DoorDash is a popular food delivery service that allows drivers (called Dashers) to earn money by picking up and delivering orders from restaurants and other merchants to customers. Many Dashers work part-time, often just a few hours per day or week to earn some extra income. But how much can you really make if you Dash for just 3 hours?
How Does DoorDash Pay Work?
DoorDash pays Dashers in a few different ways:
- Per delivery fees – Each delivery earns a base pay from DoorDash that varies based on distance, time, and desirability. This ranges from $2-10+ per delivery typically.
- Customer tips – All tips go 100% to the Dasher. Tips vary greatly but often add a significant boost to earnings.
- Promotions – DoorDash frequently offers extra pay for completing a certain number of deliveries during peak times.
The base pay per delivery and amount of tips can vary drastically across different cities and markets. Busy areas with high demand tend to have higher earning potential for Dashers. Promotions also fluctuate and aren’t always available.
How Many Deliveries Can You Expect in 3 Hours?
The number of deliveries a Dasher can complete in 3 hours depends on many factors:
- How busy the market is – More orders and shorter distances means more deliveries
- Experience navigating the area – Knowing your area helps maximize deliveries
- Time of day – Peak meal times are often busiest
- Day of the week – Weekends tend to be busier than weekdays
- Whether you schedule in advance – Scheduling a Dash gives you priority for more orders
On average, most Dashers can complete 2-5 deliveries per hour. So in 3 hours, you could expect around 6-15 total deliveries.
Let’s estimate 10 deliveries in 3 hours as a reasonable goal.
Average Earnings Per Delivery
DoorDash claims Dashers earn around $25 per hour on average. This factors together the base pay, tips, and promotions.
To hit $25/hour with 10 deliveries in 3 hours would require $25 x 3 hours = $75 total. $75 divided by 10 deliveries = $7.50 per delivery on average.
However, after deducting DoorDash’s fees and other expenses, $5-7 per delivery is probably a more realistic average earnings range.
Per Delivery Earnings Breakdown
- Base pay from DoorDash: $3
- Customer tip: $3
- Promotions bonus: $0-2
- Total earnings per delivery: $5-7
This estimated per delivery range factors in both decent tips and DoorDash promotions which aren’t guaranteed. Your actual earnings could end up lower or higher.
Expected Total Earnings for 3 Hours
Based on completing 10 estimated deliveries in 3 hours and average per delivery earnings of $5-7, your total earnings would be:
10 deliveries x $5 per delivery = $50
10 deliveries x $7 per delivery = $70
| Deliveries per 3 hours | Average Earnings Per Delivery | Total 3 Hour Earnings |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $5 | $50 |
| 10 | $7 | $70 |
So in summary, completing 10 deliveries at an average of $5-7 each would result in total earnings of $50-70 for 3 hours of Dash time in most markets.
Factors That Can Increase Your Earnings
Here are some key factors that could potentially help you earn more during a 3 hour DoorDash shift:
- Dash during peak times – Evening meal times like dinner hour and weekends tend to be busiest.
- Dash in busy zones – Target zones with lots of restaurants and demand for deliveries.
- Take on extra shifts – Adding more Dash time gives more opportunity to earn.
- Schedule shifts in advance – Get access to more delivery opportunities.
- Strategize for efficiency – Plan the fastest routes between stops to maximize deliveries.
- Provide excellent service – Go above and beyond to earn better tips from customers.
- Take advantage of promotions – Earn bonus pay when DoorDash offers peak pay incentives.
- Drive at lower costs – Use an electric vehicle or efficient gas vehicle to reduce expenses.
Dashing During Peak Times
The dinner rush from approximately 5-9pm tends to have the highest demand for food deliveries. Late nights on weekends are also quite busy in most markets. You’ll likely be able to complete deliveries faster and have shorter distances between stops during these peak times.
Scheduling in Advance
DoorDash offers Dashers the ability to schedule delivery blocks in advance. When you lock in a schedule, you get priority access to orders during the times you signed up for. This helps maximize the number of deliveries you can complete in a 3 hour shift.
