DoorDash No Orders for Hours (Not Busy Anymore in 2024) (2024)

Finding yourself glued to the DoorDash app, but seeing no orders for hours?

This happens to many DoorDash drivers, causing frustration and, of course, a hit to potential earnings.

Let’s look at the reasons behind this issue and see if we can figure out what’s going wrong. Sometimes, it could be as simple as an app glitch or poor location choice. Other times, however, it might be something more complex that you haven’t considered.

So, is there a way to fix this no-order situation? Or is it just a part of the DoorDash driver’s journey?

Why Am I Not Getting Any DoorDash Orders for Hours?

DoorDash is a pretty popular food delivery service, so few orders could come down to location. Where you are can have a huge impact on how many orders you get.

If you are in a small area, you will most likely struggle to get regular orders throughout the week.

This is the frustrating reality for many Dashers that are trying to make an income off of DoorDash. It fluctuates greatly, which can make it an unpredictable source of money.

Why is Doordash Not Busy Anymore in 2024?

As said before, maybe the city you are dashing in is just too small. Sometimes there is a problem with the app that prevents Dashers to see new orders (but this is rarely the case).

One solution that DoorDash often recommends is going to a hotspot. This is often a location several miles away that is close to restaurant options. These places are usually the busiest.

These hotspots are often busier and provide a higher influx of orders coming into the app.

How Do I Get More DoorDash Orders?

If you are not getting very many DoorDash orders, there are a few things that you can do. One of which is to find a hotspot and drive there.

This should bring in a few more delivery opportunities that you can choose from. It can be inconvenient, but it can help.

Another option is to take on deliveries that are in neighboring towns and cities. This will broaden your range and give you double the number of orders.

The downside to driving distances for orders is that your delivery time will go up, and you will burn through more gas. But it might be worth it if a neighboring city has more orders to benefit from.

Another thing you can do to try to increase your orders is to Dash during busy times. This would be during breakfast, lunch, and dinner times of the day.

These times are when the most orders are rushing in. Giving you a much better chance at getting your hands on several high-paying orders.

Just keep in mind that wait times will be longer for food, and you will be competing with several other drivers. So you will have to act fast and take advantage of top orders quickly.

Top Reasons for Slow Orders

The most critical reason for very few orders on your DoorDash shift comes down to location. Where you Dash can make or break you.

If you live in a small town or city, you may struggle to get a decent amount of orders. You may not even get any for hours at a time.

If you live in a larger city or next to one. You will have many more options in terms of orders. As larger areas mean more people and more restaurants. Which ultimately means more orders to choose from.

This is the number one reason why many Dashers struggle. As there are certain locations that just don’t have much to offer order-wise.

The best way to avoid this common problem is to travel to hotspots or popular areas. Your DoorDash map should show you red areas where orders are more abundant.

At the end of the day, it may be more profitable to deliver outside of your local area. In order to get a steady stream of orders coming in during your shifts.

Similar articles include: no available delivery times on DoorDash or no one is picking up the DoorDash order and no available delivery times on DoorDash.

Will DoorDash Help Me Get More Orders?

DoorDash cannot directly help you to take on more orders. Meaning that they are not going to simply hand over some to you to deliver.

No matter how hard you are trying, DoorDash is still a business. And they will not simply help you out by providing orders.

That would also be playing favorite, and they couldn’t do that for every Dasher trying to get more orders.

What they will do is point you towards some hotspots that are close by. This is all they will do if you ask them for help.

If DoorDash sees that you are on shift but not receiving any orders. They will also point you to some hotspots then.

This isn’t very helpful, but it is all that they can do. As long as your DoorDash isn’t paused, you will be notified of any orders that come in.

So, if there are no orders in your area, there’s not much that anyone can do about it. This is why it is important to be realistic about the potential of working locally for Doordash.

As some locations are just too small to make a decent amount of money in.

Why Are My DoorDash Orders Hours Apart?

If your DoorDash orders are hours apart and far in between, it usually comes down to location. No Dasher wants to hear this, but it is more often than not the truth.

Certain locations thrive with DoorDash, while others merely provide a trickle of orders to the drivers there.

This will often come down to how big the area is. If you live in a small town, chances are that there are only a limited amount of orders to take per day. Whereas, a larger city has orders coming in constantly.

This is a very common problem with DoorDashers, which is why many are forced to Dash outside of their city. Delivering to neighboring cities in order to nab more orders.

If you are serious about getting more DoorDash orders and making more money. This will be the best option for you if there are cities nearby.

Doing long-distance deliveries will more than double your opportunities. And give you a more reliable stream of orders coming in.

Or you could follow DoorDash’s advice and linger around in hotspots to try to nab any influx of orders coming in. These hotspots are usually popular areas for orders and are indicated on your DoorDash map in red.