How Does DoorDash Work?

DoorDash is a popular food delivery service that delivers food from restaurants that don't necessarily serve or deliver in your area. The service brings many of the conveniences usually found in large chains or popular local eateries, like order tracking and online payments with tipping.

How Does DoorDash Work?

DoorDash is a unified web interface that allows you to order an array of menu items from local restaurants. The company can make door-to-door deliveries from most restaurants that offer take-out. After you place an order, a "Dasher" picks it up and delivers it to your door.

1. Open your web browser and navigate to DoorDash. Select Sign Up in the upper-right corner of the screen, or Sign In if you have an account.

2. Complete the registration form or connect your Facebook or Google account.

3. There are several ways to begin your DoorDash order:

   • Enter a specific food, type of food, or restaurant's name in the Search bar in the upper-right corner.
   • Select a food category in the top horizontal menu.
   • Scroll down and select See All next to a category. A few categories are: Fastest Near You, National Favorites, Celebrate Holiday, Special Offers, and Convenience and Grocery.
   • Select a restaurant displayed on the screen.

4. After choosing a particular food or restaurant, you're led to the restaurant's page which includes its hours of operation, star rating, distance from your address, and delivery time.

   The restaurant's menu is broken down into categories with links for easy navigation. The top sections feature the most popular items. Scroll through your restaurant's menu and choose the items you want to order.

5. Some dishes include options to customize your order or add special instructions. Make a selection, choose any add-ons or special requests you'd like, then select Add to Cart.

6. After you've added everything you want to order, select Checkout in the right panel.

7. Your order summary with a complete breakdown of your items and the subtotal displays. You can schedule the delivery for a specific time or have the food delivered as soon as it's ready.

   Select Credit/Debit Card or PayPal to enter payment details; you can save the card to your account for later use. If you have a promotion code, select Add Promo Code and enter the code.

8. In the order summary, there's a space to add a tip for your Dasher (the delivery person). Check that your delivery address is correct, then select Place Order.

9. You'll see a screen with a large map displaying your location and the restaurant's location, plus the estimated delivery time and a tracker that updates in real time to show the order's progress.

10. After your order arrives, the completed order page allows you to review the restaurant and the Dasher who delivered your food.

11. When you're ready to order again, sign in to your account and start the process over.

Who Are Dashers?

Dashers are the contract workers who deliver for DoorDash. They use their vehicles to make deliveries, much like Uber or Lyft, except for food (like Uber Eats). You can sign up to be a Dasher on the DoorDash website. They'll review your application, and if you're approved, you can start accepting orders via the Dasher app.

Dashers are paid by customer tips and DoorDash. Being a Dasher is a decent side gig or part-time job since they can set their schedules and choose which deliveries to accept.