Delivery apps such as DoorDash are fast becoming popular with people looking to earn a little extra money as a side hustle or make their full-time job a position that gives them flexibility. You may have thought about DoorDash yourself. It’s a great way to earn some extra money while keeping a flexible schedule and getting to know the city better.
However, most delivery services require delivery workers to have their own vehicles and maintain them out of their own pocket. DoorDash is different and lets people use scooters, bikes, and even deliver on foot, depending on the market. If you don’t have the money for your own vehicle or prefer not to add that wear and tear to the family car, you can become a DoorDash walker.
Here is everything that you need to know about delivering DoorDash on foot.
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Can You Deliver DoorDash by Walking?
Yes, you can deliver DoorDash by walking, but only in certain markets. This makes sense—there’s not much sense in delivering on foot in more spread-out areas where you have to walk several miles to get to the nearest restaurant!
Delivering DoorDash on foot is available in most bigger cities such as New York City. The best way to check is to look on the app and select walking as your mode of transportation during your initial application. Once you do that, you are free to walk and take public transportation to your heart’s content.
How Do You Become a DoorDash Walker?
The sign-up process for DoorDash is deceptively simple. You sign up on their website. First, you fill out profile information such as your email, profile name, and password. Then, DoorDash will take you to a screen that lets you select your vehicle type. If you are delivering with a car, then you will have to upload details about your car and provide a motor vehicle check. If you’re delivering on foot, then you won’t have to do any of that!
Once you select your vehicle, DoorDash will ask you to submit a background check and authorize additional disclosures. DoorDash conducts background checks through a third party called Checkr, so the application probably won’t finish processing for a few days.
Once your background check is complete, you can update your bank information. DoorDash sends your money to your bank automatically once a week, but you can request a payout up to once per day if you pay a small fee. Finally, you are ready to download the Dasher app and start delivering!
What Will Disqualify You From DoorDash?
DoorDash does require a background check, but the requirements are not strenuous. You just have to be over 18, have a smartphone, and be in good standing.
However, certain actions in your past may disqualify you from DoorDash. One of the biggest disqualifications is a history of driving violations. DoorDash looks at drivers’ full histories and if you have a history of moving violations or DUIs, you could be disqualified. Of course, if you are delivering by foot, this is not a concern.
DoorDash also looks at your criminal history by checking national and county records going back up to seven years. The company does not consider any convictions older than that, so you will not suffer for any youthful indiscretions.
If your background check disqualifies you and you know that you have a clean record, you can follow up and contest the decision.
How Much Can You Expect to Make Delivering on Foot?
A DoorDash walker makes money from two sources: base pay and tip. Base pay is the amount that DoorDash pays you for each order and can be between $2 and $10. The tip is what the customer will give you. The best thing about DoorDash is that the customers have to input the tip amount before they order so you can see how much money you will make from an order before selecting it.
How much you will make delivering on foot depends on several factors, including how busy the area is, surge pricing, and how fast you can walk.
How to Make Deliveries on Foot Work
There are several benefits to delivering DoorDash on foot, particularly in busy cities. It can sometimes be faster than car deliveries, particularly when there’s traffic. You can take public transportation if that will get you to your destination faster. You don’t have to worry about finding a parking space or getting a ticket, you just walk into the building and deliver your order.
However, delivering on foot also comes with its own challenges. DoorDash is strict about penalizing deliveries that are later than the projected time by more than 15 minutes (although don’t worry, the app takes into account your mode of transportation when calculating delivery time). If you’re a slow walker, this probably isn’t the job for you. Delivering on foot is also exhausting and you can’t squeeze in as many deliveries as you could if you had a car.
There are a few ways that you can make delivering on foot easier for yourself. DoorDash gives you plenty of time to decide before you accept an order, so calculate if it is worth it before accepting it. Orders that are further away could penalize you in the end if you wind up late. You also have some flexibility in picking up orders. For example, even if a customer orders from a specific fast food restaurant, you can go to any location in the chain to pick the order up, so go to one that is closest to you.
Finally, choose your location wisely. Go near busy areas, such as college campuses, that have restaurants nearby so you won’t have to go far.
Even if you don’t have a car, you can work for DoorDash by delivering on foot. In some cases, your lack of a vehicle may even be an advantage!