Restaurant Guide
How to Get More Orders on DoorDash
Get more DoorDash orders with 7 tips built on DoorDash's own figures. Covers menu photos, prices, DashPass, Sponsored Listings and direct orders.
How to get more orders on DoorDash
- Add a photo to every menu item. DoorDash data shows menus with item photos get up to 44% more monthly sales.
- Match your in-store prices. DoorDash says merchants who mark up menu prices can see up to 37% fewer sales. Reorder rates can be up to 78% lower.
- Weigh the Plus or Premier plan for DashPass. DoorDash says DashPass members order twice as often and spend 2.5 times more than non-members.
- Take direct orders with DoorDash Online Ordering (formerly Storefront). It has 0% commission plus a payment processing fee.
- Check your Operations Quality tab every week. DoorDash targets store downtime of 1% or lower.
See the difference professional photos make
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
| Market share | 60.7% (Consumer Edge, end of 2024) |
|---|---|
| Customers | Over 56 million worldwide (DoorDash, December 2025) |
| Partners | 615,000+ restaurant and grocery partners (DoorDash, end of 2025) |
| Commission | 15%–30% |
| Average order | Not published by DoorDash |
| Menu photo | 1400 x 800 pixels; 16:9 (displayed as 1:1 thumbnails and 16:9 detail headers) |
Why DoorDash Matters for Your Restaurant
DoorDash is the largest food delivery platform in the US. Consumer Edge spending data shows DoorDash had 60.7% of the US food delivery market at the end of 2024. DoorDash reported over 56 million monthly active users worldwide in December 2025.
Many restaurants sign up, upload a bare menu and get few orders. The gap usually comes from a few things you control: menu photos, prices, your plan and your service scores. This guide uses DoorDash's own published figures to show what to fix first.
How DoorDash's Algorithm Ranks Restaurants
DoorDash's ranking decides where your restaurant appears when a customer opens the app or searches for food nearby. The ranking weighs how reliable your service is, what customers say, how you price and which DoorDash programs you join. Good food gets few orders if your listing sits far down the page.
| Factor | Weight | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Price Parity | high | Merchants who mark up menu prices can see up to 37% fewer sales (DoorDash study, 2023). Reorder rates can be up to 78% lower. |
| Customer Ratings & Reviews | high | DoorDash shows higher-rated restaurants more prominently. You see your ratings in the Operations Quality tab and can reply to reviews with templates. |
| Order Accuracy & Cancellations | high | DoorDash tracks cancelled orders, missing items and wrong dishes in its Operations Quality metrics. Frequent problems lower your visibility. |
| Dasher Wait Time (Prep Speed) | medium | DoorDash tracks how long Dashers wait at your restaurant. Set accurate prep times and have orders ready on schedule. |
| Store Downtime | medium | DoorDash targets store downtime of 1% or lower. Downtime is the time you are offline during your listed hours. |
| Partnership Tier & DashPass Eligibility | medium | Restaurants on the Plus (25%) or Premier (30%) plan are DashPass-eligible. DashPass members see a $0 delivery fee on eligible orders. |
| Promotional Participation | low | Promotions and Sponsored Listings put your restaurant in front of more customers. On their own they are a weak ranking signal. |
| Menu Completeness & Photography | low | Menus with item photos, accurate descriptions and clear categories convert better. Higher conversion helps your ranking indirectly. |
These factors build on each other. Fast prep means shorter Dasher waits and more reliable delivery. Reliable delivery brings better customer ratings. Better ratings bring a higher ranking and more orders. The reverse also holds: cancellations and downtime lower your visibility. So fix the service basics first. Then spend on promotions and ads.
7 Proven Ways to Increase Your DoorDash Orders
1.Add a Photo to Every Menu Item
DoorDash data shows menus with item photos get up to 44% more monthly sales. The figure comes from a DoorDash study of over 15,000 local small business merchants in Q2 2022.
DoorDash also says menus with a header image get up to 50% more monthly sales. Menus with a logo get up to 23% more (April to June 2022 study). So add a photo to every item, then a header image and your logo.
Up to 44%[1]
more monthly sales for menus with item photos (DoorDash study of over 15,000 merchants, Q2 2022)
2.Join DashPass to Reach DoorDash's Most Frequent Customers
DashPass is DoorDash's subscription program. DoorDash reported over 35 million members of DashPass, Wolt+ and Deliveroo Plus at the end of 2025. DoorDash says DashPass members order twice as often and spend 2.5 times more than non-members.
To be DashPass-eligible, you need the Plus (25% commission) or Premier (30% commission) plan. A July 2021 DoorDash study looked at take-home revenue. On average, businesses see at least a 30% increase after one year of using DashPass.
At least 30%[2]
more take-home revenue on average after one year of DashPass (DoorDash study, July 2021)
3.Match Your In-Store Prices
DoorDash says merchants who mark up their menu prices can see up to 37% fewer sales. Reorder rates can be up to 78% lower. The figures come from a 2023 DoorDash study of over 4,500 small restaurants during four weeks.
