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DoorDash Review – How to Get Free Delivery & Maximize Rewards [2021]

BY 

Katie Seemann

- UPDATED: August 18, 2021

1. Credit Cards

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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? The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card both include a free subscription to DashPass in their list of benefits.

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

Credit Card

Benefits & Info

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Learn More (at Chase's secure site)

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®. Enjoy new benefits such as a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3x points on dining and 2x points on all other travel purchases, plus more. Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel. With Pay Yourself BackSM, your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories. Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12 for a minimum of one year with DashPass, DoorDash’s subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21. Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more. Get up to $60 back on an eligible Peloton Digital or All-Access Membership through 12/31/2021, and get full access to their workout library through the Peloton app, including cardio, running, strength, yoga, and more. Take classes using a phone, tablet, or TV. No fitness equipment is required. Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850) Annual Fee: $95 UP’s Bonus Valuation*: $1,200 Must Reads: For more info on the Chase Sapphire Preferred, see our thoughts on its benefits and travel insurance coverage, which includes primary car rental insurance. Take a look at our full review to see why it’s one of our favorite cards.

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. This service usually costs $10 per month, so you’ll be getting $120 in value over the course of 1 year.

When you get your Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you’ll need to activate this benefit by December 31, 2021.

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 Chase’s hotel and airline partners
• Premium travel benefits including primary car rental coverage, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, and baggage delay insurance
• $60 Peloton Digital and All Access Membership statement credit (through December 31, 2021)
• Enroll in complimentary Spot Club Platinum status at The Parking Spot for 2 years and receive 20% off of your first reservation and points for 1 free day of parking
• Enroll to receive 10% back on Groupon deals every month for 12 months (up to $50), rewarded as Groupon Bucks

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card

Credit Card

Benefits & Info

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Learn More (at Chase's secure site)

Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards® $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year. Through 12/31/21, gas station & grocery store purchases will also count towards earning your Travel Credit Earn 5x total points on air travel and 10X total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® 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 Ultimate Rewards. For example, 50,000 points are worth $750 toward travel Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® Excellent Credit Recommended (740-850) Annual Fee: $550 UP’s Bonus Valuation*: $1,000 Must Reads: For more on the Chase Sapphire Reserve, see our thoughts on its benefits, global airport lounge access, and travel insurance protection. Take a look here for our full review.

DoorDash Benefits

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card also includes a free subscription to DashPass and comes with an annual $60 DoorDash credit through 2021 that can be applied to food, delivery fees, service charges, and tips charged to your card.

Other Great Benefits

• Earn 3x dining purchases (including DoorDash purchases)
• Transfer points directly to Chase’s hotel and airline partners
• $300 annual travel credit (including gas and grocery purchases through December 31, 2021)
• $120 Peloton Digital and All Access Membership statement credit (through December 31, 2021)
• 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
• Free Grubhub+/Seamless+ membership via the Lyft Pink perk
• Enroll in complimentary Spot Club Platinum status at The Parking Spot for 2 years and receive 20% off of your first reservation and points for 1 free day of parking
• Enroll to receive 10% back on Groupon deals every month for 12 months (up to $50), rewarded as Groupon Bucks

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.

Chase Freedom Unlimited® Card

The Freedom Unlimited card is a fantastic no annual fee credit card that makes a great addition to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card or Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

Credit Card

Benefits & Info

Chase Freedom Unlimited® Learn More (at Chase's secure site)

Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target® or Walmart® purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year. Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases. Earn 5% on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1.5% on all other purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, then a variable APR of 14.99 - 23.74%. No minimum to redeem for cash back. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open. Annual Fee: $0 Must Reads: For more info on the Chase Freedom Unlimited, see our thoughts on its benefits and our full review.

DoorDash Benefits

As a Freedom Unlimited cardholder, you’ll receive a complimentary 3-month subscription to DashPass, plus you’ll be able to continue your membership at 50% off for the following 9 months. Activation is required by December 31, 2021.

Other Great Benefits:

• Earn 5% cash-back on travel purchases through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
• Earn 3% cash-back on dining and drugstore purchases
• Earn 1.5% cash-back on all other purchases
• No annual fee
• Purchase and extended warranty protection
• Travel benefits including car rental insurance and trip cancellation/interruption insurance

Chase Freedom Flex℠ Credit Card

The Freedom Flex card is a new product that’s replacing the Chase Freedom® card (now closed to new applicants).

DoorDash Benefits

With the Freedom Flex card, you’ll receive a complimentary 3-month subscription to DashPass plus you can continue your membership at 50% off for the following 9 months. Activation is required by December 31, 2021.

Other Great Benefits:

• Earn 5% cash-back on rotating categories each quarter (up to $1,500)
• Earn 5% cash-back on travel purchases through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
• Earn 3% cash-back on dining (including delivery services like DoorDash) and drugstore purchases
• Earn 1% cash-back on all other purchases
• No annual fee
• Cell phone protection
• Purchase and extended warranty protection
• Travel benefits including car rental insurance and trip cancellation/interruption insurance

Hot Tip: Be sure to check your Amex Offers for statement credit offers from DoorDash (as well as Uber Eats, Boxed, or Grubhub) before making a purchase with your eligible card.

World & World Elite Mastercards

As part of a new partnership, all U.S. World and World Elite Mastercard DashPass members will receive $5 off their first 2 DashPass orders each month until September 30, 2022.

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.

The information regarding the Chase Freedom Unlimited® Card, and Chase Freedom Flex℠ Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.