How to Maximize Your Earnings With DoorDash [2024]

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salaried worker earns $1,118 per week. But oftentimes, it can take years in a profession to make that much.

What if I said you could make good money starting now – just by driving for DoorDash? 

Well, you can!

DoorDash is one of the most popular delivery apps, and you can use it to make some serious money. Below, I’ll tell you exactly how to maximize your earnings with DoorDash. 

It’s easier than you’d think!

What Do DoorDash Drivers Get Paid?

How much money DoorDash drivers make per hour varies quite a bit, depending on factors like location, whether they choose to work the busiest times, and tips. That means there’s no simple answer to the question of how much DoorDash drivers make.

DoorDash drivers, also called “Dashers,” earn in three different ways:

• Base pay. This is determined by how long the order will take, the distance you’ll travel, and how desirable the order is among DoorDash drivers.
• Promotions. DoorDash offers “Peak Pay” bonuses during busy periods and “Challenge Bonuses” for especially active drivers.
• Tips. You’ll keep 100% of what customers decide to give you.

Your total earnings will come from the sum of these income streams.

DoorDash also offers an “Earn by Time” option that lets drivers earn an hourly wage plus tips, but it’s only available in certain cities. 

How Do DoorDash Drivers Get Paid?

There are four different ways that DoorDash Drivers can get paid:

1. Weekly direct deposit. Each week, you’ll receive the money you earned from deliveries on Monday through Sunday of the previous week. The deposit should be in your account by Wednesday night. 
2. Fast Pay. This option lets you link a debit card to your DoorDash account and then receive your earnings every day.
3. DasherDirect. This is a prepaid Visa debit card that will receive your earnings immediately after you complete an order. 
4. Cash on Delivery. This allows you to earn money the old-fashioned way – by receiving cash from the customer. DoorDash will then deduct the amount of the order from your next payout. 

All of these methods are designed to be simple and easy, which makes DoorDash a chill way to make money. For more relaxing work ideas, read this list of low-stress jobs. 

How to Maximize Your Earnings with DoorDash

Maybe you’ve been a DoorDash driver for a while, but you’re eager to boost your earnings. Or maybe you’re someone saying, “I have no income and need money now.” In either case, I’m here to tell you that many people are earning good money with DoorDash.

You just need to adopt the right strategies.

Below, I’ll give you tips on how to maximize your earnings with DoorDash. Follow this advice, and your earnings can only go in one direction: upward!  

Create a Delivery Business Strategy

Some new delivery drivers accept orders without a lot of thought. That might keep things relaxing – but it’s not the way to maximize your earnings with DoorDash!

To make serious money as a Dasher, you need a plan.

Here’s what your business strategy should contain:

• When you’ll work
• Where you’ll work
• How you’ll decide which orders to accept

And don’t think you have to stick to the plan once you make it. As with any business, driving for DoorDash requires some trial and error. 

Also, keep in mind that DoorDash could be a solid idea even if you don’t have a car. That’s because DoorDash lets you deliver by bike or scooter in some locations. 

Read this article for more ideas about how to make money with no car. 

Look for Guaranteed Incentives or Driver Promotions

DoorDash offers bonus opportunities to earn extra money. You can find these offers in the “Promo” tab within the app. Get used to checking that tab every day to maximize your earnings.

Peak Pay is one bonus feature to look out for. Basically, DoorDash pays drivers extra for working during especially busy times. For example, you could see an offer to earn extra cash by driving between 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM in your city. That means you’ll earn more for each delivery you make during those hours.

You should also take advantage of “Guaranteed Earnings” incentives. DoorDash might promise to pay you a certain amount if you make 50 deliveries in a week.

Drive in Busy Areas

Location is a big factor when you’re driving for DoorDash. You want to work in the areas where you’ll receive the most orders.

Here are three location-related tips to consider:

1. Drive in areas with lots of restaurants. The more restaurants are around, the more likely you are to get orders.
2. Choose areas where the restaurants are near people’s homes. That way, each order will require less driving. 
3. Change areas according to the time of day. An area with office buildings could be ideal for lunchtime, while a residential neighborhood is probably better around dinner.

When you first start driving, you might not know which areas are the best. That’s why you should track your earnings as you experiment with different parts of town. As long as you’re strategic in your thinking, you’ll quickly discover which areas will help you maximize your earnings.

If you’d like to earn money driving for DoorDash but have found yourself sitting on their waitlist, learn how you may be able to get off the DoorDash waitlist. 

And learn here how to get a free DoorDash gift card.

Drive During Peak Hours

One of the perks of app-based delivery driving is that you can choose your own hours. In theory, you could drive only when it’s convenient for you – but that’s not the way to maximize your earnings with DoorDash.

To increase your earnings, make sure you drive when people are most likely to be ordering food. In most cases, that would be lunchtime and dinnertime. But remember that every city has its own patterns. 

Do you live in a college town? Then, peak hours could be later, especially on the weekends.

Are people crazy about their local NFL team? Then, it’s worth checking the football schedule and planning your shifts accordingly. That sort of strategizing can make a big difference!

Of course, learning the peak hours in your area could take some time. Looking for other ways to earn money quickly? Then, read this article on how to make money in one hour.

Accept Multiple Orders / Batched Orders 

Efficiency is key when you’re out driving. Sometimes, DoorDash makes it easy to save time by offering “batched orders” – which let you complete multiple orders at once. 

There are two ways to accept batched orders:

1. Accept an offer that’s already batched – meaning there are two or more orders listed.
2. Click “add to route” while out completing an order, allowing you to add another order to your outing.

