If you‘re like most people these days, you‘ve probably used, or at least considered using, a food delivery app service like DoorDash. The convenience of ordering from your favorite local restaurants and having the food brought right to your doorstep with a few taps on your phone is undeniably appealing.
However, whenever you use an online service, especially one that involves financial transactions and strangers coming to your home, it‘s wise to ask: is this really safe? You want to be sure you can trust the platform with your personal information, money, and physical wellbeing.
In this article, we‘ll take an in-depth look at DoorDash, the leading food delivery app in the U.S., and analyze how safe it is from a customer perspective. We‘ll examine what security measures the company has in place, how it handles potential issues, and what you can do to protect yourself when using the service. By the end, you‘ll have a clear sense of whether DoorDash is a service you can depend on.
How DoorDash Works
First, let‘s quickly review how DoorDash operates. Customers download the DoorDash mobile app or visit the website, create a free account, and then can browse menus or search for restaurants in their area. Once you find what you want, you place an order and pay through the app via credit card or other digital payment methods like PayPal or Apple Pay. You can also leave a tip for your delivery driver at this stage.
A nearby DoorDash delivery driver, known as a "Dasher", is notified of your order and goes to the restaurant to pick it up. You can track their progress on the app as they make their way to you. When they arrive, they either hand you your food directly or leave it at your door if you selected a "contactless delivery" due to health concerns around COVID-19 or personal preference. The entire process typically takes 30-60 minutes.
DoorDash has partnerships with over 340,000 restaurants and food merchants across the U.S., Canada and Australia. It is the most popular food delivery app in the U.S. with a 56% market share as of 2022, according to Bloomberg Second Measure. Around 3 million deliveries are made daily through the platform.
Is DoorDash Safe? Security & Privacy Measures
With business booming for DoorDash, the question remains: is it actually a safe service to use? Can customers trust the company with their addresses, financial information and food orders?
The short answer is yes, DoorDash is generally very safe. The company has a number of measures in place to protect your security and privacy:
Encrypted transactions: When you enter your credit card details or other payment information into DoorDash, that data is encrypted so it‘s unreadable even if intercepted. DoorDash does not store full credit card numbers.
Personal info not shared: DoorDash keeps your address, email and phone number private from restaurants and delivery drivers. When you communicate with a Dasher through the app, it‘s via an anonymous phone number so your real one stays private.
Background checks for drivers: All Dashers must pass a criminal and motor vehicle background check before being approved to deliver for DoorDash. The screening looks for major violations like assault, DUI, robbery, and sexual offenses. Drivers are also subjected to annual checks and can be deactivated if any concerning offenses show up.
In-app safety features: Within the DoorDash app, you can easily share your location and estimated delivery time with a friend or family member so they know when to expect you to receive your order. You can also see your Dasher‘s name and photo to confirm it‘s the right person.
24/7 support: If anything goes wrong with your order or you have an issue with a delivery driver, you can contact DoorDash‘s customer support anytime via live chat or phone to report the problem and get help.
So in terms of basic security infrastructure and access to recourse if needed, DoorDash has solid protections in place for customers. Your personal and financial information is kept under lock and key, and your physical safety is taken into account with background checks and in-app tracking.
This doesn‘t mean DoorDash is 100% foolproof or immune to any issues though. Let‘s look at some of the potential safety and security risks you should be aware of as a customer.
Potential DoorDash Safety Risks
As is the case with almost any online service, there are a few factors that could potentially compromise your safety or privacy when using DoorDash:
Data breaches: While extremely rare due to DoorDash‘s aforementioned security measures, there is always a slight possibility that the company could experience a data breach where customer information is exposed. This happened to DoorDash in 2019, affecting around 4.9 million customers, Dashers and merchants. Information like names, email addresses, delivery addresses, order history, and partial payment card numbers were accessed by an unauthorized third party.
DoorDash took immediate steps to secure the data, launched an investigation, and notified those affected with instructions on how to protect themselves. There haven‘t been any notable incidents since then, but it‘s good for customers to stay vigilant and keep an eye out for any suspicious communications or account activity.
Phishing attempts: Another risk when using any kind of online food delivery platform is phishing, where scammers may contact you pretending to be from DoorDash in an attempt to get your personal information or infect your device with malware. Common tactics include fake order confirmations, Dasher messages, or refund offers.
