DoorDash drivers want the same thing you want: to get your food to you ASAP, with the order right and in good condition. We need your help to make that happen. Here’s how you can help. (I compiled these suggestions with input from drivers around the country.)
- Addresses/HOME: If your address is hard to see from the road, please give us a description to go by, especially if we’re delivering at night: distinctive feature of the house; how far from the corner; what color or kind of car is in the driveway; etc. At night, please leave a light on. If it’s winter, please do your best to make the way from our car to your door safe for us to walk on.
- Addresses/APARTMENTS: We want to get you your food ASAP. If we spend ten minutes looking for your apartment, your food is getting cold. What floor are you on? If you are in a complex, what is its name, and which building are you in? Is parking nearby? Are there lights in the hallways? Asking drivers to enter a strange building in a darkened hallway is inconsiderate. The better the directions you give us, the faster we can deliver your food.
- Addresses/WORK: If we are delivering to you at work, please include the name of your business in your instructions. What name is on the building? If it’s a big, sprawling complex, help us find you. If you work in a mall, tell us which entrance is most convenient. Map apps are amazing, but they aren’t perfect.
- Tips: You have a direct impact on what we get paid for our service, and how quickly your order gets picked up relative to other customers. Drivers have the option to accept or reject deliveries, depending on distance, income, and other factors. A $3 order that asks the driver to drive far away and back will not even pay for our gas, much less our time. Offering a better tip makes it more likely that a driver will pick up your order right away. Your tip is not just a major part of our income; it’s also your expression of respect, appreciation, and gratitude for the service we provide. Is it valuable to you to not have to go to the grocery or restaurant when you’re busy or sick?
- Shop & Deliver: If we are in a store looking for the items you ordered online, please be available by phone or text in case we have questions about substituting one brand or kind of hair coloring or pickles (for example) for another. You’ll be happier with the result and the time it takes to get it to you if we can communicate while shopping.
- Leave it at the door/Hand it to me: We can’t do both. If your order says both “leave it” and “hand it to me,” we can’t be held responsible for knocking and waking up your kids, or leaving it on the porch when you have your phone off and don’t remember that you have food arriving. Please make sure your instructions are clear and consistent. Also, responsible drivers won’t want to leave your food at the door in the rain. If we don’t follow your instructions, there may be a reason.
- Reviews: if your driver did a good job, please give us a good rating. If we went above and beyond in some way, leave us a good review. Like any employee in any company, an employee who does good work may only come to the attention of management if the customer expresses their appreciation.
- Problems & Complaints: Everyone makes mistakes. Sometimes it’s the restaurant or grocery store, and sometimes – rarely, we hope – it’s your driver. If you let your driver know before we are on to their next customer, we may be able to put things right for you. In some cases, that may not be possible: drivers often get our next delivery as soon as yours is marked completed. Please contact DoorDash customer service or the store or restaurant from which your order came. We want satisfied, happy, repeat customers. And you don’t want to be angry while eating: bad for the digestion. Remember, during the pandemic at least, drivers are not permitted to open your bags to check the contents: we deliver what the restaurant says is your order, in the (often sealed) bags they hand us.
I hope this is helpful. Feel free to comment if you are a driver or a customer, and let’s work together to make this a good working relationship. Thanks!
Uncommontary 