The Best Times to DoorDash In 2024 [My Favorites & Why] (2024)

Key Takeaways

  • Peak hours for DoorDash are during lunch (11:00 AM to 2:00 PM) and dinner (4:30 PM to 8:00 PM), offering increased earning potential.
  • Weekends see a surge in order volumes, making Friday evening through Sunday the best times for DoorDash drivers to work.
  • Holidays and special events often lead to more orders, providing Dashers with opportunities for higher earnings.
  • Late-night shifts, especially on weekends, can be profitable with less competition and higher demand in some areas.

Understanding peak hours →

The best times to DoorDash →

  • Understanding Peak DoorDash Hours
  • Summary of the Best Times to Drive Overall
  • Categorized Best Times to Drive
  • Tips for Maximizing Earnings During Peak Times
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Final Thoughts: Crafting Your DoorDash Strategy

Understanding Peak DoorDash Hours

As a delivery driver, you choose when you work based on your free time. However, you could waste time and effort by Dashing at random times.

It’s important to know that your actual earnings may differ depending on the time of day you do deliveries. The reason for this is you get incentivesfor working hours with a higher demand for dashers.

Strategizing around peak hours helps to maximize your earnings. In short, you can gain extra money knowing when customers are most likely to order.

Below, we give you useful tips for getting more ordersby selecting the best times to DoorDash!

Summary of the Best Times to Drive Overall

When is the best time to drive overall?

According to DoorDash, the peak times align with meal schedules. This means lunch hours (11:00 AM to 2:00 PM) and dinner hours (4:30 PM to 8:00 PM) are busy times for delivery drivers.

The delivery date also impacts the acceptance rate.

For instance, there’s always a surge in order volumes on weekends and holidays. This is when people are more likely to order in because they’d rather enjoy their rest days.

As all experienced dashers know, working on these days gets them more customer tips and incentives!

Categorized Best Times to Drive

Here are the best times to DoorDash based on the 2023 Restaurant Online Ordering Trends Report.

1. Weekends

According to the report, nearly 50% of Americans order deliveries at least once a week. On top of this, 23% order five to seven times a month.

This is because consumers prefer convenience, and many enjoy browsing through restaurant menus.

Weekends make up a big chunk of the orders as these are the peak times for food delivery services. The rush starts from Friday evenings to Sunday dinner time.

During this time, there’s an increased order volume and higher earning potential due to the need for delivery drivers. You may also notice a demand for hotel deliveriesas families may travel to unwind.

Tips for Weekday Dashers

Here are a few tips for doing food deliveries during the week.

  • Dash to Work: If you have other work during the day, you can accept dashes as you travel to your destination. DoorDash has a Dash Along the Way Featurethat can help.
  • Navigate the Hotspots: Office workers may be looking for delicious meals during the lunch rush. You might want to try dashing at a commercial area.
  • Park Near Popular Restaurants: Position yourself beside a busy family restaurant at night. Families may order in for dinner.

2. During the Week

During the week, DoorDash says the best time to drive is during lunch break and dinner time.

The lunch rush is from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Meanwhile, the busiest time on weekday nights is from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

Targeting these hours gives gig workers an advantage as there’s a consistent demand.

DoorDash may also send an alert and show you where the hotspots are. When you see a flame icon on the map, it’s a sign that you’ll receive an influx of orders!

Tips for Weekday Dashers

Here are a few tips for doing food deliveries during the week.

  • Dash to Work: If you have other work during the day, you can accept dashes as you travel to your destination. DoorDash has a Dash Along the Way Featurethat can help.
  • Navigate the Hotspots: Office workers may be looking for delicious meals during the lunch rush. You might want to try dashing at a commercial area.
  • Park Near Popular Restaurants: Position yourself beside a busy family restaurant at night. Families may order in for dinner.

3. Nights & Evenings

Late evenings are excellent for DoorDash drivers, especially after the dinner rush. You’ll have a busy night when you dash in areas with limited dining options.

The late-night demandstarts every 9:00 PM and lasts until 3:00 to 5:00 AM. There are more evening deliveries in city centers compared to the suburbs.

