Is DoorDash Safe in 2023? (Safety for Drivers and Customers)

Drivers—sometimes you’re so focused on delivering that triple cheeseburger in record time, that everything else gets put on the back burner. 

Customers—being de-briefed on safety semantics while tucking into a juicy chicken sandwich can be hard to swallow. 

But safety is no joke.

So, whether you’re planning to become a Dasher, or ordering that “home-cooked” meal to impress your date—let’s see how safe DoorDash really is. 

Is DoorDash Safe?

Generally, DoorDash is safe for both customers and drivers. According to DoorDash’s website, over 99.99% of deliveries are completed without any safety incidents. But if delivery drivers feel unsafe, they can use the in-app safety features or avoid delivering at night or in bad areas.

Being on the road a lot and meeting dozens of strangers all day and night isn’t the same as working in a tight office cubicle—but as long as you show good judgment and keep your wits about you, things should go pretty smoothly.

For customers, there’s not a huge difference between  eating at a restaurant and ordering food—in both cases, you’re in close contact with strangers, who you’re trusting to handle your favorite chicken noodles. 

Most of these strangers are only interested in doing their job, getting paid, and going home to spend their earnings on more food.

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Is DoorDash Safe for Customers?

Usually, the worst thing that’ll happen to a customer is your food arriving an hour late with a strange smell. 

But if you like to stay on the safe side, here are some things to consider next time you order your weight in fast food—

Food Safety

If the suspicious-smelling sushi kept you sick all night—it’s probably the fault of the restaurant. 

In this case, restaurant reviews are your best friend—and with over 340,000 restaurants to choose from, sifting out the best-reviewed places shouldn’t be a problem.

No need to point the finger at DoorDash—the company makes sure all their drivers use sealed, insulated bags for temperature control so your food arrives hot and fresh. 

Food Tampering 

Let’s be clear—food tampering can happen in a fancy restaurant, the local diner, or a roadside food truck. 

Unless you’re making the food yourself—there’s no guarantee someone hasn’t snuck some pineapple onto your pizza. 

Messing with food is rare, though—people generally don’t want to get fired.

Even so, DoorDash restaurants seal all food containers and bags—usually with a sticker or staple so you can see for yourself that nobody’s poked around your food. 

For extra peace of mind, Dashers are also told to keep bags clean and sanitized—something we all appreciate after a little something called COVID-19. 

Personal Information 

Nobody wants their credit card details, phone number, or secret identity getting out. 

But no worries—DoorDash makes sure all your personal information, finances, and superhero secrets are kept private. 

Just in case your delivery driver mistakes the DoorDash app for Tinder (or vice versa), all phone numbers are kept hidden. 

You can still message each other, but it goes through the company’s system—so personal numbers can’t be seen by the driver or customer. 

DoorDash Scams 

In the digital age, food is going online. 

And that’s great if you’ve been working since 6 a.m. and don’t have the energy to make a sandwich—but technology comes with risks. 

Here are some to watch out for—

Data hacking 

Hackers can use phishing scams or other hacking techniques to steal your data. 

To stop them in their tracks—never click on any links unless you’re 100% sure they’re from DoorDash. 

It also wouldn’t hurt to change your password now and again—and never store your credit card information on the app. 

Fake Texts 

If you get a message saying your food is on its way (without actually ordering)—sorry to say, but you’re not getting a free meal. 

In reality, there’s either a glitch in the system or a hacker has got hold of your phone number. 

As long as you don’t click on any links, these texts are usually harmless—just contact DoorDash, and they’ll help you resolve the issue. 

Theft 

We’re going old-school now—with delivery theft (not your typical scam—but still a loss on your part). 

If your food accidentally arrives at the wrong door, a hungry neighbor could easily claim it as their own (hard to say no to a five-cheese pizza). 

So, to stop the food thieves—check that you’ve entered the right delivery address, and contact customer support if an invisible food package has been marked as delivered.

Delivery Drivers 

Most drivers are there to do their job, deliver your food—and go home to complain about how you didn’t leave them a tip. 

But if a stranger coming to your doorstep doesn’t fill you with excitement—you can opt to have your food left outside your door and avoid human interaction altogether.

