When you order food with DoorDash, you can sometimes run into a situation where DoorDash gets stuck on the preparing order screen. This can be frustrating because you won’t know why it’s happening and it can stay on that screen for a long time.
When you place an order on DoorDash, the order goes to the restaurant, the restaurant confirms it, and then the restaurant begins preparing the order. When the restaurant is preparing the order, your DoorDash app will tell you that the restaurant is preparing your order. Meanwhile, DoorDash will send the order to nearby Dashers, timing it so that Dashers will arrive when your order is ready for pickup.
This all works well when everything is working properly, but there can be issues where your order is being prepared and never moves to the next stage. When this happens, the most likely explanation is that no Dasher has accepted your order yet. But there could be other things going on too.
In this post, we’ll take a look at what it means when the DoorDash app gets stuck on the Doordash preparing order screen. We’ll also consider what you can do when this happens and how you can prevent it from happening in the first place.
DoorDash Stuck On Preparing Order – The Main Reasons This Can Happen
There are three main reasons why you can get the DoorDash stuck on preparing order screen. These include the following:
- DoorDash can’t find a Dasher to pick up your order.
- The restaurant is busy and is taking longer than expected to complete your order.
- The DoorDash app crashed.
Let’s address each of these issues in turn.
1. DoorDash can’t find a Dasher to pick up your order.
The most common reason you’ll receive the DoorDash stuck on preparing order screen is because DoorDash can’t find a Dasher to pick up your order. When DoorDash can’t find a Dasher, it’ll end up stuck on this screen until someone finally accepts the order.
Most of the time, you won’t have an issue with DoorDash not being able to find a Dasher – but it can happen. This is because DoorDash drivers aren’t employees. Rather, they’re independent contractors that can accept or deny any delivery requests they receive.
When a Dasher receives a delivery request, they’re shown how much the order will pay them, as well as the restaurant they’ll be picking up from and the delivery address. DoorDash drivers use this information to determine whether the order is worth accepting. For a DoorDash driver, accepting a delivery request means making sure that the order pays well enough to make it worthwhile, as well as considering the restaurant and how far away the order is going.
One thing most customers don’t realize is that DoorDash pays Dashers a small amount for each order – typically $2 to $4. The majority of the earnings that Dashers make come from customer tips. So, customers who don’t tip will find that they’re going to have to wait a long time for a Dasher to accept their order since, without a tip, the order won’t be paying much (indeed, DoorDash has been warning customers who don’t tip that they may have to wait longer for their order).
If you find that you’re regularly receiving the Doordash stuck on preparing order screen, consider whether you are tipping appropriately. While Dashers can’t directly see if a customer tipped until after the delivery is completed, they can still get a sense of whether a customer tipped based on how much the order is paying. Low-paying orders usually won’t get picked up as quickly.
Another reason why Dashers won’t accept an order is if the delivery address is too far away. If the order requires driving a long distance, many Dashers won’t accept it if the pay isn’t enough. If you’re asking a delivery driver to travel a long distance, you’ll likely need to tip more to make it worthwhile for them.
2. The restaurant is busy and is taking longer than expected to complete your order.
A second common reason why you may get the DoorDash stuck on the preparing order screen is if the restaurant is taking a long time to complete your order. This can happen if the restaurant is busy and is behind on preparing orders.
This is most likely to happen at very popular restaurants that receive a lot of delivery orders at the same time. Places like Chipotle, for example, can get extremely busy. I’ve had situations where Chipotle has been hours behind.
3. The DoorDash app crashed.
Finally, you may get the DoorDash stuck on preparing order screen if the DoorDash app crashes. The DoorDash app is notorious for crashing at inopportune times, so if you place an order and get stuck on the preparing order screen, this could be why it’s happening. There’s not much you can do here if this is what is happening and you’ll simply have to wait until the app starts working again.
What Can You Do About The DoorDash Stuck On Preparing Order Screen?
There are a few things you can do to avoid getting the DoorDash stuck on the preparing order screen. The most important thing you can do is to tip appropriately so that Dashers will accept your order. As previously explained, Dashers are independent contractors that can choose which orders they accept or decline. Since tips make up the majority of a Dasher’s earnings, if you’re not tipping, you’ll likely be waiting longer since your order won’t be paying much, and few Dashers will accept your order.
You should also be aware of how far Dashers will have to travel to get to your delivery location. If your order will require Dashers to drive a long distance to get to you, you’ll need to increase your tip accordingly so that it makes the trip worthwhile. My general advice is to avoid ordering from restaurants that are more than a few miles away. It’s best to stick to restaurants in your neighborhood.
You can also avoid getting stuck on the preparing order screen by avoiding restaurants that you know are likely to be very busy. Certain restaurants get notoriously busy during lunch and dinner hours. There’s a Chipotle near my house, for example, that can sometimes fall behind on orders by 1 or 2 hours. Since I know this Chipotle is very busy, I avoid ordering from there during the dinner rush.
Finally, if the DoorDash app has crashed, you can’t do much. DoorDash will eventually refund your order, so I wouldn’t worry about it too much if you suspect that the DoorDash app has crashed.
Final Thoughts
It can be a frustrating experience when you get stuck on the preparing order screen in your DoorDash app. Most likely, you’re stuck on this screen because no Dasher has accepted your order or the restaurant is busy and behind on orders.
To minimize your chances of getting stuck on this screen, be sure to tip appropriately so that your order is attractive to Dashers. If possible, avoid ordering from very busy restaurants as well. If you do these two things, you’ll most likely avoid getting stuck on this screen too often.
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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 ($800) – 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.
- Fifth Third Bank ($200) – This offer is limited to customers in the following states: Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia, and South Carolina. If you don’t live in one of those states, you won’t be able to open an account online but you can still open an account in-branch if you happen to be visiting a city that has a branch. This is a fairly easy bank bonus to earn, especially since there are plenty of data points showing what will trigger the direct deposit requirement. In addition, you can open the Fifth Third Momentum Checking bank account, which comes with no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements. Read my guide on this 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 $800 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.
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