Some telltale signs of a phishing attempt are misspelled words, grammatical errors, an unofficial-looking email address, or links leading to suspicious URLs. If you receive a message that seems fishy, don‘t click on any links. Contact DoorDash directly through the official app or website to verify if the communication is legitimate.
Fake restaurants: From time to time, fraudulent vendors may try to register on DoorDash under fake restaurant names in order to scam customers and profit off of non-existent or low-quality food. DoorDash does its best to identify and remove these accounts quickly, and will refund any affected orders, but some fakes may slip through initially.
If you receive food that you suspect isn‘t from the restaurant you ordered from, or that is considerably worse quality than expected, report it to DoorDash for a refund. Stick to ordering from restaurants you know and trust to be safe.
Food safety issues: Whenever you order prepared food, there is an inherent risk of potential food poisoning or contamination. DoorDash has guidelines in place for merchants around proper food handling and for Dashers around keeping food at safe temperatures in transit (hot foods hot and cold foods cold). Dashers are expected to use insulated bags and to not tamper with packaging in any way.
However, there‘s always a chance that a restaurant or Dasher could be careless and mishandle your food. If you suspect your order has been compromised, or if it arrives in poor condition, let DoorDash know so they can investigate and take appropriate action. If you experience food poisoning, see a doctor promptly.
How DoorDash Handles Safety Issues
To DoorDash‘s credit, when safety or security problems do arise, the company seems to take them seriously and responds swiftly to make things right for affected customers. In addition to the remediation steps taken after the 2019 data breach, DoorDash will generally refund or credit your account if your food never arrives, is missing items, or is unsatisfactory in quality due to a Dasher‘s mishandling.
If you report a problem with a Dasher being unprofessional, unsafe, or suspect they are engaging in fraudulent activity, DoorDash will investigate and remove them from the platform if necessary. The company appears to be fairly proactive in identifying potential safety hazards posed by merchants, Dashers and customers (such as abusive behavior) and taking steps to prevent future incidents.
No company is perfect when it comes to safety and DoorDash certainly has had a few hiccups. However, compared to its competitors like Uber Eats or Grubhub, DoorDash seems to be the most transparent and responsive when issues occur. The company publishes annual community safety reports and clearly spells out its security policies on its website and app. Its popularity as the market leader also means it has the most resources to invest in safety and customer support.
Tips to Maximize DoorDash Safety
While DoorDash has multiple safeguards in place to protect customers, it‘s still wise to take a few additional precautions to maximize your safety and security when using the service:
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Only order from restaurants you know and trust, with good reputations and reviews. Be wary of any unfamiliar, generic-sounding merchants.
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Double check that you‘re entering your delivery address correctly to avoid issues or confusion for your Dasher. Consider adding delivery instructions like your apartment number or gate code.
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Opt for contactless delivery if you have any concerns about face-to-face interactions. Communicate any special instructions to your Dasher via the app.
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Check the quality and accuracy of your order when you receive it. If anything looks off, report it to DoorDash promptly.
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Don‘t share personal details like your birthdate or social security number with DoorDash or Dashers. The service should never request that level of sensitive info.
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Regularly monitor your credit card activity after ordering from DoorDash and flag any suspicious charges with your bank.
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Update your DoorDash password periodically and use one that‘s unique to that site (i.e. not the same one for your email or other services). Enable two-factor authentication if available for extra login security.
By taking these extra safety measures on your end coupled with DoorDash‘s built-in protections, you can use the service with a high degree of confidence and peace of mind.
The Bottom Line: Is DoorDash Safe?
After an in-depth review of DoorDash‘s approach to safety and security, the evidence suggests that yes, it is a generally safe food delivery service to use. The company encrypts sensitive data, carefully vets its drivers, and offers customer protection and support when problems arise. No online platform is perfect, but DoorDash seems to take safety seriously from top to bottom.
Of course, as a customer, it‘s wise to still be cautious and take basic steps to secure your account and personal information. Monitor your credit card, keep an eye out for phishing attempts, and report any suspicious activity to DoorDash swiftly.
At the end of the day, the small risk of a security or safety issue is often outweighed by the incredible convenience and reliability that DoorDash offers to have food brought right to your door with the touch of a button. Millions of people use DoorDash safely every day for this reason. As long as you‘re aware of the potential issues and are proactive about keeping yourself safe, DoorDash is likely a service you can feel confident using.
