DoorDash drivers get paid with a base pay of $2 to $10+ per delivery. Drivers are independent contractors instead of employees with guaranteed salaries, and they make most of their money from tips and promotions.

On average, DoorDash drivers make around $18 per hour and $36,116 per year. Most drivers get 20% tips, which is 5% more than restaurant servers and they can keep 100% of the tip amount.

Source	Average Hourly	Average Annual
ZipRecruiter	$18.00	$36,565
Indeed	$16.08	$34,458
Glassdoor	$20.00	$37,324
Combined Average	$18.02	$36,116

If you’re located in a city that has higher demand with lower competition, and you have mastered some tricks and ways to boost your sales, you can expect to make around $22+ per hour and $44,500 or more per year.

Wage Analysis	Reported Earnings	Average Earnings
Hourly	$6.97-$30.77	$18
Daily	$40-$175	$100
Weekly	$279-$1,231	$703
Monthly	$1,208-$5,333	$3,047
Yearly	$14,500-$64,000	$36,565

*all earnings reports are based on national averages from ZipRecruiter. Actual earnings will differ based on the location of the driver.

While this table does represent national data, all earnings will depend on whether a driver works part-time or full time. Naturally, full-time drivers will make more money each year because they are working more hours.

Additionally, some deliveries may have higher tips than others, and that may also impact the hourly rate of that day.

Average DoorDash Pay by State

State	Annual	Monthly	Weekly	Hourly
Massachusetts	$42,607	$3,551	$819	$20.48
Washington	$39,007	$3,251	$750	$18.75
Maryland	$37,989	$3,166	$731	$18.26
New York	$37,787	$3,149	$727	$18.17
Iowa	$30,207	$2,517	$581	$14.52
Alabama	$29,964	$2,497	$576	$14.41
New Mexico	$29,791	$2,483	$573	$14.32
Florida	$28,917	$2,410	$556	$13.90
Mississippi	$28,671	$2,389	$551	$13.78

Types of DoorDash Pay

Generally, DoorDash drivers make their money from these sources:

Base pay

For every order, DoorDash guarantees between $1 and $10 for every order. These amounts will change based on factors that are discussed in the section below.

Tips

After a meal has been delivered, customers are given the option to leave tips for their DoorDash driver. DoorDash will take most of the delivery fees, but drivers can keep 100% of the tips.

At checkout, DoorDash will suggest tips of $2, $3, or $4, but customers can customize their tips as well. Most customers leave 15% to 20% tip.

Promotions

Sometimes, DoorDash offers promotions for drivers to earn extra cash. Typically, new drivers will earn a signup bonus that will be applied to their account after a certain number of deliveries.

DoorDash also hosts challenges in certain areas where drivers will work to complete a set number of deliveries in a certain time frame for cash bonuses.

Peak time deliveries

During peak delivery times, such as the lunch and dinner rushes, the guaranteed payments will be higher.

If there are too many orders and not enough drivers, DoorDash may also offer incentives so that drivers take the order.

To maximize hourly earnings, drivers are encouraged to take on as many deliveries as they can while not infringing on customer satisfaction.

This is because even if the driver completes multiple deliveries in an hour, delivering a meal late or not completely satisfying the customer will result in low or no tips.

Generally, better tips are given when a driver is friendly, professional, on time, and is committed to quality customer service. If drivers focus on good customer service, they will likely get better tips and higher hours wages.

Related: How Much Do Shipt Shoppers Make?

DoorDash Pay Structure

Customers will always pay for a DoorDash delivery fee so that their food can be delivered regardless of where it was ordered from. Even though the customer will always pay for the order, drivers only get a small percentage of that fee.

In fact, DoorDash only guarantees that the driver will get $1 per order. Nearly all other pay is determined by the tips received from the customer.

The guaranteed amount will vary depending on the order. For example, DoorDashe will take into account the following factors to develop a fair guaranteed pay:

• Size of the order. Larger orders may pay more.
• Whether you have to place the order in person. If you get an order from the customer and have to go to the counter to order it, you will be paid more.
• Projected driving distance. If you need to drive further, the guaranteed payments will be higher.
• Traffic. If traffic is bad and will make the order take longer, you will be paid more.
• Parking and store wait time. These are also factored into pay, if you need to find parking or have to wait a significant time, the pay maybe more.

Even though the guaranteed pay is only $1, drivers report that the average guaranteed pay is $5 before tips. Fortunately, any tip the customer leaves go directly to the driver. So, there is an incentive to deliver food on time, make sure the order is correct, and provide friendly communication to the customer.

Pay may also be determined on when the order is placed. For example, DoorDash orders placed during the lunch rush or on a Friday night may have higher guaranteed pay than orders at different times throughout the day.

Additionally, the pay may be different depending on the general location. If you live in a big city, then the guaranteed payments may be more than a quieter town with less traffic.

What about Mileage?

Although DoorDash does not reimburse their employees for their mileage, during tax season employees can claim that they are private contractors and count the miles traveled as business expenses.

Typically, the amount that can be claimed is between 56 and 57.5 cents per mile depending on the tax year.

Keep in mind, however, that amount that can be claimed per mile will change each tax season, so employees should keep up to date on the amount they can claim for business expenses.

Your Common Expenses as a DoorDash driver:

• Car Payment
• Car Insurance
• Gas
• Car Maintenance
• Taxes

When Does DoorDash Pay Me?

Many delivery services, such as DoorDash, are becoming incredibly popular. Not only can customers get food delivered from their favorite restaurants, but DoorDash drivers can work as many or as few hours as they want.

One of the most common questions drivers want to know before signing up DoorDash is when will they get paid from DoorDash.

