10 Rules DoorDash Drivers Need to Know Before Making Deliveries

Food delivery apps have changed how people order everything from restaurant meals to groceries. But behind that convenience, DoorDash drivers—known as Dashers—have specific responsibilities when they accept an order. From protecting customer information to completing deliveries safely and handling age-restricted orders properly, some rules can have serious consequences if they are ignored. Here are 10 important DoorDash requirements and expectations drivers should understand before heading out on a delivery.

Keeping Customer Food Sealed and Untouched

DoorDash prohibits Dashers from opening, using, consuming, or tampering with a customer’s order. The company’s deactivation policy also specifically identifies failing to maintain food-safety standards, including failure to use an insulated hot bag to safely transport deliveries, as conduct that can lead to deactivation. Keeping restaurant packaging intact helps protect both the food and the customer’s trust. If there is a problem with an order or its packaging, the Dasher should follow the appropriate process in the app rather than opening or altering the food.

Follow the Delivery Instructions

Customers can provide important information about where and how they want an order delivered. Apartment numbers, building entrances, gate instructions, and designated drop-off locations can all make the difference between a smooth delivery and a frustrated customer. Dashers should pay attention to the instructions provided through the app and use the appropriate in-app process when they cannot locate the customer or complete the delivery. DoorDash’s policies require reasonable efforts to contact a customer when necessary before completing a delivery.

Keep Your Completion Rate in Good Standing

A Dasher’s completion rate measures the percentage of accepted deliveries that are actually completed. DoorDash allows drivers to decline delivery offers before accepting them, but accepting an order means agreeing to complete it. Repeatedly unassigning accepted deliveries can cause a Dasher’s completion rate to fall below the applicable threshold, which can put the account at risk. In the U.S., DoorDash’s current deactivation policy says Dashers must maintain the required completion rate to remain active on the platform.

Make Deliveries Safely and on Time

DoorDash expects Dashers to retrieve orders and complete deliveries in a safe and timely manner. That means following traffic laws and avoiding behavior that puts the driver, customers, or other people on the road at risk. DoorDash also has a specific policy addressing repeated lateness: repeatedly arriving at a merchant or customer significantly after estimated arrival times can lead to deactivation, although a single lateness violation does not automatically result in deactivation.

Keep Your Account and Identity Secure

DoorDash has increased its identity-verification measures to help prevent account sharing and other unauthorized activity. U.S. Dashers may be asked to verify their identity using a government-issued ID and selfie, including during periodic re-verification. DoorDash says these measures are designed to make sure the person using a Dasher account is actually the person authorized to use it. Failing identity verification can prevent a person from continuing to dash.

Protect Customer Information

Dashers may have access to information such as a customer’s name and delivery address while completing an order. DoorDash’s policies state that personal information may only be used for purposes related to completing a delivery and may not be posted online or shared with third parties without authorization, except where legally required. That makes protecting customer privacy an important part of the job. Sharing a customer’s information outside the delivery process can have serious consequences for a Dasher’s account.

Use an Insulated Bag to Transport Food

Keeping food at an appropriate temperature is part of safely transporting a delivery. DoorDash’s current deactivation policy specifically lists failure to use an insulated hot bag to safely transport deliveries among conduct that can lead to deactivation. A properly insulated bag can also help protect meals from spills and keep hot food warmer during the trip from the restaurant to the customer. Dashers who need replacement equipment may also have access to bag-replacement options depending on their market.

Follow the Rules for Age-Restricted Deliveries

Some DoorDash orders require additional steps before they can be handed to the customer. For alcohol deliveries, Dashers must check the recipient’s physical identification, follow the verification process in the app, confirm the person meets the legal age requirement, and assess whether the recipient appears intoxicated. Alcohol cannot simply be left unattended at the customer’s door. Failing to follow these requirements can result in serious legal consequences as well as deactivation from DoorDash.

Don’t Mark an Order Delivered When It Isn’t

A Dasher cannot simply mark an order complete and keep the items. DoorDash’s policy states that a delivery is considered complete when the goods are provided to the customer, with specific procedures applying when the customer cannot be found. If the customer is unavailable, Dashers are expected to make reasonable efforts to contact them and follow the appropriate in-app instructions. Taking an order that was supposed to be delivered or falsely marking it complete can result in deactivation.

Don’t Tamper With the DoorDash Platform

DoorDash monitors activity on its platform for behavior that violates its policies, including fraud and attempts to interfere with the platform itself. The company’s deactivation policy lists fraudulent or abusive activity among conduct that can result in losing access to the platform. This can include falsely marking deliveries complete or engaging in other activity that violates the Dasher agreement. Drivers should follow the procedures provided in the app rather than trying to work around DoorDash’s systems.

This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Disclosure Policy