There are many dashers out there that will not accept any order that pays less than $1 per mile. I am one of those dashers. If I had an order for $4.25 with a travel distance of 6 miles, I wouldn’t accept it UNLESS I think there are hidden tips. Whether you are new to Door Dash or a veteran, you know that the pay could be more than advertised when you accept the delivery. How can you identify which orders will pay you the most in tips?
The Rule of Seven
This is not a full proof method, but I noticed that orders over 7 miles typically have hidden tips, especially during peak times. When you try to deny a long travel distance delivery and Door Dash tells you that you are the closest dasher for the job, there is a good chance you will get a higher payout. There is another way to identify potential hidden tips. Orders with at least 7 items are large orders likely serving at least 3 people, which means there is a higher potential for extra tips.
Delivery Address
Pay attention to the delivery address when evaluating larger orders. If the delivery address is a business and the delivery time is 10:30am-1pm, there is a good chance that the customer is paying with a business credit card and there is a potential for a large tip. As an engineer, I lead events consisting of 10-20 people and I order lunch for my team using Door Dash. We tip our drivers well since they are carrying heavy bags of food and drinks.
The Dollar Menu
In my area, McDonalds orders are the ones to avoid. The payout is typically under $3 and you never get hidden tips. As a rule of thumb, most fast food restaurants and restaurants with dollar menus will not have hidden tips. Instead, accept more deliveries for mid level to premium restaurants. If the customer can afford a more expensive meal, there is a good chance they will tip well.
Summary
These are observations I noticed as a dasher. It could be coincidence. It could be a regional algorithm. Try it and comment below if it worked. Regardless of potential hidden tips, I will always avoid an order that pays less than 50% of the travel distance. I doubt the hidden tips would be high enough to make up the difference to get to a minimum of $1 per mile. Try the Dasher Tracker, a spreadsheet for tracking your income, mileage, fuel costs, and estimated quarterly tax payments.
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