The Best Times To DoorDash – Ultimate 2024 Guide!
When it comes to making money with gig economy apps, people have wildly different levels of success.
Delivering for DoorDash isn't an exception.
But why is it that some drivers earn under minimum wage and quit delivering after a few weeks, while other DoorDash drivers can clear $1,000 a week?
Well, today I'm going to look at one of the most important parts of this formula: what times you deliver for DoorDash.
If you know the best times to DoorDash, I think you can significantly increase your hourly earnings…or at least give yourself the best chance possible to turn DoorDash into a very lucrative side hustle.
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The Best Times To DoorDash
The best times to do DoorDash are during lunch (11am to 2pm) and during dinner time (4:30pm to 8pm). Late nights on Fridays and Saturdays are also some of the best times since order volume is high. Overall, delivering around meal times is the best way to get the most DoorDash orders.
DoorDash even states that these times are “often the busiest times to dash — which should mean more money! To snag a spot during the lunch or dinner rush, you can schedule a dash up to 5 days in advance.”
This is largely common sense since many people grab breakfast themselves or eat at home, so they won't be ordering delivery.
This YouTube video from DoorDash driver Nuggs also shares some of the best times to DoorDash.
In this video, Nuggs explains how dinner shifts and weekends are some of the best DoorDash times. And he also mentions how delivering during special events, especially on weekend evenings, can be very lucrative.
Extra Reading – The Best DoorDash Tips & Tricks.
What Do Other DoorDash Drivers Suggest?
So, what are the best times to DoorDash according to couriers? Well, I asked my friend who delivers for DoorDash and Uber Eats in Toronto by bike about the times he delivers at.
According to him, he only goes out for deliveries between 5PM and 12PM since this is the best DoorDash time. And, he's able to steadily clear $15 to $20 per hour with this method, all on his bike!
Granted, DoorDash isn't quite as popular in Toronto, so he gets a lot more orders with Uber Eats. However, he still gets high-paying DoorDash orders, and the interesting part is he stays out much later than DoorDash's suggested time.
But, this makes so much sense.
When do people come home from the bar, or events, or crave late night snacks? Anywhere from 10PM to midnight, so you're missing out on some large dinner orders by calling it quits at 8PM.
Anyway, that's my friend's advice, but what do other couriers say?
Well, for starters, it seems like a lot of couriers agree it isn't worth DoorDashing in the early morning since people are sleeping or simply not ordering. For example, this one Dasher says “I usually start around 11. It's always slow before then.”
No real surprise there, but what about lunch and dinner shifts?
Well, as this courier shares, they actually stick to what DoorDash recommends and only work night shifts for other delivery apps, which is sort of like my friend:
After looking at more examples on Reddit and some YouTube video, this was actually a common theme.
Since DoorDash pays peak pay bonuses during these windows the most, it can mean higher earnings per hour, even if deliveries are sometimes a bit slow or competition with other drivers is higher.
Plus, as these four couriers share, there's something to be said for simply experimenting with different times to see how much you can earn:
So, I think the takeaways are:
- Avoid delivering at breakfast
- Try DoorDash's recommended times to land peak pay
- Experiment with working later in the night to get late-night dinner and snack orders
Extra Reading – Is Uber Eats Worth It For Drivers?
What Are The Best Days To Do DoorDash?
The best days to deliver for DoorDash are Saturday and Sunday since weekends are when people typically order the most food. So, take time off from delivering during the week, but prioritize working on the weekends. This is especially true if it's a long weekend since people are more likely to order delivery.
As you can see from the screenshot above, this Dasher says that “Monday to Wednesday are always going to be the slowest of the week unless there's a special event. Fridays are typically great.”
This is pretty intuitive once again. On the weekends, people party and don't want to cook. The same can be true for Thursday and Friday.
But, Monday is sort of a reset day or a period when people want to save more money since they feel guilty about weekend spending.
