I Delivered Food for DoorDash. Here's How Much I Earned in 2 Weeks

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KEY POINTS

  • In two weeks, I earned $23.75 per hour on average.
  • Higher tips, better mileage, and a Red Card will boost earnings.
  • DoorDash is now my go-to side hustle.

Tips matter a lot, as does the type of car you drive.

Car? Check. Phone? Check. I hunch over my phone, setting up a DoorDash delivery account on a Tuesday afternoon. I've read about side hustles like food delivery. Transporting goods seems like a flexible, low-commitment way to make extra cash.

To my surprise, it takes me less than an hour to set up a working account through the Dasher app. After nervously exploring the interface, I poke the red "Dash Now" button and wait. Not thirty seconds later, my phone buzzes with a customer order.

I'm not prepared.

As I race to my car, fumbling my keys, I can't help but wonder. How much will I get paid, anyway? How does gas reimbursement work, and what benefits does DoorDash offer?

Two weeks later, I can definitively answer these questions, and more. Here's how much I earned after a trial run of delivering food for DoorDash.

How much does DoorDash pay?

In two weeks of dashing, I earned $475 (rounded down). I spent 14 hours making deliveries and another six hours on standby, for a total of 20 hours spent doing DoorDash tasks.

Your earnings include base pay and tips. It does not include taxes. Note that you are responsible for calculating your own taxes, and DoorDash only sends you a 1099-NEC tax form when you make over $600 in a given year.

Including hours spent idling in my car, I earned about $23.75 per hour. Slightly less, when I account for gas costs (which are low, since I drive a Toyota Corolla hybrid). That's 33% more than the $15 minimum wage in California.

A good gig, especially for a side hustle. However, there are caveats. For one thing, the average American tips better at in-person restaurants. Don't expect a consistent 15%-20% on orders.

For another, new Dashers get priority status for two to four weeks after signing up, giving them the freedom to dash whenever they want. Others have to schedule their dashes ahead of time. Depending on location, it can be challenging to deliver during low-order hours.

How does gas reimbursement work?

You cover your own fuel costs. However, some states (like California) require DoorDash to pay contractors a minimum of $0.35/mile and the local minimum hourly wage. Should your base pay not meet this minimum, DoorDash retroactively credits the money to your account.

Base pay does not include tips. Dashers keep 100% of all tips.

What benefits does DoorDash offer contractors?

A week or so after creating a Dasher account, you'll receive a hot bag and a Red Card. The hot bag helps you keep food toasty, which is a neat feature that probably boosts your overall Dasher rating.

The Red Card is like a prepaid debit card. You can use it to pay for stuff at checkout. I've never had to use it yet, but supposedly, it qualifies you to dash for a broader range of orders -- things like bulk grocery orders, which pay more.

Some states, like California, require DoorDash to offer eligible Dashers health insurance rebates. To qualify, you need to dash a lot. Don't expect a stipend unless you're committed to delivering at least 15 hours per week.

Is delivering for DoorDash worth it?

Yes. Delivering food is more fun and profitable than I thought it would be. I put my earnings toward my emergency fund and stock brokerage account, which keeps me motivated. As a full-time contractor, I love being able to work 100% on my time.

However, delivering for DoorDash may not be worth your time if any of the following are true:

  • Your car guzzles gas like there's no tomorrow.
  • You want the benefits offered to full-time employees, like covered health insurance.
  • You're entirely unwilling to meet customers face to face, even briefly.

You'll drive a lot, insurance coverage is limited, and around 1 in 5 customers want Dashers to hand them orders personally. Which, yes, means interacting with folks you've never met before. If that's a deal breaker, consider other side hustles, like reselling clothes.

The best part of delivering food is people are genuinely happy to see you. If you want to make extra money and serve the larger community, try DoorDash. Getting started is both fast and free.

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