DoorDash Review – How to Get Free Delivery & Maximize Rewards [2023]

Since staying in has become the new norm, food delivery services have been in the spotlight. One of the most well-known food delivery services is DoorDash, which has become a staple for many of us this year.

If you’re not familiar with how DoorDash works, then you’re in the right place. This post will go over everything you need to know about using DoorDash, including how to find promo codes and how to get free shipping.

How Does DoorDash Work?

DoorDash is a website and mobile app (iOS, Android) that coordinates food delivery from local restaurants directly to you. All you need to do is order your food through DoorDash and a Dasher will pick up your order at the restaurant and deliver it wherever you are — a home, office, hotel, park, etc.

You’ll be charged a delivery fee and/or a service fee by DoorDash and it will process your payment to the restaurant.

How to Get Free Delivery on DoorDash

Choose Restaurants That Offer Free Delivery

While most locations on DoorDash charge a delivery fee, sometimes you’ll be able to find ones that aren’t. After opening the DoorDash website or mobile app, you’ll be able to see restaurants that are offering a $0 delivery fee on your first order and some that are offering a $0 delivery fee to any customer.

Sign up for DashPass

DashPass is a monthly subscription service that gives you free delivery and reduced service charges on orders over $12 from your favorite restaurants through DoorDash or sister-company Caviar. You can try DashPass free for 1 month and it can be canceled at any time.

To sign up for DashPass online, look for a DashPass promo box or click the 3 lines in the upper left-hand corner of your screen (☰) and select Get Free Deliveries.

To sign up for DashPass on the mobile app, look for the DashPass banner or click on the profile icon in the upper left-hand corner of your screen and select Get $0 delivery fees with DashPass.

Hot Tip: Want to save money on DoorDash delivery fees? Many Chase cards come with DoorDash benefits. The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® both include a free subscription to DashPass.

Best Credit Cards to Use on DoorDash

Using the right credit card when ordering from a food delivery service like DoorDash can save you money and help you earn lots of points. While you might not think that a credit card can be beneficial when ordering dinner to eat at home, it can have lots of perks.

Here are our favorite credit cards to use on DoorDash:

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

POPULAR FIRST CARD

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards^®.

60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,200

Annual Fee

$95

APR

21.49%-28.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
• 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide
• $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through the Chase Travel portal
• 6 months of complimentary Instacart+ (activate by July 31, 2024), plus up to $15 in statement credits each quarter through July 2024
• Excellent travel and car rental insurance
• 10% annual bonus points
• No foreign transaction fees
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs like United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

• Credit Card Reviews
• Credit Cards
• Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Sign Up Bonuses

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

More Reads

• The Chase Sapphire Preferred 80k or 100k Bonus Offer
• Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Score Requirements
• Military Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Reserve
• Amex Gold vs Chase Sapphire Preferred

DoorDash Benefits

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers a free subscription to DashPass which gives you free delivery and reduced service fees on orders over $12 at both DoorDash and Caviar.

If activated by December 31, 2023, the subscription is active through December 31, 2024. If activated during the 2024 calendar year, the subscription will be valid for 1 year from the date of activation.

Other Great Benefits

• Earn 3x points on dining (including DoorDash purchases)
• Get 1.25 cents per point in value when you redeem your points for travel through the Chase travel portal
• Transfer points directly to the Chase travel partners
• Premium travel benefits including primary car rental coverage, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, and baggage delay insurance

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

U.P. Rating

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel.

60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,200

Annual Fee

$550

APR

22.49%-29.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Excellent (740-850)

Why We Like This Card

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options.  Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 10x points on Lyft purchases March 31, 2025
• 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025
• 5x points on airfare booked through Chase Travel^SM
• 3x points on all other travel and dining purchases; 1x point on all other purchases
• $300 annual travel credit
• Priority Pass airport lounge access
• TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS credit
• Access to Chase Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection
• Rental car elite status with National and Avis

Cons

• $550 annual fee
• Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status

Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck^®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 22.49%-29.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

• Credit Card Reviews
• Credit Cards
• Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Sign Up Bonuses

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

More Reads

• Chase Sapphire Reserve 100k Bonus Offer
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Benefits
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Airport Lounge Access
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Travel Insurance Benefits
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Military Benefits
• Amex Gold vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Amex Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Reserve

DoorDash Benefits

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card provides a $5 monthly DoorDash credit and a complimentary DashPass subscription. If activated by December 31, 2023, the subscription is active through December 31, 2024. If activated during the 2024 calendar year, the subscription will be valid for 1 year from the date of activation.

Other Great Benefits

• Earn 3x dining purchases (including DoorDash purchases)
• Transfer points directly to Chase’s hotel and airline partners
• $300 annual travel credit
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit
• Priority Pass Select membership
• Premium travel benefits including car rental insurance, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, trip delay insurance, and lost luggage insurance

Hot Tip: Not sure which one of these cards is the better fit for you? Check out our head to head comparison for some guidance: Chase Sapphire Preferred card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

World & World Elite Mastercards

All U.S. World and World Elite Mastercard DashPass members will receive $5 off every month when using their card at checkout until September 30, 2023.

Those cardholders who are not yet members can register for a complimentary 3-month DashPass membership.

DoorDash Promo Codes and Coupons

There are lots of different ways to find DoorDash promo codes and coupons to help you save money on your next delivery.

The first place to look is on the DoorDash website. Often you’ll be able to find locations that are offering free delivery or even a discount without having to search for a separate coupon code.

If you’re on the DoorDash mobile app, click on Offers on the bottom menu bar to see any locations that are offering free delivery or discounts.

You’ll also be able to find promo and coupon codes on popular deals and coupon websites:

Hot Tip: DashPass members will also earn 5% credit back (on orders up to $100) when ordering Pickup from DashPass restaurants. Look for the blue P logo, opt for Pickup, and select the DashPass Pickup Benefit promo code when you checkout. Once your Pickup is complete, the credit earned will be added to your account and applied to your next order.

DoorDash Competitors (Grubhub, Uber Eats, Postmates)

You might be wondering how DoorDash stacks up to its competitors. Here’s a little head to head comparison to see how these food delivery companies compare — DoorDash vs. Grubhub vs. Uber Eats vs. Postmates.

All fees can vary based on location and are subject to change at any time.

Final Thoughts

With so many of us sticking closer to home these days, food delivery services like DoorDash have become commonplace. With DoorDash, you can order from your favorite restaurants online or through the mobile app, and a Dasher will pick up your order and deliver it to your door.

DoorDash charges delivery and service fees but there are ways to avoid them. DashPass is a monthly subscription that gives you free delivery and reduced service charges on any order over $12. Best of all, you can get a free subscription to DashPass with credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve card or Chase Sapphire Preferred card.