DoorDash delivery driver (Dasher)

Picking up the order

• Hi, I'm picking up a DoorDash order for Maria. — Your opening line at the restaurant counter. Say "DoorDash" so staff send you to the right shelf, then the customer's first name shown in your app — not your own. "Picking up" (not "my order") tells them you're the driver, not the customer.
• Is the order for Maria ready yet? — Ask by the name on the order, not by your name. If it isn't ready you'll hear a wait time; if it is, they'll point you to the shelf.
• What's the name? — Staff say this to find the right bag. Answer with the customer's first name from your app ("Maria"), never your own name — giving your name gets you a confused look and a longer wait.
• It'll be about ten more minutes. / It's still cooking. — The food isn't ready. You can wait, or if it runs far past the estimate, start the app's "order not ready" flow. Don't argue with the kitchen — it won't cook faster.
• It's on the shelf — the name's on the label. — They're pointing you to a self-serve pickup rack. Match the customer's name on the label before you take anything; the wrong bag becomes a delivery mistake.
• Which one is the DoorDash order for Maria? — Use this when several sealed bags sit on the rack and none is clearly labeled. Better to ask than to guess and grab the wrong one.
• It looks like a drink might be missing — could you check the order? — You may verify the order matches the app before you leave; a missing item becomes your problem at the door. Ask them to check — but don't open a sealed bag yourself.

Shop & Deliver and the Red Card

• I'm shopping a DoorDash order — I'll pay with my Red Card. — Some orders are "Shop & Deliver": you pick the items off the store shelves yourself and pay at checkout with the DoorDash Red Card. The card is funded automatically for that order's items when you reach checkout in the app.
• It's a DoorDash Red Card — it should go through fine. — Say this if a cashier is unsure about the card. It runs like a normal prepaid card (or through Apple Pay / Google Pay for the in-app virtual card).
• They're out of the 2% milk — is whole milk okay, or should I refund it? — When an item is out of stock, tap "Item unavailable" in the app. Pick a pre-approved substitute if the app offers one, or text the customer a couple of options. This one text prevents most bad ratings on shop orders.
• The card was declined. — If the Red Card won't go through, do NOT pay with your own money expecting a refund. The card only funds when you reach the checkout step in the app — go back, confirm you tapped "Proceed to checkout," and contact support if it still fails.
• I couldn't find one item, so I refunded it — everything else is here. — Tell the customer at drop-off what's missing so it isn't a surprise. Honesty about a refunded item reads far better than a silent short order.
• Did you find everything okay? — A cashier's routine question. A simple "Yes, thanks" is all it needs — no need to explain that you're a delivery shopper.

Finding the address & reaching the customer

• Leave at door — please don't knock or ring, baby sleeping. — This is a written delivery instruction in your app, not something you hear. Read it BEFORE you arrive and follow it exactly. If it says don't knock, don't — knocking anyway is an easy one-star rating.
• Gate code is 1234. — A written note telling you how to get through a gated complex. Enter it at the callbox or keypad. If no code is given and the gate is locked, call or text the customer before giving up.
• Hi, I'm here with your DoorDash order — what's your gate code? I can't get through. — Text or say this when the address is gated and no code was left. You need a way in; asking is faster than circling the complex.
• I'm delivering food — could you buzz me into the building? — Say this to a resident at the door or a front-desk person at an apartment or office building. Most will let a delivery in; a smile and a quick reason usually do it.
• Text me when you arrive, I'll come down. / Meet me in the lobby. — A written instruction meaning: don't leave the food and go. Park legally, text "I'm here," and wait a moment in the lobby for them to come to you.
• Apartment 4B — go around back / use the side entrance. — Follow the exact unit and entrance written in the note. Delivering to the wrong unit — or the front when they said back — can end as a "never received it" complaint.
• On my way — about 5 minutes out. / I'm here at the front. — A short text to the customer. It stops them worrying and cuts down on "where's my food?" messages. You don't need perfect grammar — "Here now, front door" is enough.
• Can you grab napkins / ketchup / a drink carrier? — A small extra request you might read or hear. Grab it if it's easy and free, but you're not required to. A quick "Sure" — or "Sorry, the bag's already sealed" — both work.
• Who are you here for? — A front-desk or security person asks this to check you belong there. Answer with the customer's name or unit: "A delivery for 4B" — you don't need to give your own name.

