DoorDash is an incredibly convenient way to order food, and have it delivered directly to your door.
In a world where our lives are busier than ever, being able to order from dozens of restaurants and have it delivered is truly a luxury!
But what happens if you place a DoorDash order, and nobody picks it up? What causes it, and what can be done to solve it?
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about why nobody is picking up your DoorDash order, and what you can do about it!
Why Is Nobody Picking Up My DoorDash Order?
If nobody is picking up your DoorDash order, it is because there are no drivers available or interested in your order.
DoorDash drivers have the right to refuse any order, and are not required to pick up any specific order that comes through the DoorDash platform.
DoorDash drivers are not automatically assigned to orders – they pick and choose which orders they would like to deliver.
Therefore, if your order isn’t profitable enough (or all Dashers are already on other deliveries), it may not be picked up.
Let’s examine each cause more carefully.
1. No DoorDash Drivers (Dashers) Are Available
Often times, this may be the issue.
There are only a limited number of drivers doing DoorDash in a given area.
If you live outside of a big city or especially in a rural area, there may simply not be enough people doing DoorDash to be able to take your order. And even if there are drivers, they may all be busy with other deliveries.
Your chance of there being no available delivery drivers increases if:
- You are located in a rural area, with houses spaced fairly far apart.
- You are located far away from the downtown area of your city, where the majority of restaurants are located.
- You are ordering during a busy period, such as lunch or dinner time.
Most DoorDash drivers begin preparing for the busy times of the day early. At the same time, restaurants may experience delays during busy hours.
By placing your DoorDash order early, you maximize the chances that someone will be available to pick it up.
2. Your Tip Is Too Low
Many people don’t know this, but most DoorDash drivers make a lot of their money through tips alone.
While DoorDash guarantees a minimum per delivery, the minimum earnings often aren’t enough to make the delivery worth it.
This is especially true when you factor in the time, and fuel costs associated with delivering your order.
If your tip is too low (or there are other people placing orders with higher tips), drivers may skip your order to focus on others that are more profitable.
Therefore, if you want to maximize your likelihood of your order being assigned to a driver quickly, you should consider offering a higher tip – particularly if you are located on the outskirts of town, or far away from the restaurant.
What To Do If Nobody Picks Up Your DoorDash Order
Thankfully, even if your order isn’t picked up for whatever reason, there are still steps you can take to ensure that you get your food.
These may be suitable options if you’re sick of simply waiting for a Dasher to pick up the order, or if nobody ever picks it up at all.
1. Pick Up The Order Yourself
Many people don’t know this, but you can actually pick up DoorDash orders yourself!
The restaurant will begin preparing the meal once the order comes in. Then, you can simply visit the restaurant and claim the order yourself, rather than waiting for a DoorDash driver to get it themselves.
Some people actually prefer it this way, particularly if they have to head out shopping or want to ensure they receive the freshest food possible.
If you choose this option, you should inform DoorDash both before you go to pick up your order, as well as after the order has been received.
DoorDash will refund you the delivery fee, as well as any tips that were meant for the DoorDash driver.
Note: If you are a DashPass member, there are no delivery fees for orders over $12. So, you will not receive any sort of extra refund for delivery fees if you currently have DashPass.
2. Reorder With A Higher Tip
Often times, the reason your order wasn’t picked up is because it wasn’t deemed worth the time by any DoorDash driver in your area.
A lot of Dashers make a large bulk of their money in tips. When you factor in the time and expenses involved in delivering your food to you, it simply isn’t worth it if your tip isn’t high enough.
This is especially true if you are located far away from the restaurant – increasing the times and miles necessary to get to you.
By increasing your tip, you make your delivery far more enticing to potential drivers – who may go further out of their way in order to deliver your food to you.
Consider offering at least the standard tip you’d give at a restaurant – 15-20% of the order’s total price.
3. Cancel Your Order
If you decide that you no longer want your order (or you simply want to reorder), then you may have the option to cancel your DoorDash order entirely.
DoorDash orders can only be cancelled if they have not yet been confirmed by the restaurant, or assigned to a DoorDash driver.
Thankfully, cancelling a DoorDash order is easy. To cancel, follow these steps:
- Open the DoorDash app, and navigate to the ‘Orders’ page.
- Tap on ‘Help’.
- Tap on ‘Delivery Issues’.
- Here, you’ll be able to select your ideal resolution. To cancel your DoorDash order, select the option to receive a full refund.
Once your DoorDash order has been successfully cancelled, you’ll receive a full refund on your order, including all service fees.
From here, you’re welcome to reorder with a higher tip if you wish.
Can I Pick Up My DoorDash Order Myself?
Yes, you are allowed to pick up your DoorDash order yourself.
This is an excellent way to ensure that you receive your food as fresh as possible, and will immediately solve the problem if no delivery drivers are willing to pick it up.
Just remember to notify DoorDash before and after, so you can receive refunds on any delivery fees and tips.
Unfortunately if nobody else is willing to pick up your order (even with a high tip), this may be your only option to receive your DoorDash order!
Why Was My DoorDash Order Cancelled Automatically?
In rare circumstances, DoorDash may cancel your order for you, even if you do not specifically request it.
At this time, DoorDash is currently waiting 30 minutes after your order was placed before cancelling and offering you a refund.
If no DoorDash driver is assigned to the order within 30 minutes, you can simply accept the refund and cancel the order, or speak with a customer service representative for further solutions.
If you don’t do anything and the order is never assigned to a driver, the order will be automatically cancelled.
The total size of your refund will depend on what resolution you agree on.
If you choose to pick up the order yourself, you will still have to pay for the meal and DoorDash’s service fees. However, the delivery fee and the tip will be fully refunded to your original payment method.
Conclusion
Most of the time, when a DoorDash order isn’t picked up, it’s due to it not being worth the delivery driver’s time.
This happens more frequently if your tip is low, or if you are located far away from wherever the restaurant is located.
By reordering with a higher tip, you make your order far more enticing to all of the DoorDash drivers in your area.
I hope that you’ve found this article helpful. If you have any other questions about ordering from DoorDash, please feel free to ask them using the comment form below.
Thank you for reading,
– James McAllister
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