Many dashers prefer late nights because of less traffic and competition.

Expect to get high-paying orders even if there’s a lower order frequency. You can also look forward to a higher probability of getting tipped!

Tips for Holiday Dashing

Here’s how you can prepare for the holiday rush.

  • Understand Local Events: Depending on the holiday, certain food items may sell better than others. Situate yourself near restaurants with promising holiday promos.
  • Be Ready for a Line: Because these are the busiest delivery times, expect long lines. It’s best to research establishments that can handle the large influx of orders.
  • Learn Customer Preferences: Anticipating your customer’s preferences ensures you get better tips.

4. During Holidays

Did you know that dashing during the holidays gets you excellent incentives?

According to DoorDash, the biggest delivery daysof the year are holidays like Game Day, Easter, and Memorial Day!

As a dasher, you should anticipate a busy schedule on Christmas Day, New Year’s, Valentine’s, and Mother’s Day. This is when people are most likely to order additional food for their gathering.

Of course, it’s essential to have a strategy for holidays. You should pick orders that’ll give you maximum earnings.

Tips for Holiday Dashing

Here’s how you can prepare for the holiday rush.

  • Understand Local Events: Depending on the holiday, certain food items may sell better than others. Situate yourself near restaurants with promising holiday promos.
  • Be Ready for a Line: Because these are the busiest delivery times, expect long lines. It’s best to research establishments that can handle the large influx of orders.
  • Learn Customer Preferences: Anticipating your customer’s preferences ensures you get better tips.

Tips for Maximizing Earnings During Peak Times

The average pay for dashersis $15.03, but you can earn more than this through a few methods.

First, efficient route planning will give you the biggest advantage. Statista says customers prefer receiving their orders within 21 to 30 minutes.

Make the most out of driving during peak times and map out the best areas to target.

Leverage DoorDash promotions like the Peak Pay, which gives you a bonus if there’s a high demand. You may also want to complete DoorDash challenges to get rewards for meeting a target number of deliveries.

Finally, having excellent customer service makes a huge difference in your tips!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Slowest Day for Doordash?

The morning hours of Mondays to Wednesdays are slower periods for DoorDash. There’s a bigger customer demand every Friday to Sunday.

It’s best to strategize when you’ll go on a delivery run to maximize your earnings. If you’re dashing on a Monday, go to an area where office workers may order in for lunch.

How Long Does it Take to Make $1,000 On Doordash?

You can earn more than $1,000 per week as a full-time DoorDash driver. Those with top dasher statuscan earn faster than others as well.

To make more money with DoorDash, you should learn about the peak hours and customer ordering patterns. Having great communication with the customer helps!

Who Pays More: Uber Eats or Doordash?

DoorDash drivers may earn more than Uber Eats drivers.
The USA Todaysays DoorDash drivers make an average of $25 per hour, including tips. Meanwhile, for Uber, drivers only make up to $15.84 per hour or $9.37 per trip.

Final Thoughts: Crafting Your DoorDash Strategy

In conclusion, learning about crucial factors, like the best times to DoorDash, makes a huge difference in your earnings.

Because certain times and days of the year grant you bonuses, scheduling dashesis key to your success.

You should consider making delivery runs during the lunch and dinner rush. Don’t skip out on holidays and weekends, as food delivery apps are in demand during this time.

Aligning the peak hours with your schedule means you can earn more with the same amount of effort!

The Best Times to DoorDash In 2024 [My Favorites & Why] (2024)

FAQs

What are the best times to DoorDash? ›

The Absolute Best Times to DoorDash

The best times to DoorDash vary by area, but almost everywhere, dinnertime is the best. Dinnertime can range from 5 PM to 9 PM. DoorDash states their peak hours are lunch and dinner or 11 AM to 2 PM and 4:30 PM to 8 PM.

How to tell if DoorDash is busy? ›

When the heatmap is red and it says that it is “very busy” or “busy”, Dash Now to take advantage of areas with high customer demand. When the heatmap is grey, it means that Dash Now is currently unavailable.

