Does acceptance rate matter DoorDash

When delivering for DoorDash, you might notice a metric called your acceptance rate, displayed as a percentage in the app.

That's the percent of delivery opportunities that you accept out of the number of offers that you receive.

So, does the acceptance rate matter for DoorDash delivery drivers, and does it truly affect your performance or ability to earn?

In this article, we will be discussing whether or not the acceptance rate is important and key things that you should know to give you a better understanding in making your own decisions.

What is the acceptance rate on DoorDash?

The acceptance rate is one of the main Dasher ratings.

It is calculated by dividing how many orders you have taken by how many delivery offers you have gotten. For example, if you get 100 delivery offers and you accept 75, then your acceptance rate would be 75%.

DoorDash places this percentage prominently at the top of the Dasher app, so a lot of drivers think it must carry some actual weight.

The truth is a bit more complicated.

As opposed to the completion rate—i.e., how many deliveries accepted that you actually fulfill—the acceptance rate isn't going to have a direct impact on your driver status.

Still, it’s important to note that many things about acceptance rate are quite unclear, even to experienced riders who have spent years working for DoorDash.

Does the acceptance rate affect your account status?

To fully understand whether acceptance rate matters, there are many things we need to consider.

DoorDash explicitly points out that it considers its drivers to be independent contractors, so you are free to accept or refuse an offer of delivery.

Also, low acceptance rates will not result in deactivation, at least not on its own. You, as a Dasher, still have the right to decide for yourself what orders are worth taking, if the payout is too low or the distance too far, among several others.

But maintaining a low acceptance rate may be limiting in other ways.

For example, benefits like the Top Dasher have eligibility criteria that you need to meet, like maintaining an acceptance rate of at least 70%. Failure to do this may result in losing the benefits accruing to this program.

Some riders have also stated that, once they’ve let their acceptance rate fall too low, DoorDash has paused their orders, making it impossible for them to complete their shifts.

Others have noticed that, as long as their acceptance rate was low, they were only eligible for bad offers they couldn’t profit from.

Still, to this day, DoorDash hasn’t explicitly stated whether the acceptance rate has any influence on the orders.

Perks of a high acceptance rate

While DoorDash does not officially penalize drivers for low acceptance rates, there is still a benefit to keeping this number at least somewhat high.

One of the best examples of this is the Top Dasher program, the members of which enjoy a number of advantages, including:

• Ability to Dash Anytime, even during slow periods
• Priority access to big orders or high-value orders during peak periods
• Drivers who use Top Dasher most love the "Dash Anytime" feature, as this lets them work without being tied to pre-set shifts.
• Some markets are also able to prioritize high-acceptance-rate Dashers for big catering or high-earning delivery orders.

Of course, with that comes the fact that keeping and having a high acceptance rate may mean taking lower-paying orders, which can lower gross earnings for some drivers.

Downsides of prioritizing acceptance rate

Of course, there are some downsides associated with prioritizing your acceptance rate.

Not every order is worth it. Most low-ball offers, particularly those that require a lengthy commitment or the smallest tip, will result in a waste of time and mileage.

Accepting all orders means higher miles or wear on your vehicle or e-bike, more gas, and, ultimately, lowered profitability.

Moreover, DoorDash's platform itself does not guarantee that the higher the acceptance rate, the higher your earnings will go.

Market demand, time of day, and location are other crucial features you might use to increase your profit.

Focusing on an acceptance rate alone while disregarding such variables may also not bring you the desired result.

Strategies for managing your acceptance rate

If you want to balance keeping a good acceptance rate and maximizing your income, here are some steps you could implement:

• Set up your own order acceptance rules: Make a system that will enable you to filter orders quickly. You may consider distance, payout, and estimated delivery time before declining or accepting an order.
• Follow market trends: Listen to what happens in the local market. For example, some areas always give good tips, and others don't pay to work in them.
• Maximize peak pay and promotions: DoorDash normally offers additional incentives to accept orders during peak times. Focus on these to optimize how much you will make without necessarily taking every available opportunity.
• Strategically decline: If an order doesn't suit your requirements, then decline. The system in DoorDash lets you decline as many orders as needed without any threat of deactivation. Just remember that you should still accept as many orders as possible, but make sure they’re worth it.
• Keep track of your metrics: Though the acceptance rate does not matter that much, do keep track of other metrics like completion rate and customer rating because this stuff affects your status as a driver.

Keep in mind that the effects of high or low acceptance rates might vary depending on the market.

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Related: How much can you make on Doordash in a day?

To conclude

So, does the acceptance rate matter for DoorDash, or is this just a metric for analytical purposes?

Sadly, the answer isn’t that clear. While a low acceptance rate won’t result in the termination of your account, it might negatively affect your job in different ways.

Similarly, there are some benefits to having a high acceptance rate, which might make it worthwhile.

All in all, it’s advisable to try to keep your acceptance rate as high as possible, but don’t do it at all costs.

If keeping a high acceptance rate means taking too many low-paying orders and increasing your expenses, you will lose more than you can gain.

Fortunately, there is a way to decrease the costs of working as a Dasher, and that is to use an e-bike for DoorDash delivery.

Whizz is a reputable company that designs electric bikes specifically for delivery riders. Whether you buy or rent an e-bike from us, you will end up with a high-quality vehicle that can increase your profit.

Contact Whizz and start earning money as a Dasher today.

Read also: Does DoorDash pay for gas?