DoorDash uses a bit of a hybrid system when it comes to the DoorDash schedule. You can always log into the Dasher app and click “Dash Now” if there’s room for more Dashers. The other option is to schedule your Dash in advance. If you do this, you’ll reserve your Dash slot and when the time comes, you’ll be able to log in and start Dashing, even if you wouldn’t be able to Dash because there are too many Dashers on the road.
This puts us in a bit of a conundrum. On the one hand, becoming a Dasher is great because of the flexibility of the gig – you can turn on the Dasher app and start Dashing whenever it works for you. On the other hand, if you have to schedule in advance to be able to work, you lose flexibility and Dashing starts to feel more like a job where you have set working hours.
So what should you do? Do you need to worry about the DoorDash schedule or not?
In this post, we’ll take a look at how the DoorDash schedule works and whether it’s something you need to think about when you’re doing DoorDash. The short answer is that, in some markets, the DoorDash schedule may very well matter. In other markets, you’ll never have to think about the schedule.
How Does The DoorDash Schedule Work?
You can find the DoorDash schedule in your Dasher app, located in the bottom row where it says “Schedule.”
DoorDash lets you schedule a Dash up to a week in advance. There aren’t specific time slots in the schedule. You can instead pick any start and ending time that you’d like in 30-minute increments. For example, if you wanted to Dash from 4 pm to 9:30 pm, you would log into your Dasher app, go to the schedule, and then select those times for the day that you want.
Once you’re scheduled, you’ll be able to log in and start Dashing during those assigned times. One thing to note is that while you don’t need to log into your scheduled Dash time exactly at the start time, you do have to log in eventually or else DoorDash will drop your schedule for that time. The grace period is generally 30 minutes, so you’ll need to log into your Dash within 30 minutes of the start time.
Another thing to note is that there isn’t really a penalty if you schedule yourself but don’t log into your Dash. I probably would try to avoid doing this too often, but if it happens, don’t sweat it. Also, you can log out of your scheduled Dash whenever you want, so don’t worry about the end time you set for yourself. If you want to stop Dashing, just log out.
Early Access Scheduling (i.e. Priority Scheduling)
DoorDash also has a system that gives priority access to the DoorDash schedule for Dashers who meet certain criteria. If you meet the following criteria, you’ll gain access to priority scheduling (more info is available here on the DoorDash website):
- You qualify if you have a Customer Rating of at least 4.6, a Completion Rate of at least 95%, and have accepted and completed at least 5 deliveries on the DoorDash platform between 12am the previous Friday and 11:59pm the previous Thursday; OR
- You qualify if you have a Customer Rating of at least 4.6, a Completion Rate of at least 95%, and have accepted and completed at least 500 lifetime deliveries on the DoorDash platform.
If you meet these criteria, you’ll gain access to the schedule 6 days in advance starting at 3 pm each day. By contrast, if you don’t qualify for early access scheduling, you’ll only be able to access the DoorDash schedule 5 days in advance. It’s a 1-day difference, which might or might not matter depending on your market and where you live.
Qualifying for early access scheduling usually shouldn’t be too difficult for the most part other than maintaining the completion rate. Keeping a customer rating of 4.6 or higher is something you should be able to do as long as you provide solid customer service (i.e. picking up food on time, handling the food properly, following directions, etc). Meeting the delivery requirements shouldn’t be a problem either. Completing 500 lifetime deliveries isn’t very much. And completing 5 deliveries in a week also isn’t difficult.
The main issue is maintaining a completion rate of 95% or higher. While your completion rate does matter and you should ideally aim to complete every order you accept, there are reasons you might opt to cancel an order you accepted. If the wait is long or you’re multi-apping and receive a better order from another app, it can make sense to drop your DoorDash order in favor of another order. I usually aim to keep my completion rate at 90% or higher, but I don’t often stay above 95%.
Remember, your acceptance rate does not matter. But your completion rate does matter because if it drops below 80%, you risk deactivation. Keeping your acceptance rate above 95% so you can have access to priority scheduling can also make sense and isn’t too difficult so long as you’re strategic about the orders you accept.
DoorDash Schedule Vs. Dash Now
You might be wondering whether the DoorDash schedule matters or whether you can simply rely on the Dash Now feature, which lets you Dash whenever you want.
Whether you need to schedule in advance depends on your market. I’ve found that in most markets, scheduling in advance isn’t something you need to do. For instance, in my market, I never schedule myself in advance and I’ve found that, except in rare circumstances, I’m always able to click Dash Now and start working (I live in Minneapolis).
