Why am i not getting DoorDash orders in a hotspot

Why  am I not getting DoorDash orders in a hotspot?

In this article, we will explain why it is possible that you may not receive orders even while in the hotspot area and what you can do about it.

If you work as a delivery rider on the DoorDash platform, you've probably encountered a situation where, while staying in the hotspot zone for a long time, you don’t receive any delivery orders.

Many riders face the same situation, who, being in the hotspot zone with an active work application and willingness to work, do not receive orders.

What's the matter here, and what's going on?

Regardless of whether you are a novice delivery rider or an experienced Dasher, knowing and understanding these factors will help you work more efficiently and avoid such situations.

What is a DoorDash hotspot, really?

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What is a hotspot, and how do you work with them? Hotspots in DoorDash are always displayed on the map of the work application and marked with the “flame” icon.

With their help, you can see the area of recent restaurant activity; that is, a lot of delivery orders have been recorded in the specified area in a recent period of time. 

But at the same time, the main misconception lies here: a hotspot is not a guarantee that orders in this zone will arrive right now.

‍The hotspot data shown on the app's map is based on past data and is not information about the current situation in real time. That is, recently the demand for orders was recorded here, but perhaps by the time you got to the designated point, it was gone.

Why don't you receive orders while in a hotspot?

1. There are too many riders and not enough orders.

A lot of riders are trying to work near the hotspot. As a result, there is a lot of competition in this area for a limited number of orders.

Tip: try to stay close to popular restaurants, but a little away from the hotspot. There will be less competition, but the chance of getting an order remains high.

2. You are out of the delivery area.

DoorDash uses invisible delivery zones, and even if, according to the map, you will be close to the hotspot icon, you may find yourself outside it or in the "border" zone.

Tip: stay as close to the restaurant groups as possible. The algorithm of the DoorDash application often selects drivers who are physically closer to a particular restaurant for delivery.

3. Low demand at the moment.

As we have already mentioned, the hotspot shows the past restaurant activity over the past period of time. There may have been a lunch rush in the area an hour ago, but there is currently a lull.

Tip: Carefully study the local peaks of demand. Demand is usually marked from 11:00 to 14:00 (lunch) and from 17:00 to 20:00 (dinner), but the location of a particular area must also be taken into account.

4. Low rating or percentage of order acceptance.

The DoorDash platform officially declares that the delivery rider's rating does not affect the number of orders he receives. However, many riders notice that if you have a high percentage of order acceptance (especially in the "dead of night"), you receive orders more often.

Tip: Try to have good grades and don’t reject too many orders unnecessarily. Even if you choose more profitable orders, try to avoid complaints and cancellations.

5. Problems with the app or phone.

Sometimes the delivery rider, while on shift, may not receive orders due to communication problems. Perhaps your phone is not working properly, the Internet is weak at this point, or the DoorDash application is not working fully.

Tip: Try restarting your phone, restarting the app, and clearing its cache. Check the geolocation and data access settings.

6. The app has put you on pause.

The DoorDash service can put you on pause. The reasons for this may be a high percentage of rejections or missed orders, or your prolonged inactivity.

Tip: Check the app regularly. If you see the message “You are on pause", manually return to online mode. Turn on notifications so you don't miss anything.

7. Orders go to higher priority-riders.

Sometimes DoorDash gives orders to Top Dashers or to those delivery riders who have a higher priority, for example, due to high activity or physical proximity to the restaurant.

Tip: It's important not just to be in a hotspot, but to be at the right place at the right time. Try to think like the algorithm of the DoorDash application — and place yourself wisely in the area of work.

How to turn a hotspot into real orders

• Focus on popular restaurants, not on the icons in the app. Think about where you would order dinner from on a Friday night.

• Choose the right time. In different areas, the peaks of demand for delivery may vary; in some cases, they start at 12:00, and in others at 14:00.

• Don't stand in one place — move around the area. If you haven't received any orders in 10-15 minutes, be sure to change your location.

• Try analyzing your past shifts yourself. Remember and record where and when there were more orders. Build your map over time.

When to contact support

If you are in an area with confirmed activity and you are not receiving orders, but other riders are receiving orders, there may be a technical issue with your app or account. In this case, it is necessary:

• Read the DoorDash support article: I do not receive orders.
• Update the app and OS.
• Log out of the DoorDash app and log in again.
• You can also try resetting your network settings.

Conclusion

Hotspot is not a guarantee of receiving orders. But understanding why you don't get them is the key to solving this problem. Success on DoorDash takes more than just being in the right place at the right time. It requires a solid strategy, timing, and careful analysis.

The better you know your city, the higher the chances of turning waiting into getting real orders. And remember: sometimes it's enough to move one block so that the situation changes for the better for you.

Work wisely, use electric bikes for delivery, stay active, and have a great delivery!