years by choosing not to live like a big shot lawyer.

Kevin is passionate about earning money using the gig economy and you can see all the ways he makes extra income every month in his side hustle reports.

Kevin is also big on using the latest fintech apps to improve his finances. Some of Kevin's favorite fintech apps include:

SoFi Money. A really good checking account with absolutely no fees. You'll get a $25 referral bonus if you open a SoFi Money account with a referral link, and an additional $250 if you complete a direct deposit.
US Bank Business. US Bank is currently offering new business customers a $500 signup bonus after opening a new account and meeting certain requirements.
M1 Finance. This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $100 for opening an account.
DCU. Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) is a free, nationwide credit union that I recommend to readers for two reasons. First, DCU has a $20 referral bonus if you open a free DCU checking account with a referral link. Second, DCU has a savings account that gives you 6.17% interest on your first $1,000.
Personal Capital. One of best free apps you can use to monitor your portfolio and track your net worth. This is one of the apps I use to track my financial accounts.