If you’re in a market where you can Dash whenever you want, I would ignore the DoorDash schedule and not worry about it. However, if you’re in one of the few markets that are saturated with Dashers, then you’ll probably have to schedule yourself in advance to be able to work.
In that situation, I recommend scheduling yourself for wide swaths of time. That way, you can cancel your Dash early if you want to do something else. Remember that DoorDash doesn’t appear to penalize you for scheduling yourself, but then canceling your Dash early.
Do You Get Better Orders If You Schedule Yourself In Advance?
Whether you get better orders if you schedule yourself in advance is a question subject to speculation. The DoorDash algorithm is not public and no one really knows how orders are assigned. That being said, many people claim that DoorDash prioritizes Dashers that schedule in advance or that have Top Dasher status over those that choose the “Dash Now” option. This is often claimed without any evidence, so whether it’s true or not is unclear (if anyone has a source directly from DoorDash that says this is the case, please let me know).
I’ve never had issues receiving consistent orders so long as I’m working during prime hours (i.e. during lunch or dinner). The only exception is if there’s a large peak pay bonus in effect, which is when I find I receive few orders because so many Dashers are logged into the app.
In short, no one outside of DoorDash knows how the assignment algorithm works and you’ll likely have to try things out to see if you notice any difference.
Final Thoughts
The DoorDash schedule is fairly straightforward. You can schedule yourself in advance up to 5 or 6 days in advance depending on if you’ve qualified for early access scheduling. This differs from Uber Eats, which doesn’t have advanced scheduling and allows drivers to log in whenever they want.
I’ve never had to schedule myself in advance with DoorDash and don’t plan to do so, but that might be specific to my market. That being said, I’ve delivered for DoorDash in other major cities (Washington DC and Chicago are the two cities I deliver in the most outside of Minneapolis) and I’ve never had an issue Dashing whenever I want. My advice – try things out and see what works best for you.
*If you’re getting an error message that says, “Dasher must be active to schedule Dashes,” then check out this post: Dasher Must Be Active To Schedule Dashes – What It Means And Why It Happens.
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More Recommended Ebike/Scooters
Check out these other ebikes and scooters I've reviewed:
- Urban Arrow Ebike – Last year, I made one of the largest purchases I’ve ever made – I bought a $9,000 electric cargo bike from Urban Arrow. In my Urban Arrow review, I will discuss what it is and why I decided to buy this bike, as well as discuss how impactful a bike like this can be on your journey to financial independence.
- Troxus Explorer Step-Thru Ebike – The Troxus Explorer Step-Thru is a fat-tire ebike that I’ve had the pleasure of riding for a while now. It has amazing power, great looks, and awesome range. If you’re looking for a great fat-tire ebike that offers a lot for the price, the Troxus Explorer Step-Thru is definitely one for you to consider. Check out my Troxus Explorer Step-Thru Review.
- Hovsco HovBeta Ebike – The HovBeta is a folding ebike with great specs and a lot of interesting features, and importantly, it’s sold at a good price point. I’ve had a blast commuting with it and using it to do deliveries with DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. Check out my Hovsco HovBeta Ebike Review.
- Vanpowers Manidae Ebike – The Vanpowers Manidae is a fat tire ebike that I’ve been riding as my primary winter commuting bike and have also been using it to do food delivery with apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. After clocking in a decent number of miles with this ebike, I wanted to write a post sharing what my experience with the Vanpowers Manidae ebike has been like. Check out my Vanpowers Manidae Review.
- Sohamo S3 Step-Thru Folding EBike Review – A Great Value Folding Ebike – The Sohamo S3 Step-Thru Folding Ebike is an entry-level folding ebike that offers a lot of value for the price point. I’ve been riding the Sohamo S3 for a while now, putting the bike through its paces, and I have to say, this bike has exceeded all of my expectations. Check out my Sohamo Review.
- KBO Flip Ebike – The KBO Flip is an excellent bike. I’ve had a great time riding it and think it’s a versatile bike that can be used for a lot of purposes and can fit a variety of lifestyles. It’s worked out great for me as a general commuter bike and as a food delivery bike. Check out my KBO Flip Review.
