If you’re working as a Dasher for DoorDash, you might be wondering – how does DoorDash assign orders?
It’s an important question to ask because getting more orders is how you can make more money with DoorDash. Unfortunately, whatever algorithm DoorDash uses to assign orders isn’t public. We can only guess how DoorDash assigns orders based on experience and common sense.
That being said, experience has taught us that DoorDash uses several factors to assign orders. In this post, we’ll look at those factors to figure out how DoorDash assigns orders, look at the factors that DoorDash likely doesn’t consider, and discuss a few tips and strategies to make sure you get the most orders possible.
How Does DoorDash Assign Orders?
There are a few guesses about how DoorDash assigns orders. Some of them are likely important factors that DoorDash uses to assign orders. Others are based on anecdotal evidence. And still, other factors are ones that some Dashers swear are important factors, but are probably not used by DoorDash in their algorithm.
Let’s take a look at the factors DoorDash uses, starting with the most important to the least important.
1. Your Location
Without a doubt, the most important factor (and possibly the only factor) DoorDash uses to assign orders is your location. Dashers that are closer to busy restaurants are more likely to get orders sent their way.
This makes logical sense. DoorDash has an interest in making sure orders are picked up and delivered quickly, so it should naturally assign orders to Dashers that are closest to the restaurant.
While location does seem to be the most important factor, simply being nearest to the restaurant doesn’t always mean you’ll get the order assigned to you. I know because I’ve had times when I’ve tried to pick up my own family’s order and even though I was in front of the restaurant, someone else was assigned the order.
DoorDash does try to time orders so that the food will be ready by the time the Dasher arrives. This could explain why the nearest Dasher might not always receive the order. It’s possible that DoorDash could go for someone a little farther away so that the order will be ready by the time the Dasher arrives at the restaurant.
Still, the closer you are to busy restaurants, the more likely you are to get DoorDash orders assigned to you. In short, your location will matter the most when it comes to how DoorDash assigns orders.
2. Your Vehicle Type
The second factor DoorDash uses to assign orders is your vehicle type. If you’re on a bike, DoorDash will try to limit your orders to shorter distances that are more easily covered on a bike. By contrast, longer orders are more likely to go to people using cars.
Depending on your market, the vehicle you are using could make a difference. If you’re in an area that has a lot of short-distance orders (such as a dense, downtown area), then being in a car won’t give you an advantage over other Dashers. If you’re working in a suburb or a more spread-out area, however, DoorDash will likely prioritize cars that are more easily able to cover longer distances.
I live and work in a dense, urban area and do my deliveries using an ebike or scooter, so I’ve never had any trouble getting DoorDash orders assigned to me. Most orders I receive are only going a few miles – and I always reject longer orders that are traveling long distances.
3. Whether The Order Will Take You Out Of Your Delivery Zone
DoorDash divides cities into zones, all of which have different hotspots. Instead of having the entire city available for Dashers, DoorDash instead puts dashers into different parts of the city. For example, here’s how my home city of Minneapolis is divided in the DoorDash app.
As you can see, the zones for each city are fairly small. DoorDash, in turn, tries to limit deliveries to stay within those zones. That means if you’re doing deliveries in one zone, DoorDash will try to keep your deliveries within that zone.
That’s not to say deliveries can’t take you outside of the zone you’re in. But it seems like DoorDash prioritizes deliveries to people already logged into those zones first before taking people out of the zone.
Factors DoorDash Likely Does Not Consider When Assigning Orders
1. Top Dasher Status
Some people seem to think that having Top Dasher status leads to DoorDash assigning you more orders. In the past, DoorDash did indeed give priority to Dashers that had reached Top Dasher status.
However, in the official DoorDash FAQ on how Top Dasher status works, DoorDash explicitly does not list getting priority for orders as a benefit of meeting the Top Dasher requirements.
While it is possible that DoorDash is still secretly prioritizing Dashers that have met the Top Dasher requirements, I take DoorDash at its word and believe that they do not give priority to Dashers that have met the Top Dasher requirements.
