Why Am I Not Getting DoorDash Orders in a Hotspot? (2024)
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If you’ve been driving for DoorDash, you may have experienced slow days at some point. One DoorDash hack dashers use to earn more money is working at or near DoorDash hotspots.
You can use the heat map on the Dasher app to find hotspots near you, so you don’t have to wait hours in your car for an order.
While this is a popular hack, getting orders isn’t always guaranteed, even in a hotspot. So you may be wondering, “Why am I not getting DoorDash orders in a hotspot?”
In this post, we’ll explore some of the reasons why you’re not getting orders in a DoorDash hotspot. I’ll also share some tips you can use to get more orders.
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Why Am I Not Getting Doordash Orders in a Hotspot?
Several factors determine how DoorDash assigns orders, but the main reasons you may not be getting DoorDash orders in a hotspot include:
- You’re in a bustling market
- Whether you’re scheduled for a dash
- Technical issues
While these are the main factors determining how DoorDash orders are assigned, let’s look more closely at why you may not get DoorDash orders in a hotspot.
You’re Not a Top Dasher
If you’ve been working for DoorDash, then you’re familiar with the Top Dasher program, a program used to incentivize top-performing dashers.
One of the perks of becoming a top dasher is you can dash whenever you want. DoorDash also prioritizes top dashers when assigning orders, even when the market is slow.
As such, you may be sitting in your car, wondering why you’re not getting DoorDash orders in a hotspot, and the reason is there are other Dashers in your area with priority access to orders.
If you’d like to become a top dasher, you must meet the following requirements:
- Have a customer rating of 4.7 stars and above
- Complete at least 100 deliveries in the last month
- Your DoorDash acceptance rate should be 70% or higher
- Your DoorDash completion rate should be 95% or higher
- Complete at least 200 all-time deliveries
You can make it your goal to become a top dasher for a month to see whether there’ll be a significant difference.
The catch with becoming a top dasher is the high acceptance rate, which means you may have to accept low-paying orders, which may not be worth it.
Even as you work towards becoming a top dasher, ensure your hourly rate remains high enough that the side hustle is profitable.
There’s High Competition
Another reason you’re not getting DoorDash orders in a hotspot could be there are too many Dashers in that area.
Picture this, every dasher sees the hotspots in their Dasher app, so they all flock to these spots, so there’s a massive supply of dashers.
When order requests come in, the DoorDash system assigns the order to whoever is closest, coupled with factors like driver rating.
So, if there are many dashers online at the same place you’re at, it’s less likely that the order requests will come to you first.
The more dashers in your area, the fewer order requests per hour you’ll get. When the competition between dashers in your area is too high, you may not even get a single order.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to tell how many dashers are around you in an area, so you can’t tell how much competition there’s.
A DoorDash hotspot can quickly become a slow market if all the dashers rush to the area.
Technical Difficulties
Sometimes you’re not getting DoorDash orders in a hotspot because your phone has a problem or there’s an issue with the Dasher app.
Maybe your connection isn’t working, so you’re not seeing any orders.
This might sound like a no-brainer, but it occurs more commonly than you’d think. Luckily, this is an easy fix.
You can try exiting the Dasher app and restarting it to see if things change. This is basic, but sometimes the solution is just that simple.
You should also check your mobile connection. If there are problems with your cellular data, they can interfere with how your Dasher app works.
If you’ve tried both steps and they’ve not worked, you can try restarting your phone and launching the Dasher app afresh.
Sometimes the problem is the app hasn’t updated the busy areas. The app doesn’t show real-time updates on the hotspots. The areas are usually updated every 10 minutes.
You may be working with an outdated map, so you can try restarting the app or downloading an updated version for better results.
You’re Not Logged in To Dash
Another obvious but common reason you’re not getting DoorDash orders is that you’re not scheduled and logged in to Dash. This is especially common among new Dashers.
You must click the “Dash Now” button and go online in a zone with enough demand for you to Dash in.
You may not be eligible for “Dash Now,” so you should check first that you’re in a zone eligible for Dashing Now.
Unlimited use of the “Dash Now” feature is one of the perks of becoming a Top Dasher.
For other drivers, the feature is only available if there is a high demand for dashers in an area.
Your Dash is Paused
Another simple mistake that could be why you’re not getting orders in a hotspot is that you paused your Dash accidentally.
This is a simple yet common mistake among dashers. You may be sitting in your car, feeling frustrated that there are no orders, yet the problem is on your end.
Always check your Dasher app to ensure you’re not on “paused” and are actively searching for orders.