How Expenses Factor In
It’s important to understand DoorDash drivers are independent contractors who have to cover their own vehicle expenses. After deducting costs, your net hourly earnings may be lower than your gross payout per delivery.
Expenses to factor in include:
- Gas – Driving around frequently leads to high gas costs.
- Vehicle wear and tear – More miles means more maintenance and repairs.
- Insurance – Rideshare insurance can be required to properly cover commercial use.
- Taxes – As an independent contractor, taxes aren’t withheld from your pay.
These costs per mile can really add up. Make sure to track expenses accurately to calculate your net profit.
Strategies to Reduce Expenses
To maximize your net earnings, focus on cutting costs where possible:
- Drive a fuel-efficient vehicle – Better gas mileage means lower fuel expenses.
- Stick to a maintenance schedule – Preventative maintenance can reduce repair costs.
- Learn to DIY basic repairs – Doing your own oil changes, etc. saves money.
- Use an electric vehicle – Evade gas costs completely with an EV.
- Take advantage of tax deductions – Write off eligible business-related expenses.
How Doordash Earnings Compare to Other Gig Jobs?
DoorDash is popular side hustle, but there are other food delivery apps and gig economy jobs to consider as well. Here’s a comparison of potential earnings from a few top options:
| Gig Job | Typical 3 Hour Earnings |
|---|---|
| DoorDash | $50-70 |
| UberEATS | $45-65 |
| Instacart | $60-90 |
| Amazon Flex | $54-90 |
| Grubhub | $60-85 |
| Shipt | $45-70 |
Food delivery apps tend to have the most similar earnings potential, while services like Instacart and Amazon Flex provide additional income opportunities to maximize earnings across multiple platforms.
Maximizing Earnings Across Multiple Platforms
Many gig workers leverage multiple side hustles together to optimize their income. Here are some tips to maximize earnings with DoorDash and other apps:
- Compare payment models to find the most profitable options.
- Run multiple apps simultaneously to get more delivery opportunities.
- Stagger signed-on times between apps to catch peak demand periods.
- Focus each app on different time blocks to maximize income.
Properly juggling multiple platforms takes coordination but can help you minimize downtime and increase hourly earnings.
DoorDash Earnings Can Vary Widely
While $50-70 in 3 hours is an estimated average for DoorDash, actual earnings can vary quite a bit from day to day. Some key factors impacting potential variability include:
- Number of orders – More deliveries means more opportunities to earn.
- Order size – Larger orders may have bigger tips.
- Delivery distances – Longer distances take more time and expense.
- Traffic conditions – Rush hour or other delays can slow deliveries.
- Weather – Severe weather may reduce order volume.
- Holidays – Holidays and events may impact order demand.
- Technical issues – App crashes or problems can pause deliveries.
It’s a good idea to track your hourly earnings over an extended time to get an accurate average. Don’t get discouraged by an unusually slow or low-paying shift now and then.
Tracking and Managing Variable Earnings
To handle the variability in gig earnings, try these tips:
- Track your time and payouts closely using an app.
- Aim to dash during historically busy times and days.
- Set a reachable daily or weekly income goal.
- Save a portion of your highest earning days to offset slower days.
- Use multiple apps to diversify income sources.
Careful planning and execution can help maximize earnings over the long-run despite daily fluctuations.
Conclusion
DoorDash offers flexible income opportunities, but earnings vary based on your market, hours, and other factors. While not guaranteed, targeting 10 deliveries in 3 hours at an average of $5-7 per delivery is a reasonable goal in most areas. This would result in approximately $50-70 in earnings for a 3 hour DoorDash driving shift.
Maximizing deliveries during peak times, taking on extra hours, and multi-apping can potentially help increase your income. Offsetting expenses and tracking earnings daily also helps optimize net profit. Overall, DoorDash can be a lucrative side business with the right strategy and execution.