Completing the delivery — photo & alcohol

• I'll leave it at your door and send you a photo. — For a "Leave it at my door" order. Set the bag down, then take a photo that shows the food AND something around it — the door, a doormat, the house number — well-lit and not blurry. That photo is your proof the order arrived.
• Here's your order — have a good night. — For a "Hand it to me" order: give the bag to the person and tap "Complete delivery" — no photo needed. A friendly line ends the delivery on a good note and helps your rating.
• Hand it to me / Leave it at my door. — Your app shows which one the customer chose. "Hand it to me" means give it to a person; "Leave it at my door" means a contactless drop with a photo. Always do what the app says, not what's easier.
• I need to see your ID before I can hand over the alcohol. — Alcohol orders require this by law. You must be 21 or older, scan the recipient's physical ID in the app, and check that the photo and date of birth match the person in front of you. No ID means no alcohol.
• I'm sorry, I can't leave alcohol at the door — an adult with ID has to receive it. — Alcohol can NEVER be left unattended at a door. If no one who is 21+ with a valid ID is there to receive it, you cannot complete the alcohol delivery — this is the rule, not your choice.
• I can't complete the alcohol part of this order, so it goes back to the store. — If the person is underage, has no valid ID, or seems intoxicated (glassy eyes, smells of alcohol, unsteady or slurring), you refuse the alcohol. You can still deliver the rest of the order; the app will prompt you to remove and return the alcohol.
• Could I see that ID again? I just need to check the date. — It's completely fine to look carefully — matching the photo, confirming 21+, and checking the expiration date is your job and your legal protection. Take your time; a real ID holder won't mind.
• Just leave it there, thanks. — On a hand-it order, the customer opens the door and takes the food. Tap the "handed directly to customer" option in the app even if you didn't get a photo — it completes the delivery correctly.

Support, ratings & appeals

• The restaurant is closed and has no order under this name — I can't pick it up. — Say this to support when the store is shut or has no record of the order. Only mark a store "closed" yourself if it's clearly not operating (lights off, door locked, closure sign); otherwise contact support so your pay and rating stay protected.
• The customer isn't answering — I've called, texted, and waited the required time. — The standard steps are: call, text, knock, then wait the app's timer (usually about five minutes). Only after that do you follow the app's prompt to leave it (if allowed) or return it. Doing the steps in order protects you.
• I delivered this order and have a timestamped photo at the correct address — this 'never delivered' claim is false. — This is exactly the situation your drop-off photo protects you from. Stay calm and factual; state that you completed the delivery and have proof, and ask them to review it.
• I left it at the gate as the customer instructed — they had no gate code and wouldn't answer. Please remove this violation. — To contest a contract violation, go to the Ratings tab → Contract Violations → Provide Additional Details, and explain plainly what happened. A clear, honest explanation usually clears it.
• My account was deactivated. I did not violate the policy — I have photos and records. Please review and reinstate my account. — 🔴 Appeal a deactivation ONLY through the link in the deactivation email or the in-app "Start appeal" button — NOT through support chat. Support chat cannot process an appeal, so using it just wastes time.
• I don't feel safe at this address — I'm going to unassign. — You are allowed to decline a delivery that feels unsafe. Tell support and unassign the order. No single delivery is worth your safety, and a felt sense that something is off is reason enough.
• There's an aggressive dog loose at the address — I couldn't safely reach the door. — Photograph the dog from inside your car as proof, don't approach, and report it. Leave the order at a safe distance only if the app allows it, or return it — a dog bite is never worth one delivery.
• We've documented this on your account. — Support telling you they've recorded your report. Ask them to confirm it in the chat in writing so you have your own record of what was said.