Extra Reading: Think DoorDash Sucks? Here’s What to Do!
How To Find DoorDash Hotspots
It may take a bit of testing and experimentation to figure out the best places and even the best hours to DoorDash.
As you gain more experience as a Dasher, you’ll discover the DoorDash driver tips and tricks you can use to maximize your earnings.
Here are a few suggestions you can use to start finding DoorDash hotspots.
Use the DoorDash Heat Map
The easiest way to find the busiest areas for orders is to look at the DoorDash heat map.
The Dasher app is an essential tool for any DoorDash driver, and you should familiarize yourself with all the features designed to help you make deliveries.
When you install the Dasher app, you’re asked to give DoorDash permission to access your location whenever you’re using the app.
DoorDash uses your location to give you directions to customers and also show you the busiest areas close to you.
All you have to do is open the Dasher app and see the hotspots displayed on DoorDash’s live heat map.
If you can’t see any hotspots in your app, ensure you’ve allowed the Dasher app to access your location.
Use the Dasher App Restaurant Reviews
You’ve probably noticed that the DoorDash app also has a section for restaurant reviews where users rate the restaurants they ordered from.
If you’re looking for the best places to DoorDash near you, you should open the DoorDash app and start sorting the restaurants near you based on their ratings.
Restaurants with high ratings often attract the most customers, so chances are higher that you’ll get more orders nearby.
Your goal is to find the busiest restaurants in your area, as they usually form a dynamic hotspot.
You don’t have to be inside the area to receive orders, but the closer you are to that area, the higher your chances of getting orders.
Sign Up for Customer Email Notification
Another way to stay ahead of the competition when delivering for DoorDash is to stay updated on all their promos.
Sometimes DoorDash partners with fast food chains and local restaurants to run promos and offer discounts for customers.
When you sign up for DoorDash’s customer email notification, you’ll always be aware of any promotions DoorDash runs in your area.
If you know that DoorDash will be running a promotion with a particular restaurant, that restaurant will be a hotspot.
You can expect increased orders from that restaurant and position yourself strategically near there to receive the orders.
This is one of the strategies seasoned dashers employ, and you should try it, too, if you’re looking to work like a pro.
Explore New Areas Using Google Maps
If you’ve noticed DoorDash is slow in your market, you can explore new areas using Google Maps.
Google Maps is more than a navigation tool, and you can use it to your advantage.
It has a wealth of information, including restaurant reviews and ratings, that you can use to find hotspots in other markets.
Sometimes you may have to Dash in another state because they have a better market.
Before you take this step, calculate your expenses to ensure the money you’re making is worth the effort.
Remember that you’re working as an independent contractor, so you’re on the hook for all your expenses.
Use Yelp
Yelp is another exemplary tool that you can use to find hotspots as a dasher. The directory can help you discover local businesses like restaurants, cafes, and bars.
Yelp listings are usually sorted by business type, and you can filter the results by geographical location, price range, and ratings.
You can use the location and rating filters to find hotspots in your city. Hotspots in most cities are downtown areas with many restaurants.
You can tell the hotspots in your city by simply looking at the traffic and the streets.
Yelp will help you discover some of the most popular businesses to position yourself in those areas, ready to receive orders.
How To Get More Orders on DoorDash
Now that we’ve seen some of the reasons why you’re not getting orders in a DoorDash hotspot, here are a few tips you can use to get more DoorDash orders.
Schedule Your Dashes
One easy tip to increase your DoorDash orders is to schedule your Dashes. When you schedule yourself to dash, it’s a guarantee that you can work at a specific time in the future.
So, even if your market gets busy, you’re scheduled to work so you can start working and making money immediately.
Pre-scheduling your deliveries helps to ensure you can work in preferred areas during peak times.
The bust areas are usually grayed out on the Dasher map, which shows that the area is currently at maximum capacity.
If you can, schedule dashes a week or a few in advance to secure your spot in these high-traffic areas. Pre-scheduling your dashes in these areas is one of the easiest ways to make the most of your delivery times.
Early scheduling not only gives you delivery options but also helps you make the most of your time because you dash in high-earning spots.
Try DoorDash Hotspots
Driver location is one of the most important factors used to determine how orders are allocated, so maybe the reason you’re getting few orders is where you are.
One of the tricks you can use to get more orders is to wait near DoorDash hotspots, where you know there are many orders.
Areas with clusters of restaurants are your best bet, so positioning yourself there will help you get more orders.
You can identify DoorDash hotspots by looking for small flame icons in the Dasher app. While hotspots don’t guarantee more orders, they’re worth trying.
