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What: DoorDash is a food delivery service that enlists freelancers to deliver in exchange for a fee ranging from $2 – $10 plus tip.
Expected pay: $10 – $20 per hour
Husl $core: $$$$
Where:
Major U.S. cities
Requirements:
- Drivers must be 18 or older
- Cannot have any major driving violations in the last 7 years,
- Must pass a criminal background check and an individualized assessment.
Want to drive for DoorDash?
DoorDash Review:
Three years ago, we gave DoorDash a substandard Husl$core because of a pay model that allowed the company to abscond with the driver’s tip. We’ve updated this rating because the company drastically changed its pay model to the benefit of workers.
Currently, the site pays $2-$10 per delivery, plus any “promotion or challenge” pay, plus tip. When you’re asked to do a delivery, you are given a base number that reflects the distance you’re driving and the difficulty of the pickup. You could earn more, but the site says you will not earn less than the amount promised initially. Incidentally, DoorDash purchased the Caviar delivery service, so all these terms affect Caviar drivers too.
These terms are dramatically better than they were a few years ago, when DoorDash used customer tips to subsidize its driver’s delivery fees. And you have a New York Times reporter named Andy Newman to thank. He decided to put himself in the shoes of a delivery driver. He tested an array of platforms, including Uber Eats, Postmates and DoorDash. His subsequent story “My Frantic Life as a Cab-Dodging, Tip-Chasing Food Deliveryman,” raised such a furor that DoorDash changed its policy.
Customer furor
Notably, the DoorDash pay policy was understood by drivers. But, customers assumed that when they tipped through DoorDash, the driver was getting the money. Instead, tips often subsidized DoorDash’s guaranteed delivery payment. To avoid losing customers to GrubHub (which always passed tips on to drivers), DoorDash CEO Tony Xu told the New York Times that the company was rolling out a new pay model.
The promised new pay model:
Delivery drivers now get at least $2, plus tip. (The old model was $1 plus tip, or a guaranteed payment, whichever was more.) The company also promises to let drivers know where the pick-up will be; where they are going; and the total value of the job (including tip) prior to accepting a delivery. This is notable because delivery drivers with other services are sometimes urged to accept jobs before they know where they’re going. This new policy gives DoorDash drivers sufficient information to know whether a delivery is worth their time. You can click here to sign up to be a DoorDash driver.
Other details of driving for DoorDash
The site has a second service called DoorDash Drive that guarantees somewhat better pay for bigger orders. But to qualify, you need to have at least two catering bags. These orders are likely to take more time, since you may need to help set up. So expect that there’s little opportunity to do more than one per hour.
Other options for delivery drivers: GrubHub, Uber Eats and Orange Crate.
What their drivers say:
(from Indeed)
If you need money do it. If you’re looking for a career do something else. The best part of this job is flexibility and that’s about it. Not much else to say.
You can work and schedule the hours you want but with Doordash offering $3 per delivery and tips it’s not worth the wear and tear on your car. Pay needs raised.
Overall great gig job for a few extra bucks. Flexible, easy, fun, some good days some not so good. Unfortunately you do have to spend a lot on gas and car maintenance.
Overall, I recommend this to anyone as a side hustle. Doordash base pay is honestly trash without promotions but the tips always make it worth it if you get someone willing to give you a good tip. You can always deny an order before taking it so you know if someone tipped well or not before you accept the order
The best part about this job is working only when you want, but the pay is not worth it unless you get a good tip, about half my pay is tips and I only make a bit above $10/hr, minimum wage. You can make a bit more during peak hours and on bigger orders/wealthier areas people tend to tip more, but with small fast food orders, people usually don’t tip at all. Also, don’t do that thing where you shop for someone at a store, they expect it to only take you 5 minutes when it takes like 20 and if the store doesn’t have the exact item they won’t let you substitute it for something similar. They should pay minimum wage and give healthcare.
Click here to sign up as a DoorDash driver today.
*Updated 5/25/2021
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I have received orders for $70+ and all I got as “base pay from DD was $3.50 on a $170 order I got a whopping $5.25!
DD sucks at base pay!!!
Underpaid, sometimes I only make $9.00 an hour (present date August 2020), you get tips, some people are generous and balance your income but it’s not always the case.
You use your car and spend gas without retribution.
It’s not possible to be always on time, even more of you have two orders from different restaurants, therefore customers give you a bad review. Stressful
If you don’t accept an order your rating goes down, EVEN IF IT’S UNDERPAID, so less orders are sent to you or you may loose the job.
My experience = $3.50 per 10 miles, then you have to drive back to restaurant area, so…do the math.
Stressful and you get no real feedback.
Doordash definitely helps if you are in extreme need or need fast cash. Otherwise it’s a ripoff.
Doordash keeps charging my debit card for services that I hand never ever used. They charge me $9.99 two and three times a month. I’ve asked them to stop because I don’t know about their services nor have I ever contracted to do business with them. My monthly pay on the debit card is $86.00 so some months nearly half of that goes to doordash. I’ve talked I’ve sent photos of disputed charges and I’ve requested them to not charge me for any of their services. So as a consumer I’m jilted by this company and I can only imagine how this company use its drivers for profit but pays them low wages.
Door Dash has known since Jan 4th that I was exposed to covid. They have had medical documentation of my positive test result since the 11th. They have never suspended my account nor have they paid me thru their covid assistance fund. I have been fighting with them for 21 days. I have been in contact with them several times a day since the 11th. I received an email yesterday stating I hadn’t contacted them them in 3 days so they closed my case. I have chat transcripts, emails, and screenshots to prove that incorrect. I could have logged on and been working at any point. I did not, but I could have. There are people who would have without hesitation.
Dd sucks, no accountability to in ensure drivers get enough money to pay for gas, car repairs and taxes and awhile still having to pay monthly bills. I can go on about so much more, but people going to do what they want.