Keep your DoorDash prices in line with in-store prices. Protect your margin with the menu instead: feature high-margin drinks, sides, desserts and combo meals. Pickup orders carry a 6% commission for US partners who maintain price parity.
Up to 37%[3]
fewer sales for merchants who mark up menu prices (DoorDash study of over 4,500 restaurants, 2023)
4.Use Sponsored Listings and Pay Only Per Order
You pay for a Sponsored Listing only when a customer orders through the ad, not for clicks. The ad puts your restaurant in top positions on the DoorDash homepage and in search results.
DoorDash says restaurants get back about $6 for every $1 they spend on Sponsored Listings. DoorDash measures results with its Ghost Ads method. Premier plan merchants get automatic ads at no extra cost. Fix photos and prices before you pay for ads.
About $6[8]
back for every $1 spent on Sponsored Listings, DoorDash says
5.Take Direct Orders with DoorDash Online Ordering
DoorDash Storefront is now called Online Ordering. It takes orders on your own website, Google Business Profile and social pages, with 0% commission. Dashers still deliver.
DoorDash lists a payment processing fee of 3.3% plus $0.30 per order on the Starter package. The fee is 2.9% plus $0.30 on the paid Boost and Pro packages. You need a DoorDash Marketplace account first. Put the ordering link on your website and Google profile, so repeat customers order direct.
0%[5]
commission on direct Online Ordering orders. DoorDash lists a processing fee of 3.3% + $0.30 on the Starter package
6.Check Your Operations Quality Numbers Every Week
The Operations Quality tab in the Merchant Portal tracks four things: order accuracy, cancellations, Dasher wait time and store downtime. DoorDash targets a store downtime of 1% or lower.
Check the tab every week. Set prep times that your kitchen can meet, and raise them for busy hours. If you run out of ingredients often, cut the menu to items you can always make. Stay online during your listed hours.
1%[6]
DoorDash's target maximum store downtime percentage
7.Run Promotions with a Target and a Time Limit
DoorDash says stores that run promotions see a 20% increase in sales on average (internal data, February to July 2022).
Use offers that raise order size, such as a $0 delivery fee or "Spend $25, Get $5 Off". In the Merchant Portal you can target new customers, lapsed customers or all customers. Avoid a permanent discount on everything: customers learn to expect it and your margin falls. Track each promotion in the Marketing tab.
20%[7]
average sales increase for stores that run promotions (DoorDash data, February to July 2022)
Better menu photos from your own phone photos
MenuPhotoAI turns a photo of your own dish into a professional menu image in minutes. You decide where to use it. Start with 5 free photos (watermarked), no credit card required.
Try MenuPhotoAI FreeDoorDash Photo Requirements
| Minimum resolution | 1400 x 800 pixels |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 (displayed as 1:1 thumbnails and 16:9 detail headers) |
| Max file size | 2 MB or 16 MB (the DoorDash page gives both limits) |
| Accepted formats | JPEG, PNG |
| Photos per item | 1 item photo + carousel photos |
| Hero/cover image | 1400 x 800 pixels (minimum) |
DoorDash documents 11 rejection reasons, including size, aspect ratio, lighting, background, overlays, people, focus, copyright and duplicate photos. Square and vertical photos are not accepted. Images must reflect the actual item served, and a photoshopped creative background is a cause for rejection. For virtual brands, evidently AI-generated or heavily altered images are not permitted. Checked against the DoorDash merchant pages in October 2026.
Full rules and sources: photo requirements guide. Choosing a tool: Best AI food photo tool for DoorDash.
DoorDash asks for landscape photos in 16:9, at least 1400 x 800 pixels. The app shows a square crop from the center, so keep the dish in the middle.
DoorDash reviews every photo and asks that it reflects the actual item served. It rejects a photo with a photoshopped creative background. For virtual brands, it does not permit evidently AI-generated or heavily altered images.
MenuPhotoAI works from your own dish photo. It improves the lighting, background and composition and gives you a 16:9 image. Choose a simple background and keep the dish true to what you serve.
Up to 44%[1]
more monthly sales for DoorDash menus with item photos (DoorDash study of over 15,000 merchants, Q2 2022)
DoorDash Promotion Tools
Sponsored Listings
Pay per order (varies by market)Ads on the DoorDash homepage and in search results. You pay only for confirmed orders. DoorDash says restaurants get back about $6 for every $1 they spend.
Promotions ($0 Delivery / Discounts)
You fund the discountOffer free delivery or a spend-threshold discount. DoorDash says stores that run promotions see a 20% increase in sales on average (data from February to July 2022).
DashPass Eligibility
Included with Plus (25%) or Premier (30%)Members see a $0 delivery fee on your eligible orders. A July 2021 DoorDash study found at least 30% more take-home revenue on average after one year of DashPass.
DoorDash Online Ordering (formerly Storefront)
0% commission; 3.3% + $0.30 fee on StarterCommission-free ordering for your website, Google profile and social media, with Dasher delivery. It works with Order with Google, so customers can order from Google Search or Maps.
