Tips to Maximize Your DoorDash Earnings

If you want to boost your DoorDash earnings, it’s not just about working more hours — it’s about working smarter. Successful Dashers know how to make every hour on the road as profitable as possible. From strategic scheduling to efficient route planning, every little decision can make a big difference in your take-home pay.

Here are some proven strategies to help you maximize your DoorDash earnings

Drive during peak hours

The easiest way to increase your DoorDash earnings is to drive when demand is highest. During peak hours, you’ll have access to more orders, higher tips, and bonus pay opportunities like Peak Pay.

When are DoorDash peak hours?

• Lunch (11 a.m. - 2 p.m.) — During lunch, people are looking for fast, convenient meals, especially in business districts and downtown areas.‍
• Dinner (5 p.m. - 9 p.m.) — Dinner is the busiest time of day for DoorDash. Many people order delivery instead of cooking, and orders typically have larger totals — which means bigger tips.‍
• Late Night (9 p.m. - 12 a.m.) — If you live in a college town or a major metro area, late-night delivery demand can be high, especially on weekends.

How Peak Pay works:

DoorDash offers Peak Pay bonuses during busy times, which means you get an additional $1, $2, or more per order. You’ll see these bonuses highlighted in the Dasher app. To take advantage, try to schedule your shifts during these periods and log in early to claim the extra cash.

Stick to Busy Areas with High Demand (Hot Spots = High Pay)

Not all locations are equal. Some areas are filled with order requests, while others have long wait times between orders. To maximize your earnings, stay in high-demand areas where there’s constant order flow. The Dasher app highlights “hot spots” on the map, which are areas with the most delivery requests.

Where are the best places to wait for orders?

• Near Popular Restaurants — Fast-casual spots like Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, and Panera Bread generate a high volume of orders. Position yourself near restaurant hubs to get faster deliveries.
• Near Shopping Districts — Malls and downtown areas have clusters of restaurants, which means you’ll have more delivery opportunities.
• High-Density Urban Areas — If you’re in a city with a high population density, you’ll have more delivery opportunities since people are less likely to drive to get their own food.

Provide great service.

Customer tips are a major part of your total DoorDash earnings, so you want to do everything possible to increase them. Luckily, there are simple ways to encourage better tips through good customer service.

Tips for tips

• Send polite updates — After accepting an order, send a quick message like, “Hi [Customer Name], I just picked up your order and will arrive in about 15 minutes!” This builds trust and lets customers know you’re on it.
• Use friendly language — Instead of “Your order is delayed,” say, “I’m so sorry, but the restaurant is taking a bit longer than expected. I’m waiting on it now to make sure it gets to you hot and fresh!” This tone is more positive and reassuring.
• Smile and say thank you — If you meet customers at the door, be polite, smile, and say, “Thank you for your order!” Small gestures like this lead to bigger tips.

DoorDash drivers keep 100% of customer tips, so it’s worth taking a few extra steps to boost tips on every order.

Track Your Mileage and Expenses

As a DoorDash driver, you’re classified as an independent contractor. This means you’re responsible for paying your own 1099 taxes. But here’s the good news: You can reduce your taxable income by tracking your expenses — and the biggest expense is your DoorDash mileage.

The IRS sets the standard mileage rate every year, allowing you to turn every business mile into cash back in your pocket.

Why does this matter?

Let’s say you drive 10,000 miles for DoorDash in 2024.(The 2024 mileage rate was 67 cents per mile)

• 10,000 miles x 67 cents = $6,700 in potential tax deductions.

That’s $6,700 you can subtract from your taxable income, which could save you thousands of dollars on taxes. If you don’t track your mileage, you could miss out on these savings.

How to track your mileage automatically

We've partnered with DoorDash to help Dashers never miss a mile or expense. Instead of manually writing down your miles, use the GPS build right into your phone to track your business mileage in the background, and get a tax-ready report for the end of the year.

Take Advantage of DoorDash Perks & Discounts

DoorDash offers drivers access to one of the most robust perks and discounts programs across the entire gig economy. This program's goal is to reduce your expenses and increase your earnings. These perks include discounts on fuel, insurance, phone plans, and more.