Ratings are used in this online world to try and gather indications of customer opinions.
All businesses, including food delivery apps, place a high priority on customer satisfaction. Some of them conduct surveys to learn how satisfied customers are with their goods or services.
App users can report and evaluate their experiences with the service they received, in this case with the delivery, to raise the level of customer satisfaction. The goal is to promote growth by rewarding positive behavior and punishing negative behavior.
It’s crucial for delivery drivers to understand how their Dasher rating is determined.
You will learn everything you need to know about the DoorDash rating system and all its components as well as the answer to a frequently asked question: Do DoorDash ratings matter?
What Is Your DoorDash Acceptance Rate?
The proportion of orders you accept on DoorDash out of all the order requests is known as your acceptance rate. For example, if you get 100 order requests and accept 75 of them, your DoorDash acceptance rate is 75% in this example
When you first begin working for DoorDash, order requests will appear on your screen when you use the driver app to access the internet.
Orders display information like:
- How much you earn for the delivery
- Items in the order
- Restaurant
- Total delivery distance
Here, you can choose whether or not you want to “accept” or “decline” orders.
But do your DoorDash acceptance rates matter, and is it even worthwhile to keep track of them?
That’s where things get interesting.
Extra Reading – Is Working For DoorDash Worth It?
Does Your Acceptance Rate Matter On DoorDash?
You can prevent Dasher deactivation regardless of your DoorDash acceptance rate. In other words, you are free to reject as many orders as you like without suffering any immediate consequences. Even if your DoorDash acceptance rate is low, you won’t get any fewer orders.
New DoorDash drivers, however, frequently feel bad if they turn down a lot of orders or believe they must maintain a high acceptance rate to avoid being deactivated.
No statement could be more false, so let’s examine what DoorDash and actual couriers have to say about it.
What DoorDash Says
DoorDash can deactivate drivers if they consistently get poor ratings, cancel orders, and are generally late. But, according to DoorDash’s own rules, there isn’t a minimum acceptance rate you need to maintain to stay active as a driver.
That’s correct: a poor DoorDash acceptance rating does not automatically result in expulsion from DoorDash or other negative consequences.
The requirements to continue driving for DoorDash are as follows:
- 4.2 average customer rating or higher
- 80% completion rate or higher
- Not being repeatedly late
Your customer rating is based on the most recent 100 reviews from orders you’ve placed in the past.
Since you can cancel orders you’re currently delivering, your completion rate is the number of orders you accept and complete. You should try to avoid doing this as much as possible; for more information, see our article on DoorDash driver tips and tricks.
But as you can see, being deactivated is not affected by your DoorDash acceptance rate.
Do not be concerned about a low acceptance rating because it still matters for some other benefits that we will discuss later.
What DoorDash Drivers Say
So, does your DoorDash acceptance rate matter according to couriers?
Well, there are lots of threads on Reddit and Quora where drivers chime in on this subject, and this thread is the perfect example.
As you can see from this driver, a low DoorDash acceptance rating is irrelevant; the metrics that matter most are the customer rating and completion rating.
Only if you want to become a Top Dasher, which we’ll discuss shortly, does your DoorDash acceptance rate matter.
DoorDash Acceptance Rating & The Top Dasher Program
You must be mindful of your acceptance rate if you want to join the Top Dasher program. Your DoorDash acceptance rate only matters now because of this.
This is because the DoorDash minimum acceptance rate to become a Top Dasher is 70%, so you need to accept at least 70% of order requests to even be eligible for the program
Other Top Dasher requirements are:
- Having an average customer rating of at least 4.7 stars
- Having a completion rate of 95% or higher
- Having 200 all-time deliveries
- Completing 100 deliveries or more in the previous month
The main benefit of being a Top Dasher is the ability to “Dash Now” and work in any zone without having to make an appointment, even if it’s cloudy and too congested to drive in normally.
Additionally, Top Dashers have first access to high-value orders, defined as orders of $35 or more, which should result in larger tips.
Last but not least, Top Dashers receive priority for new orders over non-Top Dasher drivers if things are slow, so you should also receive more order requests per hour.
But, you have to maintain your requirements each month to maintain eligibility, which means maintaining an acceptance rate of 70% or higher
Many drivers engage in this practice even if they have no interest in becoming Top Dashers, but if you want to increase your weekly DoorDash earnings, this tactic may be detrimental.
DoorDash Higher-Paying Orders – A New Pilot Program
In June 2022, DoorDash started rolling out a new pilot program that grants eligible Dashers access to high-paying orders that pay at least $2+ per mile.
To qualify for high-paying orders you must:
- Have an average customer rating of at least 4. 5 for the previous 100 orders.
- Have an acceptance rate of at least 50% for the previous 100 orders
Your acceptance rate may be somewhat more important because of this new program. Because they pay $2 or more per mile, inclusive of tips and any additional pay, high-paying orders have higher base pay.
If this pilot begins in your area, you should be notified. And if it’s a high-paying order, your order acceptance screen will highlight that fact.
