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DoorDash Drive On-Demand Onboarding and FAQs

This page answers common questions about DoorDash Drive, including how to get started, understand billing, check delivery limits and get support.

What is DoorDash Drive On-Demand?

DoorDash Drive On-Demand lets you offer customers delivery through your own app, website, or other ordering channel. 

You pay a flat fee per order, and a Dasher will deliver directly to your customers. You can either automate deliveries through your middleware provider or the Merchant Portal.

What is the Merchant Portal?

The Merchant Portal is where DoorDash merchants manage orders, users, account settings, and DoorDash products like Drive.

The Merchant Portal allows merchants to:

  • Access their DoorDash account securely

  • Manage deliveries and orders in one place

  • Update menu items and prices

  • Update user access and admin controls

  • View business reporting and KPIs

  • Use DoorDash tools without switching between platforms

Overall, it replaces older portals and provides a single, consistent experience for managing DoorDash operations. 

How do I sign up for DoorDash Drive On-Demand?

To sign up for Drive On-Demand:

How does Drive On-Demand fulfill customer orders?

When a customer places an order that's fulfilled by DoorDash Drive On-Demand, the process works as follows:

  • Order placed: A customer places an order on your website, app, or other ordering channel

  • Order confirmed: Order details are sent to the DoorDash Drive system

  • Drive dispatch: A Dasher is assigned and routed to your store

  • Pickup updates: Dasher arrival updates are shared so you can prepare the order

  • Order handoff: The Dasher picks up the order from your store

  • Delivery updates: Customers can receive delivery status updates via text

  • Delivery confirmation: Delivery is confirmed and customers can rate the delivery

  • Billing: Completed deliveries appear on your monthly invoice

Can customers track Drive On-Demand deliveries?

Yes, customers can track Drive On-Demand deliveries and receive delivery status updates once an order is in progress.

How far can Drive On-Demand deliver?

Your delivery radius is dynamic, meaning it can change based on factors like demand, availability, and your partnership plan.

How does my delivery radius work?

A delivery radius determines which customers are eligible for delivery based on distance and expected travel time from your location. These limits help reduce late deliveries and improve reliability across markets. 

For Drive On-Demand, the delivery radius is automatically set by DoorDash to support timely deliveries and reliable fulfillment. Delivery radius availability and limits may vary by market and are subject to DoorDash operational requirements.

What affects my delivery radius?

Your Drive On-Demand delivery radius may be influenced by several factors, including:

  • Partnership plan: Merchants on the Basic plan typically reach customers nearby. Plus and Premier plans provide a larger delivery radius, helping your store reach more customers.

  • Demand and Dasher availability: Delivery areas may expand or contract depending on order volume and the availability of Dashers in your area.

  • Operational factors: Store hours, preparation times, and other operational considerations can also impact delivery coverage.

Why does DoorDash manage delivery radius?

Managing delivery radius centrally allows DoorDash to balance delivery distance, Dasher availability, and timing expectations.

This approach helps:

  • Reduce delivery issues

  • Support consistent service levels

  • Improve the experience for customers and merchants

Can I change my delivery radius?

Delivery radius settings for Drive On-Demand are managed by DoorDash and can't be adjusted directly by merchants.

If you have questions about your delivery radius or believe a change may be needed:

Can I request a refund for a delivery?

Yes, you can request a refund for eligible Drive On-Demand orders and approved refunds are applied to your next invoice. Contact Drive-On Demand Support to request a refund. If approved, the time it takes to receive your refund varies:

  • Instant refunds: Some requests are approved immediately. You'll see a confirmation message, and the refund will be applied to your invoice for the current period.

  • Refunds requiring review: If additional information is needed, you'll be prompted to create a support case. Our support team typically responds within 24 hours.

How do I add or manage additional stores on my Drive account?

If you use Drive On-Demand through an integration with an online ordering platform, you need to call your online ordering provider to add or manage additional stores.

If you are currently manually entering orders into the Drive On-Demand portal, contact Drive-On Demand Support with the following information:

  • Your Drive Business ID 

  • The email you are using to login to the Drive Portal

  • Details for the additional stores you would like to onboard. 