Staying safe: accidents & emergencies

• 911, what's your emergency? — The first thing the 911 dispatcher says when you call. Don't wait for a perfect sentence — answer in a few plain words: "There's been a car accident." If you freeze or hang up, help isn't sent. Speaking slowly and clearly matters more than grammar.
• There's been an accident. No one's hurt. — Use this when you've crashed but everyone is okay. Say the situation first, then the injury status — the dispatcher needs both. If you skip "No one's hurt," they may send an ambulance you don't need. Keep it short and factual; don't apologize or explain who caused it.
• Someone's hurt — we need an ambulance. — Use this the moment anyone is injured — you, another driver, or a pedestrian. This is the most important line in the chapter: if someone is hurt, calling 911 comes before photos, before the app, before everything. Don't try to move an injured person. Say it plainly and stay on the line.
• What's your location? — The dispatcher asks so responders can find you. Read a street address off a nearby building, or give two cross streets ("I'm on Main Street near 5th Avenue"). If you don't know, say what you see — a store name, a highway exit number. Don't just name the neighborhood.
• Can I get your insurance and license, please? — Say this to the other driver after a crash to swap details — you both need each other's insurance to file a claim. It's a normal step, not an accusation. Stay calm and show them yours too. If they refuse or try to leave, note the license plate and let the police handle it.
• Are you okay? — The other driver or a bystander asking if you're hurt — not an admission of fault, not a trick. Answer honestly: "I'm okay" or "I think I'm hurt." If you're shaken, "Give me a second" is fine. Don't answer "It was your fault" — that's a conversation you shouldn't start.
• I'm going to take some photos for the record. — Say this before photographing so the other driver knows you're documenting, not being aggressive. Photograph both vehicles, the damage, the plates, and the whole scene. Do this only after everyone is safe and 911 has been called if anyone's hurt.
• I don't feel safe here. — When a situation feels unsafe but isn't yet an emergency — a tense doorstep, someone following you — you can use Talk to a Safety Agent in the Dasher app (blue shield icon, top-right). A trained safety agent calls you back in seconds and stays on the phone until you feel safe or you request emergency services. This tool does NOT dial 911 by itself — it's for when you're uneasy, not in immediate danger; if it becomes a real emergency, use Swipe for 911.
• This is an emergency — I'm swiping for 911. — 🔴 For a clear emergency where you need 911 now, use Swipe for 911 in the Dasher app (blue shield icon): swiping calls 911 and shares your location directly with emergency responders (through DoorDash's partner RapidSOS). If you can safely talk, calling 911 yourself works too. Know the difference: uneasy → Talk to a Safety Agent; real emergency → Swipe for 911.
• I've been in an accident during a delivery. — Say this to DoorDash support (in the app, or by phone at 855-431-0459) AFTER you've handled safety and swapped information. It pauses your delivery and starts their process. Report the facts — where, what happened, whether anyone's hurt — but don't guess at fault.
• License and registration, please. — A police officer says this at a stop. Safest response: keep your hands where the officer can see them, say where the documents are before reaching ("It's in the glove box"), then hand them over. Stay calm, don't argue, don't reach suddenly. You can mention you're a delivery driver — but comply first, explain second.
• It's not safe to drive in this ice — I'm ending my dash. — In snow, flooding, ice, or extreme heat, you're allowed to stop for safety and end your dash — no delivery is worth a crash. State the condition and your decision clearly, and tell support if an order is affected. Don't push through hoping it clears.
• I need a tow truck. — Where are you located? — When your car can't be driven, call roadside assistance, your insurance line, or a tow company; the dispatcher asks where you are. Give the address or cross streets, which side of the road you're on, and your car's make and color so they spot you. On a highway, say the direction and nearest exit.
• Sorry, could you say that again? — Your single most important line under stress. When a 911 dispatcher, a police officer, or a tow dispatcher speaks fast and your mind goes blank, this buys a repeat without panic — native speakers use it too. You can also say "Slower, please." Never pretend you understood and guess; in an emergency a wrong answer sends help to the wrong place. Ask again, every time you need to.