How to Make Money with DoorDash: 8 Proven Strategies

DoorDash as a Flexible Money-Maker

If you’ve been wondering how to make money with DoorDash, you have found one of the best articles for you.

And, you are tapping into one of the most popular gig economy opportunities of the past decade. Whether you’re a student looking just for some extra cash, a full-time worker searching for a solid side hustle, or someone seeking flexible work.

DoorDash offers you the ability to earn money and using your own schedule.

However, knowing how to make money on DoorDash is beyond accepting every order that comes your way.

Using and implementing the right strategies, you can not only increase your hourly rate but also improve your per-shift earnings significantly. Let’s break it down step by step.

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Table of Contents

• DoorDash as a Flexible Money-Maker
• Deliver at Peak Hours
• Position Yourself in High-Demand Zones
• Accept Orders Strategically
• Boost Your Tips by providing a Great Service
• Plan Efficient Routes
• How to make money with DoorDash using Incentives to Your Advantage
• How to make money with DoorDash by Leveling Up with Multi-Apping
• Maintain a Routine and Track Your Results
• Turning DoorDash into a Reliable Income Stream

Deliver at Peak Hours

One of the easiest ways to earn more is by scheduling yourself during peak demand.

These are times when restaurants are busiest and customers are ordering the most.

• Lunch Rush: Between 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
• Dinner Rush: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
• Late-Night Cravings: 9:00 PM – 12:00 AM (especially on weekends)

In addition, the DoorDash often increases their base pay on peak hours. And sometimes, they add Peak Pay bonuses during these hours.

Then, by stacking higher base pay with increased tips from busier times, you’ll be closer to mastering how to make more money on DoorDash without adding extra hours.

After that, it comes the place which is so important, it’s time to choose the best locations to work in.

However, there are more ways to make money. And, you can check Top Money Makers in 2025: Proven Ways to Make Money Online

Position Yourself in High-Demand Zones

If you want to know how to make the most money on DoorDash, location is everything.

For that, the DoorDash marks their “hot spots” in red on the map, which indicates areas with high order volume.

For example:
If you live in a city, staying near shopping plazas with multiple restaurants means more orders and less idle time. In smaller towns, target areas around popular diners or pizza places.

Working in the right area reduces downtime, allows for more orders per hour, and ensures you’re maximizing every shift.

However, more orders don’t always mean better pay, and always it needs more time and effort.

So you’ll need to be selective.

Accept Orders Strategically

As we said before, accepting a lot of orders need more effort and time. So, while it may be tempting to take every request to keep moving, that way often lowers your average earnings.

You will need to check:

• Pay per mile (Aim for at least $1.50 – $2 per mile)
• Delivery time (Avoid long waits at busy restaurants)
• Tip potential (Some short-distance orders still have high tips)

Many times, by declining low-paying orders means you leave room for better-paying orders and tips to come in.

Therefore, you will need to boost your earnings per hour and ensure that you know exactly how to make more money on DoorDash over time.

Also, we know that maximizing tips can take your income even higher.

Boost Your Tips by providing a Great Service

The customer tips make up a large portion of a Dasher’s income.

And, small gestures can lead to larger payouts:

• Send a quick confirmation text when you accept the order.
• Let the customer know if the restaurant is running behind.
• Deliver the food neatly and keep it warm.
• Always be polite and thank them for their order.

Example: Dashers who provide updates and show care often see their tips increase by 20–30% over time.

Providing a great service is important, and speed plays a big role.

Plan Efficient Routes

The more deliveries you complete per hour, the more you will make the customer happier.

Then, you will make more income and more tips.

That means you must navigate smartly:

• Use Google Maps or Waze for live traffic updates.
• Learn which roads consistently have delays and avoid them.
• Group deliveries that are close to each other when possible.

Faster deliveries mean more orders in the same amount of time, pushing you toward how to make the most money on DoorDash with less effort.

Now, let’s talk about a feature many Dashers overlook : bonuses and incentives.

How to make money with DoorDash using Incentives to Your Advantage

DoorDash regularly offers:

• Peak Pay: Extra earnings per delivery during busy hours.
• Challenges: Rewards for completing a certain number of deliveries within a set time.
• Promotions: Seasonal boosts during holidays or events.

For example, if Peak Pay is +$3 per delivery and you complete 10 deliveries during that period, you’ve just earned an extra $30 on top of your regular pay.

Also, beyond these standard tactics, there are more advanced strategies you can use to stand out.

How to make money with DoorDash by Leveling Up with Multi-Apping

Many Dashers run multiple delivery apps at once, like Uber Eats, Grubhub, or Instacart.

By doing so, you can pick the most profitable orders from multiple platforms and avoid downtime when one app slows down.

And finally, let’s talk about a very important thing, keeping your income consistent.

Maintain a Routine and Track Your Results

Consistency matters. Track your:

• Average pay per delivery
• Average pay per hour
• Tips received
• Mileage for tax deductions

By reviewing your results weekly, you’ll know which strategies work best for you and where to improve. This data-driven approach is the real secret to how to make the most money on DoorDash in the long run.

Turning DoorDash into a Reliable Income Stream

In sum, learning how to make money with DoorDash isn’t just about working more hours. But it’s about working smarter.

By focusing on peak hours, high-demand areas, selective orders, great service, efficient routing, incentives, and even multi-apping, you can maximize your earnings.

Whether you want to earn a little extra each month or make it a full-time hustle, following these steps will put you on the right path for how to make more money on DoorDash week after week.