All drivers also go through a complete background check covering their criminal and motor vehicle history—so there’s not much chance of any convicted jewel thieves or highway race car drivers coming to your door. 

Is DoorDash Safe for Drivers?

Let’s be real—delivery drivers have to deal with road ragers, no-go neighborhoods, and customers who find it funny to accept a delivery in their birthday suit. 

Every job has its drawbacks—but here are some steps DoorDash is taking to protect its Dashers—

Dasher App

DoorDash has rolled out a ton of safety features to protect its Dashers. 

And the best thing? It’s all packed into one app—so there’s no waiting around for Susan in HR to file a complaint.

If you need help fast, look out for the blue shield at the top of the Dasher app—which will take you straight to SafeDash. Once you’re there, you can request a callback from an ADT agent to check that everything is a-okay. 

For more urgent situations—simply ask the agent to call 911 who’ll arrive at your location. 

Maybe you’re just minding your own business—none the wiser to a police car chase heading your way. In case of any dangerous situations nearby, DoorDash has real-time safety alerts to give you a heads-up. 

Bad Customers

Being “hangry” is real (take it from me)—and there’s nothing like the wrath of a hungry customer to make you want to run a mile. 

If you’re running late, you’ll probably just be greeted with a headshake and an eye roll. 

But if a customer is showing some Hulk-like attitude—you can use the SafeChat feature to report any bad behavior during the delivery process. 

You can also use this to screen any effing and blinding coming your way. 

And just like a bad date, you can also block future deliveries, and poof—you never have to see them again. 

Safety for Women

Female Dashers are generally well looked after thanks to the in-app safety features—but if you have any concerns, there are a few extra precautions you can take.

This one goes without saying—never enter someone’s house. 

Have a bad feeling about a customer? Trust your gut and cancel the order—especially if you’re getting suspicious messages, or you don’t feel safe in the neighborhood. 

If you don’t feel comfortable working at night, there are plenty of daytime customers looking for a last-minute breakfast or some greasy hangover food. 

What Drivers Are Saying

DoorDash has made efforts to improve safety, but—like in most workplaces—there’s always room for improvement. 

So we spoke with some Dashers to get some first-hand experiences—

If you find yourself in a bad situation, most Dashers touched on how important it is to use your judgment. “In these cases, drivers should rely on themselves, be aware of their surroundings and the neighborhoods they travel to.” 

Another long-time Dasher said, “the most important thing is situational awareness. Be aware of what’s going on around you at all times so you always have a Plan A and a Plan B. This has helped me when driving and avoiding trouble on the road.”

Others have some suggestions for how Doordash can improve, “they should remove the ‘cash on delivery’ option and limit the time customers can message you after delivering.”

Another driver pointed out how DoorDash can improve road safety, “better vehicle insurance is needed. Right now, it’s pretty difficult to get commercial or regular insurance, so a lot of food delivery drivers are working without coverage.”

Want to dig a little deeper? Read our article to discover all the ins and outs of working at DoorDash. 

DoorDash Safety Tips 

Finally, here are some top tips to keep yourself safe as a Dasher—

Never enter the home 

Whether it’s the sweet old lady with cookies, or the Elvis impersonator who wants to show you his record collection—entering a stranger’s home is a big no-no. 

Always meet the customer at the door—or drop the food at the doorstep if requested. 

Stick to safe neighborhoods

If you’ve got a bad feeling—it’s better to be safe than sorry. 

Whether it’s a dangerous neighborhood, or you just want to avoid your ex—you can either decline the order when it first pings up or just unassign yourself if you have a change of heart. 

Lock your car 

This one might be obvious, but when you’ve been working all day, and your brain is getting foggy—it’s easier to forget the little things. 

You never know who’s on the lookout for a new car, so always check the locks—even if it’s a one-minute trip to the doorstep and back. 

Be careful at night 

There are always potential dangers on the road—especially if you’re on your bike at night. 

Wearing reflective clothing and a helmet probably won’t earn you any fashion awards—but it’ll keep you much safer than your trendy all-black get-up. 

Frequently Asked Questions