Can you DoorDash without a Red Card? The simple answer is, yes you can DoorDash without a Red Card. However, to be able to log into the Dasher app and receive deliveries, you’ll need to first get the Red Card and activate it.
In this post, we’ll look at doing DoorDash without the Red Card and go over everything you need to know about it.
DoorDash Without Red Card
To begin, it’s probably helpful to recap what the DoorDash Red Card is. I’ve written an in-depth post about the DoorDash Red Card, so check that out if you want more information.
In short, the DoorDash Red Card is a prepaid debit card that DoorDash sends to Dashers to pay for orders that are not prepaid. Most restaurants on DoorDash are prepaid, so you won’t need the Red Card, but there are a handful of restaurants where you’ll need to pay for the order yourself. These are generally fast food restaurants, grocery stores, and convenience stores (in my area, the most common places that need the Red Card are Raising Canes and Walgreens).
DoorDash does not make you accept Red Card orders. You’ll always know in advance if an order requires the Red Card, so if you don’t want to use the Red Card, you can always decline those types of orders. It’s important to be strategic about which Red Card orders you do accept because of the added time it takes to pay for the order.
That being said, while you don’t have to use the Red Card since you can decline orders that require the Red Card, you still need to have an active Red Card on file to do deliveries. That means while you don’t need the Red Card to DoorDash, you still need to have your Red Card activated to do deliveries.
Activate The Red Card
Fortunately, getting the Red Card and activating it isn’t difficult. When you sign up for DoorDash, you’ll receive a DoorDash activation kit, which contains a DoorDash delivery bag and the Red Card. This is automatically sent to you when signing up.
You might be eager to get started earning money with DoorDash, which is probably why a lot of people ask if there is any way to start dashing without the Red Card. All I can say is you need to be patient and wait for the Red Card to arrive. While some people suggest that you can dash without the Red Card, my experience has always been that without an active Red Card on file, DoorDash won’t let you start dashing.
Activating the Red Card only takes a few seconds. Simply log into your Dasher app, then follow the directions in the app to activate your card. Once it’s been activated, you’ll be able to start Dashing. Check out this post from the DoorDash website if you need directions on how to activate your Red Card.
Also, if you lose your Red Card and need a new one, you can order one for free from the DoorDash website, at this link. It can be helpful to order a few extra Red Cards and store them away, just in case you lose one and need a new one.
You Don’t Have To Use The Red Card If You Don’t Want To
It’s important to remember that while you need to activate the Red Card to be able to start dashing, you don’t need to actually use it if you don’t want to.
Any order that needs the Red Card will be clearly marked in the app. Red Card orders aren’t inherently bad, but they do usually take more time, so it’s important to consider whether the payment is good enough to make it worth your time.
I personally will accept Red Card orders if I know the restaurant won’t be busy or if it’s small enough that I can complete them quickly. Large shopping orders from grocery stores or convenience stores are usually automatic declines for me.
Final Thoughts
The DoorDash Red Card is a necessary card you need if you want to start Dashing. It’ll usually take a few business days to arrive and once you get it and activate it, you’ll be able to start getting out there and making more money.
Unfortunately, I haven’t found a way to get around the Red Card requirement yet. If you are just getting started with DoorDash, wait for your activation kit to arrive and then activate your card. If you lose the card and need a new one, quickly order one from the DoorDash website and activate it as soon as you get it. And consider getting extra Red Cards and storing them for future use in case you lose your current card.
Hope that information helps!
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