If you’re looking to order some late-night food with DoorDash, you might be asking yourself, what time does DoorDash stop delivering? The short answer is that DoorDash operates 24/7. That means you can order food with DoorDash anytime you want, even really late at night.
However, in practical terms, whether DoorDash is still delivering depends on whether there are restaurants still open. Each restaurant sets its own hours on the DoorDash app. So, if there are restaurants open and Dashers available to deliver your order, you can order with DoorDash, even if it’s the middle of the night.
That being said, there are some nuances to consider. In this post, we’ll take a deep dive to answer the question, what time does DoorDash stop delivering?
What Time Does DoorDash Stop Delivering?
As previously stated, DoorDash operates 24/7, so there are no formal times when DoorDash stops delivering. However, you can only order food with DoorDash if there are restaurants open. If there are no restaurants open, then you won’t be able to order with DoorDash.
In larger cities, you’ll likely always find some delivery options. For late-night delivery, these typically are fast-food restaurants. Think places like Mcdonald’s or Taco Bell. You’ll also probably find pizza places that have late-night delivery.
Be aware that restaurants may set different hours in the DoorDash app compared to what their actual operating hours are. It’s fairly common for restaurants to be closed in the DoorDash app but open in real life.
Things To Consider When Ordering DoorDash Late At Night
There are a few things you’ll want to consider if you’re ordering some late-night DoorDash delivery. The most obvious is whether the restaurants you want to order from are still open. I’ve found that most restaurants seem to close by 9:45 pm or 10 pm, so if you’re ordering after those hours, your options might be limited. As I mentioned, late-night DoorDash options are typically fast food places or pizza places.
The second thing to consider is whether there are going to be Dashers available to deliver your order. DoorDash uses independent contractors to deliver orders, which means there are no set staffing levels. As a result, during late-night hours, there are fewer Dashers, and in some situations, there might be no Dashers available at all. In addition, if there are only a few Dashers logged in, one Dasher may get assigned multiple orders at the same time, which means you might be waiting longer for your food to arrive.
Finally, one thing a lot of people don’t think about is that depending on when you’re ordering, the restaurant you’re ordering from might have a long wait. This is particularly true on Friday or Saturday nights immediately after bar closing time. A lot of restaurants get really busy during these hours as people leave the bars and head to McDonald’s or other fast-food restaurants for some late-night food. Accordingly, if you place your order around this time, be aware that your food might take a while to get prepared (and your Dasher might be waiting in line for your order).
Is It Worth Dashing Late At Night?
If you’re a Dasher, you might wonder whether it’s worth dashing during the late-night hours. In my opinion, it’s usually not worth dashing during the late-night hours unless you really don’t have anything else to do.
There are two reasons why I usually don’t think it’s worth dashing late at night. The first is that it’s usually not very busy late at night. As a result, you may find yourself sitting around waiting for orders. And if you’re not getting orders, you’re not getting paid.
The second reason dashing late a night might not be worth it is that most orders during these hours are coming from fast-food restaurants. That typically means low-dollar orders, and as a result, smaller tips.
Even worse though, depending on what time you’re dashing, you might find yourself waiting in huge lines to pick up your order. A lot of late-night restaurants close their lobbies during the evening, which means you may find yourself having to use the drive-thru to pick up an order. At night, the drive-thru line at places like Mcdonald’s or Taco Bell can often be really long. I’ve had situations where it has taken me 30 minutes or longer just to get through a drive-thru line. That’s not worth it for the payout you’re probably getting.
My recommendation is to avoid the late-night hours and instead stick to the prime lunch and dinner hours. You’ll get more deliveries and make more money.
Final Thoughts
DoorDash delivers 24/7, so there’s no set time where it stops delivering. The only limitation is whether there are restaurants open on the app. If there are restaurants still accepting delivery orders, you can order food and get it delivered to your door with DoorDash.
However, be aware that during the late-night hours, there may not be enough dashers working to pick up your order. And if you’re working as a Dasher, think about whether working during the late-night hours makes sense for you.
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