DoorDash Review – How to Get Free Delivery & Maximize Rewards [2025]

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 Food Delivery

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 complimentary 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

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs 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 great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

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

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

75,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,500

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 28.24% 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

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
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide

Cons

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

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel^SM, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
• Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel^SM
• 10% anniversary points boost – each account anniversary you’ll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 28.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

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, 2027, the subscription is active for at least 1 year.

Other Great Benefits

• Earn 3x points on dining (including DoorDash purchases)
• Get up to 1.75 cents per point in value when you redeem your points for select 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 ins and outs 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 points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

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

Welcome Offer

Earn 100,000 bonus points + $500 Chase Travel promo credit after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.

100,000 points + $500 Chase Travel credit

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$2,000

Annual Fee

$795

APR

20.24% - 28.74% 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

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.

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

Don’t forget the more than $2,000 in annual credits, which can offset the annual fee!

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 8x points on all Chase Travel purchases
• 5x points on Lyft rides
• 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly

Cons

• $795 annual fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 100,000 bonus points + $500 Chase Travel℠ promo credit after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
• Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
• $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge^® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck^® every 4 years
• Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
• Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music - all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 - a value of $250 annually
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.24% - 28.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

DoorDash Benefits

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card provides a monthly DoorDash credit and a complimentary DashPass subscription. If activated by December 31, 2027, the subscription is active for at least 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.

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.

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 complimentary subscription to DashPass with credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve card or Chase Sapphire Preferred card.