- Hiboy P7 Commuter Ebike – The Hiboy P7 is an excellent electric commuter bike that’s offered at an affordable price point. The range and speed of this bike are both very good, so you won’t have any trouble getting anywhere you need to go with it. As a food delivery vehicle, this is also good – with how much range it offers, you’ll be able to work all day on a single charge. Check out my Hiboy P7 Commuter Electric Bike Review.
- Himiway Escape Ebike – 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 Ebike – 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.
- Varla Falcon Scooter – The Varla Falcon is an excellent scooter that offers a good amount of power at a lower price point compared to more powerful scooters. It’s not exactly an entry-level scooter, nor is it a high-powered scooter. I think it fits somewhere in-between those two categories – an intermediate scooter if I had to give it a category. Check out my Varla Falcon Review.
- Hiboy S2 Scooter – The Hiboy S2 is an excellent entry-level commuter scooter that's perfect for someone looking to save some money in transportation costs and improve their commute. Check out my Hiboy S2 Review.
- Hiboy S2R Scooter – The Hiboy S2R is one of the more interesting electric scooters I’ve been able to test out. It’s not a high-powered scooter, but for an everyday transport option, it’s very useful, especially given some of the unique features that it has. Indeed, for the price, the Hiboy S2R might be the best value scooter I’ve used. Check out my Hiboy S2R 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 just $10 and you’ll get $25 of free stock. I also have a step-by-step guide for the SoFi Invest referral bonus.
- Webull (20 free stock shares) – Webull's current promotion gives you 20 free shares 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 shares using Webull.
- Moomoo (15 free stocks) – Moomoo is a free investing app currently offering 2 different referral bonuses if you open an account using a referral link. Read my Moomoo referral bonus guide for more information.
- 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.
- Upgrade ($200) – Upgrade is a free checking account that’s currently offering a $200 referral bonus if you open an account and complete a direct deposit. These bonus terms are easy to meet, so it’s well worth doing this bonus as soon as you can. Here’s a post I wrote with more details: Upgrade $200 Referral Bonus – Step By Step Directions.
- Ally Bank ($100) – Of all the banks out there, Ally is, without a doubt, my favorite. At the moment, Ally is offering $100 to customers who open an eligible Ally account and meet the requirements. Here are the step-by-step directions to earn your Ally Bank referral bonus.
- Fairwinds Credit Union ($175) – 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.
- 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 ($900) – 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.
- GO2Bank ($50) - GO2Bank is an easy bank bonus that I recommend people take advantage of if they have an easy way of meeting the direct deposit requirement. I like that it’s easy to open the account and that the bonus pays out quickly. Check out my step-by-step guide on how to earn your GO2Bank $50 referral bonus.
- 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.
- 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 ($25) – Varo is a free fintech banking app similar to Chime or Current. It’s currently offering a $25 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 $300 if you complete a direct deposit.
- 5% Savings Accounts. I'm currently getting 5.24% interest on my savings through a company called Raisin. Opening a Raisin account takes minutes to complete, it's free, and all of your funds are FDIC-insured. I explain how it works, why I'm now using it to store my emergency fund and any other cash savings I have, and why I recommend everyone check it out in this review.
- US Bank Business. US Bank is currently offering new business customers a $900 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.
- Empower. 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.
Feel free to send Kevin a message here.
So new days become available who knows when so you have to randomly check all the time to see if you can get a shift consisting of times they make up most of the time there are no shifts available even if you’re tryn a week in advance then if you’re more than 15 minutes late to logging in for that shift the entire shift is gone and you cannot get it back leaving you unable to work then when you do get a shift and you log in on time it randomly signs you out and you can’t get back in and finish your shift not allowing you to work anymore then if it randomly gets busy and you get in they’ll let you schedule for an entire hour it’s just funny cuz I’m not an employee I don’t need a schedule and the whole point of this job is to make your own schedule it says it right in the first line of your ad then there’s acceptance rate if you’re not above 70 which is absolutely impossible unless you’re taking two and $3 orders half the day you get punished by lower quality deliveries it’s a black hole with no way to win Uber eats has none of this and the app flows perfectly to people who do this full-time this is cruel and unnecessary complicated crap think of the resources you use to handle the schedule calls about the schedule complaints acceptance rates all unnecessary
I am a bit confused on if I will be able to use the earn by time option with a scheduled dash. It often seems to pop up with the Dash Now option, but if I’m already in a scheduled dash, it doesn’t. If I end the dash and it isn’t available, then try to go back to my scheduled dash, it will have been deleted. So, that’s the conundrum!