However, heavily populated areas may also mean higher dasher competition, so getting orders may be challenging.
Ideally, you should look for areas in the mid-range population to improve your chances of getting orders.
Choose the Right Time To Dash
With delivery jobs like DoorDash, your earning potential depends on how efficient you are as a driver.
One of the easiest ways to be an efficient delivery driver is to choose the best hours to Dash. You have to ensure you’re making the most of your time.
Dashing during peak hours ensures you receive enough orders to keep busy rather than sitting and waiting in your car.
Some of the best times to DoorDash include:
- Lunchtime: The 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. window is busy for most DoorDash markets, so you can try dashing then.
- Dinnertime: The dinnertime rush, which typically starts around 5:00 p.m., is another window you should try.
- Late nights: Delivering orders from 8:00 p.m. and later into the night is also a busy window, especially on weekends.
Since markets are different, take time to know the areas you service and their busiest times so you can avail yourself during those hours.
Become a Top Dasher
Another tip to increase your DoorDash orders is to become a Top Dasher.
The Top Dasher program is DoorDash’s way of recognizing its most hardworking DoorDash drivers.
Perks of becoming a top dasher include 24/7 access to the “Dash Now” feature. This means you can work whenever you want, even when the market is slow.
Additionally, DoorDash gives top dashers priority access to orders. So even when there’s high competition, the orders come to you first.
If you’d like to become a top dasher, you must meet the requirements covered above.
The list of top dashers is updated every month, so you must maintain your stats to retain your position.
Additionally, if you meet the criteria in the middle of the month, you must maintain your stats until the last day so you’re eligible to be rewarded in the following month.
Try Different Markets
Sometimes you get few or no DoorDash orders because your market is slower than others, which is out of your control.
One way to overcome this challenge is to test different markets near you to see if they’re better.
When scheduling your dashes, you can schedule yourself in neighboring busy markets. There are no rules against doing DoorDash in another state or city.
Testing different markets is great because you may discover markets where the base pay is higher because of the type of restaurants and customers in that area.
Remember to keep your DoorDash mileage in check so you don’t incur too many expenses as you make deliveries.
Take Stacked Orders
You can also try the DoorDash Stacked orders, where you pick up two orders from one restaurant and make separate deliveries.
When you manage multiple deliveries simultaneously, you complete your orders faster and free yourself to take more orders.
DoorDash stacked orders are a great way to make extra bucks on your DoorDash runs.
Organization is key when managing stacked orders. It’s easy to get the orders mixed up, which wastes your time and could lower your dasher rating.
You can use Post-it notes to label the different orders so you don’t get them confused.
Prepare Adequately
Preparation is essential for dashers, especially when you’re scheduled for multiple dashing hours.
You can prepare by charging your phone and carrying a cable in case the battery runs out. You should also ensure you have enough cellular data to use the Dasher app.
You should also research the weather and current traffic conditions because they can significantly affect your job as a dasher.
Heavy traffic and poor weather can significantly slow you down, but they may also be the reason people stay home and order in.
It may take longer to make deliveries in these conditions, but it could be a great opportunity to take more orders.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are DoorDash Hotspots?
DoorDash hotspots are suggested places where you’ll likely get more delivery requests.
They’re the busiest areas in a market where your chances of receiving DoorDash orders and earning more money are higher.
You can receive more orders by positioning yourself closer to these areas.
Do I Have To Be in a Hotspot To Get DoorDash Orders?
You don’t have to be in a hotspot to get DoorDash orders. Hotspots are simply the busiest areas in a market, but you can get orders from wherever you are.
The availability of orders mostly depends on your location and the time of day.
Do You Have To Drive Around To Get DoorDash Orders?
It’s advisable to position yourself near busy restaurants, but you can dash from wherever you are. You can sit at home and wait for orders if you like.
You may or may not receive DoorDash orders depending on your location, the time of day, and the number of dashers in your area.
Do You Have To Be on the DoorDash App To Get Orders?
You have to be logged in to the Dasher app to get orders. However, you can run it in the background as you do other things.
You’ll receive a text when you get an order, and you can just open the app and accept the order.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, your questions have been answered, and you no longer have to wonder why you’re not getting orders in a DoorDash hotspot.
There are several moving parts in any delivery job, DoorDash included. There could be many reasons why you’re not getting orders.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to increase your DoorDash orders and maximize your earnings as a dasher.
By choosing the best places and times to dash, scheduling your dashes, and becoming a top dasher, you can significantly increase the DoorDash orders that come your way.
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