Again, you should test this in your market, since Monday might still be a worthwhile day if people are too lazy to cook and are tired from the weekend, but don't skip weekend gigs if you want to maximize earnings!
Extra Reading – How Much Can You Make With DoorDash A Week?
What's The Worst Day To DoorDash?
Tuesday and Wednesday tend to be the worst days to do DoorDash based on what many couriers report. Order volume on DoorDash is lowest on these two days, resulting in fewer orders per hour and lower earnings overall.
This makes sense if you think about it. People get their act together during the week and are less likely to order food than during the weekend or later in the week when social events are happening.
Is DoorDash Busy In The Morning?
No, DoorDash isn't busy in the morning in most markets. This is because people are rushing off to work and not really thinking about ordering in, and some people skip breakfast altogether. And on weekends, many people sleep in and order food for lunch or later.
However, some Dashers state they get a lot of orders in the morning, so it really depends on your market.
Here's what some Dashers say about morning DoorDash shifts in their markets in this Reddit thread:
- bmartinzo6 says: “I do 7am-12pm everyday. Easily pull in $80-$100. West Denver metro market. This past week I made over $100 every morning averaging about $25-$30 per hour.”
- enchantress954 says: “I only do mornings. When I can get a schedule I can usually do pretty well. Sunday’s used to be pretty busy but now it seems to be hit and miss.”
- mcnuggets1g says: “Most restaurants in my area open at 10 or 11. I've done early morning once and it was super slow. I think I may have gotten 2 orders in 4 hours.”
This last tip is really important.
If you live in a smaller town, a lot of restaurants might not open first thing in the morning, so do some searching to see when most chains open in your area.
You should still test the DoorDash morning shift, but I'd say about 50% to 75% of Dashers don't really like delivering during the morning.
Extra Reading – Can You Do DoorDash Full Time?
Why Driving At The Best DoorDash Hours Matters
If you're relatively new to driving for DoorDash or are wondering why this topic is important, there's a few things to note.
Firstly, as a courier, you want to ensure you have as steady of a stream as orders as possible. This lets you be selective with the ones you choose so you can pass on orders that don't pay very much.
Secondly, DoorDash actually lets drivers schedule when they work.
This is important because, firstly, you can schedule yourself to work the best DoorDash times once you learn what they are for your market.
And, secondly, scheduling is super important because if there are too many drivers on the road, you won't even be able to drive in certain “grey” zones when you open the app.
Finally, delivering at optimal DoorDash times can increase the odds you get tips because of the types of orders you get, so all in all, this just makes sense to do.
But enough blabbering on, time to examine some of the best hours to DoorDash you can keep in mind to boost your earnings.
Other Tips For Dashers To Make More Money
If you want to maximize your earnings, delivering at the busiest DoorDash times in your area makes a lot of sense.
But, I also wanted to mention some other potentially useful tips you can use:
- Wear Reflective Clothing. This is an absolutely critical tip for anyone delivering via bike for DoorDash in the evenings/night. Some of the best hours to DoorDash are at night, but you need to protect yourself and ensure motorists can see you. Some simple reflective bands go a long way in helping you stay safe, and you can find them on Amazon for around $10 to $15.
- Take Breaks During Rush Hour. If you're dashing for a long time and want a break in your shift, try to time your break during the worst rush hour times. For example, if you dash all through lunch and dinner, maybe take a break from 5:00pm to 5:30pm to get through most of rush hour and then hit the dinner rush at 6:00pm.
- Take Advantage Of Scheduling. The best times to DoorDash are competitive slots, so get in the habit of scheduling yourself for shifts so you ensure you can get those hours in.
- Try Other Zones: Not many people know this, but you can do DoorDash in another state or city, so try experimenting with other zones if yours is slow. Our guide on the best states and cities for DoorDash is a great place to begin your research.
- Track Your Mileage: Tracking mileage and expenses is the best way to find potential tax deductions so you keep more of your hard-earned gig money. And you can use apps like Everlance to do all of this automatically!