How much can you make with DoorDash in 3 hours? ›

The average income for most DoorDash drivers ranges between $15 and $25 per hour. You may also earn more than this if you get plenty of additional income from tips for your orders. If you can work during peak times or maximize your delivery efficiency, you could be on the higher end of this scale.

What are the best places to DoorDash? ›

Top 6 major cities for dashing, according to seasoned Dashers
  • Chicago. The Windy City is the third biggest city in America and is a food-fanatical metropolis. ...
  • Los Angeles. ...
  • New York City. ...
  • Houston. ...
  • Las Vegas. ...
  • Atlanta.
Apr 4, 2024

How to make the most money on DoorDash? ›

High-earning Dashers know that making more money while dashing often comes down to accepting and completing more offers! The Dashers with the highest earnings are typically those who actively accept and complete a high number of delivery requests. The most active times for orders tend to be around lunch and dinner.

What are the most active hours for DoorDash? ›

Peak Hours for DoorDash: A General Guide

For most cities, the following hours are peak times: Breakfast: 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM. Lunch: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Dinner: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM.

Where is the highest paying DoorDash area? ›

Highest paying cities for Delivery Driver in US
  • San Francisco, CA. $27.67 per hour.
  • Los Angeles, CA. $25.15 per hour.
  • San Diego, CA. $25.37 per hour.

How to get top Dasher? ›

Here is what DoorDash specifies as the Top Dasher qualifications:
  1. Customer rating of at least 4.7.
  2. Acceptance rate of at least 70%
  3. Completion rate of at least 95%
  4. 100 completed deliveries during the last month.
  5. At least 200 lifetime deliveries completed.
Feb 14, 2024

How to dash whenever you want? ›

As a Top Dasher, you'll have the privilege of using the “Dash Now” feature (which normally is accessible only during peak demand times) at any time, regardless of whether it's a busy period or not. This means that whenever you want to start working, you can just tap the “Dash Now” button and begin.

Can I make $1000 a week with DoorDash? ›

So to make $1,000 a week on a DoorDash driver salary, you need to work 50 hours a week earning a higher than average hourly rate. The problem? There may not be 50 hours of prime DoorDash time available. You will have to work seven days a week, and even then, you might fall short.

How many hours to make $500 a week with DoorDash? ›

How many hours do you need to work to make $500 with DoorDash? Generally, Dashers should expect to work between 20 and 30 hours per week to make $500.

What is the most ordered item on DoorDash? ›

Like the most ordered food on DoorDash of all time: French fries. A perfect food that (almost) no one's making at home. Since 2013, more than 600 million (!)

What pays the most on DoorDash? ›

Promotions like Peak Pay, Challenges, and Delivery Streaks help you earn more. Peak Pay pays you more per delivery or task. Delivery Streaks allow Dashers to earn extra money by accepting and completing offers consecutively while on a dash when the promotion is in effect.

What are higher paying orders on DoorDash? ›

A: High paying orders are some of the highest paying deliveries in the area, which can vary by area, over time, and by delivery distance. We calculate high paying orders based on total pay, which includes base pay, peak pay, and tips.

What is the best morning time for DoorDash? ›

What are the best times of day for Dashers to work?
  • 6 AM - 9 PM: Early Dashers can get the worm during breakfast hours. ...
  • 11 AM - 1 PM: The lunch rush can definitely be a lucrative time, especially if you spend time researching which restaurants are go-tos for local office buildings.

Is it better to DoorDash by time or order? ›

Both are great options, providing you the choice in how you earn. With Earn per Offer, you have more flexibility and can earn per offer completed. In Earn by Time, you can enjoy more consistency in your earnings and are paid a guaranteed active hourly rate while actively engaged in deliveries.

Is it better to schedule on DoorDash? ›

Scheduled deliveries are generally best for when you're delivering perishable goods like food and drinks. If you're delivering non-perishable goods that don't need to be picked up or delivered at a specific time, delivery windows can help DoorDash more efficiently batch your deliveries together.

Is it better to wait or drive around for DoorDash? ›

Don't drive around looking for orders. Park and wait. Of course, your best bet will be to park in a place where lots of different restaurants will be generating orders, unless there are already too many Dashers in the neighborhood.

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