Make sure to download and attach the completed template and specify in the email that you already have a Drive On-Demand account and would like to add additional stores.

How do I pay for Drive On-Demand?

For merchants who use Drive On-Demand through an online ordering platform integration, you can pay your invoice by:

  • Debit or credit

  • ACH

  • Wire transfer

  • Check

For merchants who don't use Drive On-Demand with an online ordering platform integration, you can pay for deliveries by adding a credit card to your account or requesting a monthly invoice.

Can Drive On-Demand charges be taken out of my DoorDash Marketplace earnings?

No, all Drive On-Demand charges are charged via a monthly invoice. The previous model, known as payment withholding, is no longer available. 

All invoices are sent at the end of the month, within five days of the start of the new month. 

How will I know if there's an API outage?

We'll notify you by email if an API outage affects your store.

Not every outage impacts DoorDash Drive. Each email clearly states which surface is affected (for example, APIs Developer Portal or DoorDash's website).

How do I subscribe to outage notifications?

To receive API outage alerts by email:

  1. You can subscribe to API status updates here

  2. Enter the email address where you want to receive alerts

  3. Tap Subscribe via Email to confirm your subscription

We recommend using an email address that's regularly monitored by your operations team. For further information and assistance, contact Merchant Support.

How can I contact support?

You can Merchant Support for help with delivery issues, billing questions, or refunds related to a Drive order.

To learn about Drive On-Demand Invoicing, click here.

Author

Merchant Learning

Merchant Learning

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Frequently Asked Questions

If you're using DoorDash Drive On-Demand through an online ordering partner, you'll either get an invoice from DoorDash at the end of the month or one from your online ordering provider. This depends on which online ordering provider you use. The invoice will have all the details about your DoorDash deliveries. If you get an invoice from DoorDash, you can pay it by ACH, wire, or check.

If you're using DoorDash Drive On-Demand without an online ordering partner, there are two ways to pay for your deliveries. You can either add a credit card to your account or get a monthly invoice. If you choose to get an invoice, keep in mind that it will only show the charges for deliveries made through DoorDash Drive On-Demand. It won't include any fees from orders placed through the DoorDash app.

The DoorDash invoicing portal allows you to view and manage your invoices. With this portal, you can:

  • See all your past invoices in one place

  • Choose from more ways to pay

  • Update your information whenever you need to

Mx learning - Drive On-Demand

To get started, onboard to HighRadius. If you have any questions, check out our FAQ page for step-by-step instructions on the onboarding process.

If you require an immediate resolution for live orders, contact DoorDash Support. You may need immediate resolution for the following reasons:

  • Dasher 15+ min late to the store

  • Dasher took the wrong food

  • Customer calls the store & cancels

  • Customer never received their order

  • Change to delivery address

If you require a non-immediate resolution, please contact DoorDash support via email on drive-support@doordash.com. Non-immediate resolutions could be:

  • If the guest has a complaint and wants a refund

  • If a Dasher was rude to your staff or a customer

  • Billing/refund processing

You can set your default delivery settings by changing the "is_contactless_delivery=" line in your Drive On-Demand API requests. If you set it to 'true,' contactless deliveries will be enabled. If you set it to 'false,' hand-to-me deliveries will be required. These settings tell the Dasher what to do when a customer doesn't give specific instructions.

The Drive On-Demand API is a short way to say Application Interface Programming. It's the code that your Middleware Provider uses to connect your website with DoorDash. This code helps you request deliveries and share important delivery information.

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If you or your Middleware Provider want to know more about the Drive On-Demand API, you can:

You'll see your dashboard when you log into your DoorDash Merchant Portal. This page provides an overview of your store's performance, including daily sales figures, the number of delivery orders, the average value of each order, and a breakdown of new and returning customers.

The dashboard also displays key operational metrics, such as your cancellation rate and count, order accuracy rate, error count and associated charges, and customer ratings. These insights help you track your store's performance and identify areas for improvement.

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