Finally, as a side tip, always remember to use your common sense when delivering, especially at night.
Delivering from 8:00pm to midnight is a solid DoorDash time, but if possible, avoid delivering in sketchy areas of your town when it's dark just to be on the safe side.
And remember, DoorDash stops delivering in markets when all the restaurants are closed. So in smaller towns, this might be around 11pm to 2am.
Extra Reading – 20+ Apps That Pay You To Drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's The Best Time To DoorDash On Sunday?
The weekend is one of the best times to DoorDash, and the best time to do DoorDash on Sunday is around lunch and dinner like the rest of the week. However, breakfast can be a bit busier on Sunday than other days of the week as well, so it's worth trying in your market.
Sunday is when everyone wakes up and is tired from the weekend's activities.
But it's also when a lot of people run errands during the day, so it's important to catch them during their morning at home and then later on the in evening around dinner time and into the night.
What's The Best Time To DoorDash In The Morning?
The DoorDash breakfast shift isn't always lucrative, but it's still worth doing if you want some quick money. Saturday and Sundays have busy DoorDash breakfast hours starting at around 8am and lasting until 11am in many markets.
During the week, you can test early breakfast hours like 6 or 7 to see if you get orders, but weekdays are slower for breakfast than weekends.
What's The Best Time To DoorDash On Saturday?
Saturday is one of the best days for DooDash and is basically busy all day long. However, the best times to deliver are definitely the dinner rush and late-night rush as people come home from events and are hungry.
If there's a major event going on in your city or generally nice weather that makes people head out for the evening, it's definitely a good time to start dashing!
What Are Some Good DoorDash Alternatives?
DoorDash is a leading food delivery gig for a reason. It's flexible, pays well, and you can make great money if you drive at the busiest times for DoorDash.
But if DoorDash is slow, you need some alternatives in your back pocket to keep the orders rolling in.
Some excellent jobs like DoorDash you can try include:
- Instacart: The leading grocery delivery service in North America.
- Uber Eats: Another popular food delivery app that's busy in many markets.
- Cornershop: A newer grocery delivery side hustle from Uber.
- Shipt: A popular grocery delivery gig like Instacart.
- Walmart Spark: This delivery gig pays you to shop for Walmart essentials and then deliver them.
- Amazon Flex: Lets you earn $18 to $25 per hour for delivering packages.
Between all these apps, you should have more than enough orders coming in, especially if you stick to the best DoorDash times.
Extra Reading – How To Make $5,000 Fast.
Is DoorDash Busy On Sundays?
Yes, DoorDash is busy on Sunday, and it's one of the best days for food delivery apps. This is because many people stay home on Sunday but want to order food for events like sports games or when having friends over.
Is DoorDash Busy In The Summer?
DoorDash is busy in summer, but days with bad weather are generally busier for food delivery apps. This is because people are more willing to go outside to eat or shop themselves when the weather is nice and not full of rain or snow.
Some Dashers I know actually make most of their money in winter and fall. But summer can still be lucrative, especially on late-night weekend shifts.
What Are The Best Times To DoorDash On Weekdays
For weekdays, the best time to DoorDash is around lunch and dinner time. This means delivering from 11am to 2pm and from around 5pm to 8pm. Late-night deliveries until around 11pm can also be busier times.
Mornings are usually slower during the week since people have to go to work, so try to avoid breakfasts during the week.
Final Thoughts
Well, there you have it: those are some of the best times to deliver for DoorDash if youre looking to increase your hourly pay with this side hustle.
I think the main takeaway is really to experiment with what works in your market so you learn its quirks.
However, as long as you aim for busy lunch, dinner, and late-night shifts, you should be on the right track with earning as much as possible.
And remember: you can always mix in other gig apps, like Instacart or Uber Eats, to get as many orders as possible.
If you have other suggestions for the best times to DoorDash or know some different DoorDash hacks, definitely let me know your advice and market down in the comments!
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