Often, all the orders in a batch will come from the same restaurant. That means less driving time – and more time to earn money!

Only Accept Orders You’ll Make a Profit On

“Earn more than you spend” might seem like an overly obvious answer to the question of how to maximize your earnings with DoorDash. But while the general idea is a no-brainer, you need to put some thought into it.

First of all, you need to remember that every mile you drive has a cost. In fact, there are two expenses you rack up when you drive: 

1. Gas
2. Wear and tear on your car

The amount you spend on gas depends on both the price of gas and the fuel economy of your vehicle. So make sure you track prices at the pump and look for the fuel economy in your owner’s manual (some newer vehicles may also have this displayed on the dashboard). 

Then, you can find the gas price per mile with this simple formula:

{Per gallon gas price} ÷ {Your vehicle’s mileage per gallon} = {Gas price per mile}

So if gas costs $3 a gallon and your vehicle gets 25 miles per gallon, you would do 3 ÷ 25 = .12. That means you spend $0.12 on gas for each mile you drive. 

Then there’s the wear and tear to consider. The IRS says $0.67 per mile is the standard rate for wear and tear on a vehicle. That number is just an estimate, but it can still help with your calculations. 

To determine how much you’re spending per mile driven (a.k.a. The “cost per mile”), just add the gas price per mile to $0.67. If we stick with the example from above, with gas costing $0.12 per mile, you’d end up spending $0.79 for every mile you drive. That might seem like a lot, but it can add up quickly!

Once you know what every mile costs, you can use that number to decide if an order is worth accepting. Here’s the simple formula for how much an order will cost you:

{Cost per mile} x {Number of miles you have to drive} = 

{Total cost of completing the order}

Let’s say you see an order that will earn you $7 in base pay and requires 10 miles of driving. If you’re spending $0.79 per mile, then you multiply that by 10 miles to determine the total cost. And what do you find? The cost is $7.90 – which is more than your guaranteed earnings! 

You could, of course, earn a tip that could ultimately give you a profit – but you can’t count on it. So, it’s best to pass the order by. 

I know that seems like a lot of math – but seriously, it won’t take as long as you might think. And it’s not like you’ll have to do the calculations every time. Pretty quickly, you’ll get a sense of what orders are profitable, and so you can choose to accept or reject them just by trusting your gut. 

Deliver for Multiple Apps

DoorDash might be a great option for delivery drivers, but it’s not the only app in town. And in the world of gig work, there’s no special prize for monogamy! It’s not “two-timing” if you drive for another app on the side. It’s just smart business!

Here are some other apps to consider signing up for:

• Uber Eats
• Grubhub (read Grubhub vs DoorDash)
• Instacart
• Shipt

You might not have time to deliver for all of them – but it’s always nice to have your options open.

For more money-making ideas, check out this article on how to make $20 fast. 

Provide The Best Customer Service

You can’t control the base pay offered by DoorDash for completing orders. But there’s another income stream that you can control, at least in part. I’m talking, of course, about tips.

And how do you get more tip money? By providing consistently excellent service.

Here’s how you can go the extra mile for customers:

• Double-check that orders are correct before leaving the restaurant.
• Grab the sauces and silverware that you think people might need.
• Be polite, and try to smile. A hearty “Have a great night” can go a long way.

If you make great customer service a habit, you’ll notice your tip money increasing. You’re also likely to feel better about what you do! 

Is DoorDash Worth It?

I think DoorDash is generally worth it. If you’ve read the tips described above, then you know how to maximize your earnings with DoorDash. That’s not enough to buy a mansion, but it’s pretty decent pay!

Everyone’s situation is different, of course. If you’re desperate to make six figures, then you’ll need to pursue another line of work. Also, making great money is easier in some areas than others. It all depends on the pool of restaurants and customers that are available.

But for most people, DoorDash is a solid way to make a decent living. And if you’re willing to use the strategies described in this article, why not give it a shot?

Still not sure? Maybe this brief overview of what to expect when driving for DoorDash can help:

Commonly Asked Questions About How to Maximize Your Earnings With DoorDash

How to Maximize Your Earnings with DoorDash Reddit? 

I found a Reddit thread where someone asked how to maximize their earnings with DoorDash. 

One driver suggested avoiding orders that could take over 30 minutes to complete.

Another Dasher said they work between 5 PM and 3 AM because that’s the busiest time in their area. 

Someone else said that they changed their location to match the restaurants that are most likely to be busy at a certain time. 

Alternatives to DoorDash 

Here are some alternatives to DoorDash for making money fast:

• Take surveys with Swagbucks, InboxDollars and other survey sites like Swagbucks.
• Play online games like Mistplay or Rewarded Play.
• Earn cash back with Fetch or Rakuten.
• Test products with Survey Junkie.

For even more ideas, read this list of apps that pay cash. 

What Do I Need to Work for DoorDash?

To work for DoorDash, you just need to be at least 18 years old (or 19 in select states) and have a reliable vehicle and appropriate identification. A scooter or bicycle are even acceptable modes of transportation in some areas.

What Happens If I Do 50 Orders in a Week on DoorDash?

Completing 50 orders in a week on DoorDash could guarantee you a certain amount of earnings – but only if you’ve been invited to participate in a “Guaranteed Earnings” bonus offer with a 50-order minimum. 

How Long Does It Take to Make $100 Dollars on DoorDash?

While there’s no universal pay rate for DoorDash. You can increase your efficiency by taking advantage of bonus offers, working at peak times, and driving in busy areas.

And if you’re looking to boost your bank balance fast, check out these banks with immediate sign-up bonus.