Is DoorDash a Scam?

If you’re thinking of using DoorDash, you need to know: Is DoorDash a scam? 

Below, we explain whether DoorDash is a scam and discuss some steps you can take to improve your safety when using this platform. 

What Is DoorDash?

DoorDash is a food delivery service and a publicly traded company. 

It connects you with local restaurants, chain restaurants, and even stores like 7-Eleven. 

You can use the DoorDash website or app to see menus from restaurants and convenience stores near you and then place an order directly through the platform.

DoorDash delivery drivers, known as Dashers, will pick up and deliver the order to you. 

The platform charges a delivery fee and, in certain cases, an additional service fee. You can also leave the driver a tip. 

If you encounter any issues, you can reach out to DoorDash customer service. 

Is DoorDash a Scam?

No, DoorDash is not a scam. It’s a legitimate food delivery service.

However, user reviews of DoorDash are mixed: 

• 4.8 out of 5.0 stars (from 20,247,122 reviews) on the App Store. 
• 4.7 out of 5.0 stars (from 5,189,431 reviews) on Google Play. 
• 1.1 out of 5.0 stars (from 11,484 reviews) on Trustpilot.
• 1.3 out of 5.0 stars (from 23,709 reviews) on REVIEWS.io.
• 2.1 out of 5.0 stars (from 1,052 reviews) on Sitejabber. 

On online forums like Reddit, people also report mixed experiences when ordering food through DoorDash. 

For example, one person reported that they never received their order because the DoorDash driver claimed no one answered the door, even though the person checked their door camera and saw that the driver never showed up. 

After they contacted support, they received only half a refund. 

In response to this, a person said: 

“I recently had a grocery delivery that was missing 2 entire bags of food. It took me an hour on the phone to get them to refund it. I will never do it again.”

On the other hand, many users say they’ve never had orders go missing. One person said: 

“It’s crazy I’ve gotten over 140 deliveries and I’ve never had a dasher steal my shit.”

In its terms of service, DoorDash says it has no obligation to provide refunds or credit but may do so gratuitously at its own discretion. 

Another person said the DoorDash delivery driver took a really long time delivering their food, to the point where it was completely cold when they did finally get it. 

In its terms of service, DoorDash says that it’s just a platform, not the provider of goods or delivery services. It is not responsible for problems caused by merchants or drivers (except for DashMart orders in the US and Canada).

It also notes that time estimates (e.g., “Delivery in 25 minutes”) are just rough estimates and not promises.

Overall, your experience with DoorDash is likely to depend on the restaurant or store you’re ordering food from and the driver. One-off errors and mistakes can feel like scams if not resolved properly.

DoorDash is Better Business Bureau accredited and has an “A” rating. 

Security

In its privacy policy, DoorDash says it uses “commercially reasonable administrative, organizational, technical and physical security controls.”

It does not specify what these controls are. 

The cybersecurity company UpGuard gives DoorDash security a rating of 804/950. 

See our “Is DoorDash safe?” review for more information. 

Over the years, DoorDash has experienced several data breaches. 

In 2019, DoorDash experienced a breach that affected 4.9 million customers, leading to a lawsuit from the state of New York, which alleged negligence and failure to safeguard user data.

In 2022, the company experienced another breach when a third-party vendor fell victim to a phishing attack, allowing attackers to access internal tools and the personal information of a number of customers. 

Privacy

When you make an order through DoorDash, your delivery driver can only see the information related to your order, i.e., delivery address, first name and last initial, and any delivery instructions. 

Delivery drivers are also provided with a masked phone number so they can contact you. 

DoorDash explains the kind of personal data it collects, why, and with whom it shares it in its privacy policy.

It collects the following information:

• Contact information, e.g., name, email address, phone number, and address.
• Account and profile information, e.g., username, credentials, pictures, and any other information you add to your DoorDash profile.
• Identification documentation and signature for age-restricted products, e.g., driver’s license or other government-issued identification documents. 
• Communications with DoorDash, Dashers, and merchants, including content of in-app messages with Dashers. 
• Content you create/share, e.g., reviews.
• Payment details, e.g., credit card information.
• Activity and transactions, e.g., order history, special instructions for orders like dietary preferences, and responses to surveys.
• Geolocation information, if you turned on location access.
• Device information, e.g., internet-protocol address and operating system and version. 
• Information from co-branded or third-party offers, like when you enroll for co-branded credit card opportunities with DoorDash’s credit card partners.

DoorDash uses this information to offer and customize its services, provide customer support, improve its services, advertise and promote DoorDash and its services, allow communication with DoorDash, verify your account, prevent illegal conduct, and comply with laws and policy requests. 

It may share your data with service providers, DoorDash drivers, merchants, marketing and advertising partners, government authorities, DoorDash’s group of companies, and in corporate transactions (e.g., merger or acquisition). 

The platform may display content you share publicly, like reviews, so that others can learn about your experience. 

DoorDash may disclose your personal information to other third parties with your consent and/or at your direction. 

The company will retain your information for as long as required to provide you with its services. No specific timelines are noted.

You can exercise your right to access or delete your personal information directly through your DoorDash account. 

Terms of Service; Didn’t Read (ToS;DR), a project that rates internet services’ terms of service and privacy policies, hasn’t rated DoorDash yet. However, it notes some potential concerns about DoorDash:

• You must provide your identifiable information.
• Many different types of personal data are collected.
• You are tracked via web beacons, tracking pixels, browser fingerprinting, and/or device fingerprinting.
• Information is gathered about you through third parties.
• Your personal data may be used for marketing purposes.

The Common Sense Privacy Program, which also rates internet services’ privacy policies, gives DoorDash a rating of 45% out of 100%. This is a “Warning” rating, meaning “Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.” 

The program flags the following as issues:

• DoorDash sells or rents personal information to third parties.
• It shares personal information for third-party marketing.
• It displays personalized ads.
• It’s unclear whether third parties collect data for their own purposes.
• User information is used to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
• Data profiles are created and used for personalized advertisements.

So, Should You Use DoorDash?

Depends.

If you’re seeking convenience, variety, and contactless delivery, DoorDash can be a good option. 

However, DoorDash disclaims responsibility for anything bad that happens. If food is late, cold, missing, or incorrect, DoorDash is not obligated to refund you.

Our recommendation is to only use DoorDash for restaurants you trust.

Otherwise, if you want reliability and stronger customer protection, consider ordering directly from the restaurant or using alternatives with better customer service. 

How to Use DoorDash Safely and Privately 

• Use a secondary email address. Create an email address just for DoorDash and similar services. That way, you can keep your primary inbox free of spam and limit your exposure in case of a data breach. 
• Limit location sharing. Only allow location access when using the DoorDash app. 
• Don’t use social login. This helps avoid cross-site tracking. 
• Use a virtual or masked card. This can help you limit your exposure in case of a breach and also control and limit charges. 
• Don’t overshare. Avoid entering detailed preferences if not necessary, and don’t include personal details in reviews.
• Opt out of email marketing. At the bottom of any DoorDash promotional email, click “Unsubscribe.”
• Opt out of text messages. Reply “STOP” to any marketing text or send “STOP” to 63758.
• Toggle off push notifications. You can do this through the DoorDash app. 
• Exercise your privacy rights. Depending on where you live, you may be able to exercise privacy rights like the right to access/portability, deletion, correction, opt out of sale or sharing, right to appear, and right to withdraw consent.