2. Scheduled Vs. Non-Scheduled Dashes
Some drivers believe that Dashers that have scheduled their dash in advance receive priority when DoorDash assigns orders. There is no evidence to suggest this and I’ve never noticed any issues getting deliveries without scheduling myself in advance. At this point, whether or not this factor makes a difference is pure conjecture and I would lean toward the belief that it doesn’t make a difference.
The main reason to schedule yourself in advance would be to avoid situations where you aren’t able to log in because there are too many Dashers working. I personally don’t bother scheduling myself in advance and have never had any issues staying busy.
3. Your Acceptance Rate
Your DoorDash acceptance rate is based on the number of orders you’ve accepted in your last 100 delivery requests. Some people seem to think that this matters – i.e. a higher acceptance rate means you’ll get more orders sent your way.
As with the other factors in this section, there’s no evidence to support that your acceptance rate matters, and indeed, DoorDash makes it clear in their terms that your acceptance rate does not impact your ability to Dash. My acceptance rate typically ranges between 10-30% and I’ve never seen anything to suggest I’m getting fewer orders. If anything, I’m getting tons of orders and have to reject a lot of them because they’re not worth completing.
Your DoorDash acceptance rate doesn’t matter, so don’t worry about it.
4. Your Customer Rating
Some people also seem to think your customer rating could impact how DoorDash assigns orders. That is, a higher customer rating means you’ll get more orders.
Again, there’s nothing to suggest that a higher customer rating leads to more orders being sent your way. That’s not to say you shouldn’t care about your customer rating. You need to maintain a high customer rating to avoid being deactivated. But when it comes to whether or not it impacts how DoorDash assigns orders, it’s likely it doesn’t impact anything.
Strategies To Get More Orders
If you want to get more orders on DoorDash, the most important thing you can do is to stay in busy areas and work during prime hours (i.e. during the lunch and dinner rushes). You can also follow the hotspots that are on the Dasher app – or better yet, rely on your own experience. I’ve been dashing for so long in my city that I know where the best places are to work and the best times to work.
Beyond that, the other thing you must do is multi-app. When it comes to gig economy work, you never want to rely on a single app. If you’re doing DoorDash, for example, you also need to be signed up for Uber Eats and Grubhub. If you have all three apps turned on at once, you’ll likely always stay busy (I know I do).
Relying on other gig economy apps in different fields can also help. If food delivery is slow, for instance, you can switch over to grocery delivery with apps like Instacart or Shipt. There are hundreds of different apps you can try out too. I’ve written a great post that you should check out if you’re looking for ideas for other gig economy apps: The Ultimate List Of Gig Economy Apps.
Final Thoughts
In the end, whatever algorithm DoorDash uses to assign orders is proprietary and anyone trying to figure it out is ultimately guessing at how DoorDash assigns orders.
That being said, experience has taught me and other experienced drivers that location matters the most. If you’re near the restaurants that people are ordering from, you’re more likely to get orders assigned to you.
Other factors such as the vehicle you’re using could matter. But ultimately, pay attention to your location. Stay in busy areas or near current hotspots. Try to work primarily during prime hours as well. And be sure to multi-app so that you’re able to get deliveries and gigs from as many sources as possible.
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.
Feel free to send Kevin a message here.
You’re getting a bunch of small orders because you are not a top dasher. Once you are a top dasher, those crap orders go to everyone else while you get the profitable ones. You need to calm down with your disdain for DoorDash. You sound a bit ridiculous.
I’m not sure where you read that I had any disdain for DoorDash from what you just read…
That’s absolute nonsense. I am consistently a top dash and I still get tons of small orders offered to me. They never go away. As a matter of fact it seems to me that the small orders are sent out first before the larger orders to see if DoorDash can get them picked up. It makes sense. It’s easy to get the higher paying orders filled so they send the small first. Lots of times I have turned down small orders only to almost immediately receiving a larger order right after turning down the smaller ones. So don’t believe bc you have too dasher status that the small orders “go away”. As I said at the beginning that is absolutely wrong