DoorDash also says you get even more high-paying orders if your acceptance rate is 70% or higher
DoorDash is making this effort to increase the value of accepting all orders. But if this pilot program is available in your area, I think you should try applying for it and see if maintaining a higher acceptance rate actually generates more income.
Should You Care About Your DoorDash Acceptance Rating?
Many of the drivers who earn the most money on DoorDash have DoorDash acceptance ratings in the single digits or extremely low. Similar patterns can be seen when using gig applications like Uber Eats or working for Instacart.
Many drivers adhere to the general maxim that you should only accept orders that pay around $1 per mile, which is why they have low acceptance ratings.
This is because DoorDash does not cover gas costs, and you must account for your time, as well as the depreciation and wear and tear on your vehicle, when performing delivery work.
Therefore, if you accept every order that is given to you, you will end up traveling 6 miles for $4. 50 orders, barely making minimum wage, and lots of mileage on your car
In order to avoid wasting time on low-paying orders, you must carefully select the highest DoorDash orders that are worthwhile.
Check out this video from Gig Nation if you want another driver’s perspective on maintaining a low DoorDash acceptance rate as well:
In this video, the driver explains how his acceptance rate got as low as 3% and why he is so picky about the order requests he accepts
Once more, my advice is to stick to the $1 per mile rule or establish your own personal cutoff point.
If you’re only getting $3 or $4 per order, please don’t go out on the road and accept every order you see!
Pro tip: Pay attention to your customer rating even though your acceptance rate is irrelevant.
This is the most crucial metric to monitor, and on top of that, offering better customer service ought to result in more tips, which will ultimately put more money in your pocket.
Extra Reading – The Best DoorDash Driver Hacks.
Frequently Asked Questions
This list of responses to questions drivers have should help ease your concerns if you have any remaining inquiries about your DoorDash acceptance rate and what you should be concerned about.
What Is A Good Acceptance Rating On DoorDash?
You should only accept orders that you believe are worthwhile to you, although much of this depends on your personal preferences. Many Dashers who make great money only have acceptance rates in the 20% to 40% range, so don%E2%80%99t think you need a very high one to make the most money Dashing
The Top Dasher program is an exception to this rule. In this case, you need to maintain an acceptance rate of 70% or higher every month
Is It Bad To Not Accept DoorDash Orders?
As previously stated, refusing to accept DoorDash orders won’t result in your deactivation. Even if your acceptance rating drops to single digits, you won’t experience any hidden drawbacks or receive fewer order requests.
But, it%E2%80%99s bad to have a low completion rate, and dropping under 80% completion rate can actually result in deactivation
Therefore, choose your orders carefully in order to earn more money quickly, but make sure to finish them, offer top-notch customer service, and arrive on time.
How Do You Increase Your Acceptance Rate On DoorDash?
The only way to raise your acceptance rate on DoorDash is to accept more orders.
Again, unless you’re trying to get into the Top Dasher Program, I believe you should adhere to the $1 per mile rule or your own minimum earning requirement rule before accepting an order.
You can also make use of handy apps like Para, which provide estimates of the total tips for DoorDash orders so you can decide whether they are worthwhile or not.
You might accept more orders than usual as a result of Para because tips can make a delivery worthwhile. But once more, taking on more orders is the only way to raise your acceptance rate!
Extra Reading – The Best Times To Do DoorDash.
Final Thoughts
The DoorDash acceptance rate doesn’t matter at all unless you’re aiming to become a Top Dasher, so no.
The golden rule, in my opinion, is that you must determine the hourly wage you are happy with and the types of deliveries you will require to reach that level. Simple rule: if an order doesn’t pay enough, don’t accept it.
The same principle applies if you want to drive for Grubhub or for grocery delivery services like Instacart and Cornershop.
In the end, only you can determine whether working in the gig economy is the right choice for you. Just hoping you now have a better understanding of your DoorDash acceptance rating and when it actually matters.
Happy dashing, and best of luck!
Looking for more money-making ideas? Checkout:
Disclaimer from DoorDash: Actual earnings may vary and depend on elements such as the quantity of deliveries completed, the time of day, the location, and expenses. The average Dasher payouts received over a 90-day period while on a delivery (from the time you accept an order until you drop it off) are used to determine hourly pay, which also includes peak pay, tips, and other incentives.
Top Dasher VS Low Acceptance Rate! (DoorDash)
FAQ
Does acceptance rate matter on DoorDash?
There is no set minimum for acceptance rate, but consistently turning down delivery opportunities is bad for everyone involved, including the merchant (whose food will sit for longer), the customer, and other Dashers (who will have less time to complete the delivery).
Is a 50 acceptance rate good DoorDash?
As of right now, Dashers with at least a 4-star rating from customers are eligible. 5 and an acceptance rate of at least 50%, get priority access which increases the likelihood of seeing a high paying order Dashers who have an acceptance rate above 70% will have even more priority for high paying orders
Can DoorDash be fired for low acceptance rate?
For a business to continue operating on the DoorDash platform, certain minimum Consumer Ratings and Completion Rates must be met. Dashers with a Consumer Rating below 4. 2 or a Completion Rate below 80% may be subject to deactivation once they have accepted at least 20 orders