DoorDash pays its drivers once a weekly basis every Monday. You can expect payment to begin processing on Monday and become available in your bank account 2 to 3 business days later. You can also use Fast Pay to cash out your earnings on demand rather than waiting for the weekly payouts.

But before drives can get paid, they must make deliveries and understand how they are getting paid. While DoorDash’s average hourly pay is around $4 to $5 more than Uber Eats, there is plenty to know about the pay system that DoorDash implements.

Interesting Facts: Who is winning the restaurant food delivery war?

1. DoorDash 56%
2. Uber Eats 21%
3. Grubhub 18%
4. Postmates 5%
5. Other 1%

(Source: Bloomberg Second Measure)

This article will serve as a comprehensive guide to DoorDash’s pay system, and we’ll show you how to make up to $200 a day delivering food for DoorDash.

How DoorDash Pay Their Drivers

DoorDash pays its drivers on a weekly basis through direct deposit. When a new driver signs up with DoorDash, they will need to give DoorDash their bank account information so that they can get paid via direct deposit.

Unlike salaried employees, DoorDash drivers are independent contractors. This means that no money is taken out of the paycheck each week and the full amount earned will be deposited into the driver’s bank account.

Instead, DoorDash drivers will have to pay taxes on their earnings during the tax season. So, it is advised that DoorDash drivers put aside some money after each paycheck so that they can pay during tax season.

Generally, DoorDash pays its workers on Monday. However, the bank that the DoorDash employee uses for the direct deposit will impact the exact time the paycheck will be available in the account. For most people, the DoorDash check will appear in their bank account after 2 to 3 business days.

DoorDash’s direct deposit will be processed at midnight on Monday. For some employees, this time may vary, but it will always be early in the morning on Monday. But as mentioned above, the exact time that the funds will be available in the employee’s bank account will usually take a few days.

If You Want to Signing Up with DoorDash

DoorDash drivers have the freedom to work as much as they want and on their own flexible schedule. Unlike most jobs, DoorDash drivers have the freedom to dash anywhere and can choose their own hours.

Drivers can deliver as their full-time job, part-time, or seasonally as it works with their schedule.

The signup process is simple, but it will take some time for the application to be completed, so new drivers should not expect to be able to deliver the night they sign up.

How to Sign Up (Step by Step)

Luckily, signing up for DoorDash is just as easy as it is to work for DoorDash. It takes just 5 minutes to sign up, and prospective drivers can follow these simple steps to get started:

• Go to the DoorDash website to sign up.
• Enter the zip code for the area that you plan to dash in.
• Enter your current email address.
• Enter your phone number.
• Create an account and submit the rest of the requested information.
• Consent to a motor vehicle and background check.
• Pass the motor vehicle and background check.
• Download the app.
• Get your supplies. These will be shipped to your door.
• Start delivering with DoorDash.

Driver Requirements

There are some requirements that new drivers must meet to be eligible to become a DoorDash driver. On the official DoorDash website, they list the following qualifications:

• Drivers must be 18 years or older.
• Drivers must have access to a vehicle.
• Any car, truck, or van qualifies but it must pass a vehicle check.
• Some areas allow delivery on a scooter or bicycle, so check the area you plan to deliver in.
• Drivers must have a valid driver’s license.
• Drives must have current car insurance and have their name on the policy.
• Drivers must own an iPhone or Android smartphone to run the DoorDash partner app.
• New drivers must complete an orientation or request an activation kit.

Vehicle Requirements

DoorDash does have some vehicle requirements. However, these requirements are lenient, and nearly every working vehicle qualifies. Yet, there are some things to keep in mind:

• Any model year is acceptable.
• There is no vehicle inspection, simply input your vehicle’s data.
• There are no cosmetic requirements, nearly all vehicles qualify.
• If your car runs and drives, it’s eligible.
• Motorcycles and scooters’ qualifications are depending on the area.
• Bicycles qualify in some cities, so check city requirements before applying.

9 Tips to Boost Earnings on DoorDash

It is completely possible to make $200 a day with DoorDash, but drivers must know how to read their own market to make this happen. Generally, the pay is all about the time and distance that drivers must put in to make an order possible.

To optimize their delivery, DoorDash drivers should consider the following tips:

1. Complete orders and keep your completion rate over 95% to remain an active dasher.
2. Only accept orders that are high value or that can be done quickly.
3. Be accurate with the orders to keep customers happy.
4. Always make sure the order has enough condiments and utensils.
5. Memorize the streets and surrounding areas to save the delivery time.
6. If you work during peak times(lunch/dinner), guaranteed payments will be higher.
7. Stack orders that are close together or from the same restaurant.
8. Keep your customer updated so that they know the status of their order.
9. Keep the food warm. Say “be careful, the food is hot” at delivery. They love that and may give you a good rating + tip. Here is a video demonstrating how to keep the food warm:

When it comes to making better money on DoorDash, drivers should make sure to enhance their customer service skills and make sure they only accept orders that they can do easily and efficiently.

Is Working for DoorDash Worth it?

Working for DoorDash can absolutely be worth it. Whether the driver works another full-time job and uses DoorDash to supplement income or if the driver is a student who works part-time, working as a DoorDash driver can absolutely be worth it.

Not only do drivers set their own schedule, but they can work wherever there are customers. So if the driver travels a lot, they can still work regardless of where they live.

Being a driver is also convenient because the DoorDash app allows them to take orders whenever it fits their schedule, so there is no requirement to work a shift if something comes up.

As seen above, the pay can also be worthwhile. On a busy night, for example, drivers can easily make over $20 an hour simply delivering food around their town or even surpass $200 a day if they got good orders and managed to get high tips from customers.