What Is A DoorDash Red Card?

If you are working as a Dasher for DoorDasher, you’re very likely going to find yourself with Red Card orders. If you’re wondering what is a DoorDash Red Card, this is the post for you.

The DoorDash Red Card is a prepaid debit card that DoorDash gives to dashers to pay for non-prepaid orders. You’ll receive it in the DoorDash activation kit. If you lose the card or damage it, you can also request a free replacement card via the DoorDash app.

Most orders on DoorDash are prepaid, but there are a few places that do not have prepaid orders. If the order isn’t prepaid, you’ll usually have to place the order yourself and pay for the order with the Red Card. In my area, the orders that require the Red Card are usually Raising Cane’s orders and grocery/convenience store orders.

The Red Card is inactive if you aren’t on a delivery that requires it, so you can’t use the Red Card if you aren’t on an active delivery. Once you receive an order that needs the Red Card, DoorDash will load the appropriate funds onto the card, which you’ll then use to pay for the order.

So how do you use the DoorDash Red Card? It isn’t difficult. When you get a Red Card order, the Dasher app will tell you if it’s one you need to order and pay for or just pay for when you arrive. If you’re using it at a restaurant, just give the card to the restaurant and let them swipe it. If you’re swiping the card yourself at a payment terminal, make sure to select “credit” when you are checking out.

If you want more information about the Red Card, here’s a video from DoorDash with some good info.

How To Activate DoorDash Red Card

Activating your Red Card is also simple. The Dasher app makes it fairly straightforward, so you shouldn’t have any issues with it.

To activate your Red Card, you’ll need to go to the Account section of the app, then click on the section that mentions the DoorDash payment card or Red Card. From there, you’ll enter the card number and any other information needed into the app. This’ll activate your Red Card.

If you lose your Red Card, you can deactivate the old card and activate a new card in the app. You’ll find the option to do this in the same section of the app where you activate the Red Card.

Should You Accept Red Card Orders?

One question you should ask yourself is whether you should accept Red Card orders. You’ll always know if the order is a Red Card order in advance.

Red Card orders generally take more time to complete, especially if you have to place the order yourself. At some fast-food restaurants, placing an order isn’t a problem. I will often accept Raising Cane’s orders during off-hours when I know it won’t be very busy. They can usually prepare the order in just a few minutes (sometimes in seconds, even).

Some convenience store or grocery store orders can also be worthwhile if they aren’t too complex. You’d be surprised at how often customers order a few drinks from a convenience store, which you can pick up and pay for quickly.

If it’s a more complex order or a restaurant that could be busy, you have to weigh all of the factors to determine whether the order is worth it. This is more of a trial and error process, where you’ll learn which Red Card orders are worth accepting and which aren’t. If you want to be safe, you could also reject all Red Card orders. I reject far more Red Card orders than I ever accept because of the extra time involved with the order.

DoorDash Red Card Frequently Asked Questions

If you are looking for more information about the DoorDash Red Card, you can find it here. Here are some frequently asked questions about it.

Do You Need A Red Card To DoorDash?

You don’t need to have your red card with you to do DoorDash, but you might need to have an active Red Card to be able to start Dashing. The reason I say “might” is because there seem to be contradicting data points. A few years ago, my Red Card expired and I was unable to Dash until I got a new Red Card and reactivated it. But in another post I wrote about the Red Card, commenters have said that they were able to Dash even without an active Red Card.

My thinking is perhaps DoorDash differentiates between new Dashers without an active Red Card and current Dashers that have an active Red Card that expires. That is, perhaps new Dashers can Dash without a Red Card if they never activated it at all. In short, your mileage may vary here – I know I couldn’t Dash without an active Red Card but others said they could.

In any event, you don’t need to use your Red Card and I often do deliveries without my Red Card on me. In that situation, I simply reject any orders that involve the Red Card.

If you want, you can pay for orders yourself using your credit or debit card, then submit the order to DoorDash for reimbursement. However, I don’t recommend doing this, as you place added risk on yourself when you pay for an order and are waiting for DoorDash to reimburse you. It’s best to use the Red Card to pay for orders – and if you don’t have the Red Card on you, you should reject those orders.

Will DoorDash Let Me Dash Without The Red Card?

DoorDash will let you dash without your Red Card on you, but it’s possible they won’t let you dash without an active Red Card on your account. There are some sources online that suggest you can dash without an active Red Card, but I had a situation where I didn’t have an active Red Card and could not log in until I activated a new Red Card. That was a few years ago though, so things may have changed.

It’s also possible that DoorDash differentiates between new Dashers that have never activated their Red Card and Dashers that had a Red Card that expired. Perhaps if you never activated your Red Card, you can Dash without activating it, but if you had an active Red Card and it expires, you might need to get a new one.

What Do I Do If I Lost My DoorDash Red Card?

If you’ve lost your Red Card, you’ll need to first remove your old Red Card from your account. You can do that by going into the Dasher app, clicking the account section of the app, then removing your old Red Card.

To get a new Red Card, you’ll need to order one from the DoorDash store. Getting a new Red Card is free, so you won’t have to pay for a new card. When your card arrives, you’ll need to activate it in the Dasher app, and then you’ll be good to go.

Since ordering a new Red Card is free, it can often make sense to order one in advance and leave it in a safe spot. That way, if you lose your Red Card, you’ll have a new one on hand that you can activate.

Can You Pay For Orders Without The Red Card?

You can pay for orders without the Red Card, but I don’t recommend it. If you don’t have your Red Card, you can pay for the order yourself using your debit or credit card, then submit the receipt to DoorDash for reimbursement. DoorDash usually reimburses you within a week or so.

The reason I don’t recommend it, however, is that I don’t like putting myself in that situation. I think it’s risky to pay for an order out of your pocket. Things could go wrong – you might lose the receipt, or DoorDash won’t reimburse you for some other reason. In general, I’d avoid paying for Red Card orders with your own money.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the DoorDash Red Card is a card you’ll sometimes use to pay for non-prepaid orders. Most orders you get are going to be prepaid, so you usually won’t need to use the Red Card. If you do get a Red Card order, consider whether it’s worth the extra time it’ll take you to complete the order. It can sometimes be worth it. Sometimes it’s not.

This post may contain affiliate links. Financial Panther has partnered with AwardWallet and CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Financial Panther, AwardWallet, and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact on how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies, or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

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.

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.
Upgrade ($300) – Upgrade is a free checking account that’s currently offering a $300 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 $300 Referral Bonus – Step By Step Directions.
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.