If you recently placed a DoorDash order and see that no one has picked it up, you might ask yourself why no one is picking up my DoorDash order? This post will explain to you exactly why that’s happening.
It can be frustrating when this happens. You’re hungry for food. You go into your DoorDash app and place an order at your favorite restaurant. And then it just sits there forever.
If this does happen to you, the truth is, it’s often your fault that your order isn’t getting picked up. However, in some instances, it can be DoorDash’s fault too. Let’s look at the reasons why no one is picking up your DoorDash order.
Why No One Is Picking Up My DoorDash Order?
There are four main reasons why your DoorDash order might not be getting picked up by anyone. These include the following:
1. You Didn’t Tip, So The Payout For Your Order Is Too Low
Many customers don’t understand that DoorDash couriers (or Dashers, as they are called), are independent contractors. That means they don’t work directly for DoorDash and they have the right to accept or reject any orders that are sent their way. If your order is paying too little, most dashers are going to reject your order.
In general, DoorDash only pays a base payment to Dashers of $2 to $4 per order. The remaining payment is the tip that the customer leaves to the dasher. That means if you don’t leave a tip, DoorDash is only going to offer $2 to $4 for a delivery. That’s too low for most Dashers to accept and it won’t be worth their time to deliver your order.
That means your order will get rejected by most Dashers and accordingly, will sit there until someone is willing to take the order or until DoorDash increases the amount they pay for the delivery.
Here’s the thing. If you’re ordering delivery, you should tip. It’s what you’re supposed to do. Your delivery person is working hard and if you can’t afford to tip, you should consider picking up your own order or not ordering food for delivery.
2. You Live Very Far Away From The Restaurant You Ordered From
This piggybacks a bit on the first reason your order isn’t getting picked up. Dashers are paid per order. If you live really far away from the restaurant, it’s possible that no Dashers are willing to pick up your order because it would take too long or takes them too far away from the main delivery areas.
Unfortunately, the only real way around this problem is to make sure your order is enticing enough to get someone to accept it. That means if you live far away from the restaurant, you need to make sure your tip is enough to get someone to accept it and travel that long distance.
3. There Aren’t Enough Dashers Available to Pick Up Your Order
In rare circumstances, your order might not get picked up because there aren’t enough Dashers available to deliver your order. In general, this would only happen during off-hours. If you’re ordering late-night food or ordering food early in the morning, it’s possible there just aren’t many Dashers working.
If you’re ordering during normal hours and no one is picking up your order, then it’s more likely that you simply didn’t tip enough or your order isn’t paying enough to make it worthwhile for someone to accept it.
4. The DoorDash App Is Down.
The DoorDash app is notorious for crashing (people sometimes call it DoorCrash). Even worse, sometimes, the DoorDash app will work fine, but the Dasher app won’t work. When this happens, customers can place orders but the restaurant either won’t get the order or none of the delivery drivers can get the order because the app is down.
You can often check if the DoorDash app is down by searching on Twitter. The DoorDash customer service Twitter account usually keeps people updated if the app is down (and if you search for the term DoorDash on Twitter, you’ll usually find people complaining if the app is down).
If you’ve given an appropriate tip, don’t live too far away from the restaurant, and are ordering during normal hours, then it’s likely your order isn’t getting picked up because the DoorDash app is down.
What To Do If No One Is Picking Up Your DoorDash Order
If no one picks up your order, you can contact DoorDash and they’ll cancel the order for you and give you a refund. It’s annoying when this happens, but that’s just what happens. If you do nothing and your order never gets picked up, DoorDash will usually cancel the order for you and give you a refund. In some circumstances, they’ll give you a credit for future orders. You can try complaining to get a DoorDash credit also – it sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t.
If you really want to get your order delivered, you can place the order again and if you didn’t tip before, give a tip this time. More likely than not, that’s why your order didn’t get picked up.
Finally, if you really need your food, you can try picking it up yourself at the restaurant. You’ll need to contact DoorDash before you do this or you can place your order again and select pickup instead of delivery.
Takeaway – If You Want Your Order To Be Picked Up, Give A Fair Tip
The general takeaway from this post is that you should give a fair tip if you want your order to get picked up. At a minimum, you should be tipping 15%. I recommend tipping 20% – which is what most people tip when they order food at restaurants.
Dashers are independent contractors and have the right to accept or reject any orders they want. When you are ordering food via the DoorDash app, you’re putting your order out there amongst hundreds of other orders. If your order isn’t appealing, no one will accept it. It’s the free market at work.
Not to mention that Dashers rely on tips for their income. It’d be nice if DoorDash paid Dashers more, but that’s not the current situation. So if you want your order to get picked up, tip accordingly.
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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.
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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.
- SoFi Money ($325) – 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 $300 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
Doordarshan shouldn’t be allowed to withhold a $40 delivery just cause of a tip
And not give a refund!!!
Why should dashers use their own cars and gas and mileage to bring your food to a stranger? We only deliver around 3 orders a hr. Thats only $7.50 an hr without tip. My tips come to way more than Doordash pay each night. If total is not close to or over $10 I don’t take it because others are paying me $10-$16 so why take your $2.50? Those fees you pay go to Doordash not the actual driver. Tip is majority of our pay so if you can;t tip then you cant afford Doordash or fast food. Go to Aldi’s. (Will you go get my food for free for me and drive it in your car and gas and mileage please??? haha)
Not everyone can leave a huge tip, I always tip what I can but some people like myself who do not drive don’t have the just pick it up option.
This is stupid. Restaurant servers get tipped 15 to 20 percent. That does not work for delivery. Five dollars minimum for small close distance orders that only take fifty to twenty minutes was the standard minimal acceptable tip in the early 90’s, before the last 30 years of inflation. Delivery is a premium luxury service. Never tip less than $5. If your order will take more than twenty minutes to deliver or is over two or three miles you give a better tip. Like 6,7,8, or even 9 or 10. If you have a shop and deliver order you might want to consider tipping 20 to 30 dollars or more depending on how many items, the time it takes, and the distance. Full time delivery driver expenses per year between things like gas, maintenance and repairs, buying a new car every four to six years, and taxes come to fifteen to twenty THOUSAND dollars per year.
Door dasher use their own vehicles and pay for all the gas and upkeep(tires,oil,etc)Would you put wear and tear on your car minus gas for $15 an hour ( many days less)? So the next time you do not tip or expect someone to wait at the restaurant for 15 minutes( often longer), use their car and gas , drive 8 miles( 16 round trip) for a $3 tip?
One other thing, Door Dash base pay is chicken feed. So that is why orders do not get picked up. We have the right to decline an order same as you have the right to tip or not.Nobody is forcing you to use this service.
We have families to feed and most of us work a full time job and deliver whenever we can. When everybody. Is eating ,we are working. All wee ask is for fair pay which is not supplied by Door Dash.