Premier Plan Automatic Ads
Included with Premier plan (30% commission)DoorDash runs Sponsored Listings for Premier plan merchants at no extra cost. You need no setup. Check the results in the Marketing tab.
Free Professional Photoshoot
Free where available; not for other delivery platformsDoorDash lists a free shoot in every plan: up to 20 menu items and one header image. Photos can take up to seven days. Premier adds a $200 credit.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Inflating DoorDash prices above in-store prices
DoorDash says merchants who mark up menu prices can see up to 37% fewer sales. Reorder rates can be up to 78% lower. Protect your margin with high-margin items instead.
Staying on the Basic plan to save on commission
The Basic plan's 15% commission costs less per order but leaves you out of DashPass. DoorDash says DashPass members order twice as often and spend 2.5 times more than non-members.
Leaving menu items without photos
DoorDash data shows menus with item photos get up to 44% more monthly sales. A menu with text only competes with menus that show every dish.
Going offline during your listed hours
DoorDash targets store downtime of 1% or lower. Check the Operations Quality tab every week. Stay online during your listed hours, so a small problem does not grow.
Your Action Checklist
Menu & Photography
- Add a photo to every menu item (16:9, at least 1400 x 800 pixels)
- Upload a header image
- Add your restaurant logo
- Write a clear description for every item
Pricing & Plan
- Compare your DoorDash prices with your in-store prices
- Check if Plus or Premier pays off for you through DashPass
- Keep price parity to qualify for the 6% pickup commission
Operations & Quality
- Check the Operations Quality tab every week
- Set accurate prep times for each part of the day
- Keep store downtime at 1% or lower
- Check every order against the ticket before handoff
Marketing & Growth
- Set up Online Ordering on your website and Google Business Profile
- Test Sponsored Listings with a small budget
- Run a first-order promotion for new customers
- Track each promotion and stop any that does not pay for itself
Key Takeaways
- -Add a photo to every menu item. DoorDash data shows menus with item photos get up to 44% more monthly sales.
- -Match your in-store prices. DoorDash says merchants who mark up menu prices can see up to 37% fewer sales. Reorder rates can be up to 78% lower.
- -Weigh the Plus or Premier plan for DashPass. DoorDash says DashPass members order twice as often and spend 2.5 times more than non-members.
- -Take direct orders with DoorDash Online Ordering (formerly Storefront). It has 0% commission plus a payment processing fee.
- -Check your Operations Quality tab every week. DoorDash targets store downtime of 1% or lower.
Frequently Asked Questions
Better menu photos from your own phone photos
MenuPhotoAI turns a photo of your own dish into a professional menu image in minutes. You decide where to use it. Start with 5 free photos (watermarked), no credit card required.
Try MenuPhotoAI FreeSources
- [1] DoorDash data from a study of over 15,000 local small business merchants in Q2 2022: menus with item photos get up to 44% more monthly sales. DoorDash Merchant Blog. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [2] July 2021 DoorDash study: on average, businesses see at least a 30% increase in take-home revenue after one year of using DashPass. DoorDash Merchant Learning Center. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [3] Merchants who mark up menu prices can see up to 37% fewer sales and up to 78% lower reorder rates (2023 DoorDash study of over 4,500 small restaurants); menus with a header image get up to 50% more monthly sales and menus with a logo up to 23% more (April to June 2022 DoorDash study). DoorDash Merchant Learning Center. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [4] Ghost Ads is DoorDash's standard for measuring Sponsored Listings. DoorDash Newsroom. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [5] Online Ordering (formerly Storefront) starts at 0% commission; the payment processing fee is 2.9% + $0.30 per order with the Boost and Pro packages, and 3.3% + $0.30 with Starter. DoorDash Merchant Learning Center. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [6] Downtime is the share of scheduled business hours when a store is unavailable for DoorDash delivery; target downtime is 1% or lower. DoorDash Merchant Learning Center. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [7] On average, stores that run promotions see a 20% increase in sales (internal DoorDash data, February to July 2022). DoorDash Promotions. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [8] Restaurants get back about $6 for every $1 they spend on Sponsored Listings; over 615,000 restaurant and grocery partners and over 56 million monthly active users at the end of 2025. DoorDash Marketplace. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [9] Premier plan includes automatic ads, $200 photography credit, and 35% discount on Commerce Platform Pro. DoorDash Merchant Blog. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [11] By the end of 2024, DoorDash had a 60.7% share of the US food delivery market, ahead of Uber Eats (26.1%) and Grubhub (6.3%) (published 19 February 2025). Consumer Edge. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [12] DoorDash exited 2025 with over 56 million monthly active users and over 35 million DashPass, Wolt+ and Deliveroo Plus members; Total Orders were 732, 761, 776 and 903 million and Marketplace GOV was $23.1, $24.2, $25.0 and $29.7 billion in the four quarters of 2025. DoorDash Q4 and Full Year 2025 Results (SEC filing). Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [13] Delivery commission is 15% on Basic, 25% on Plus and 30% on Premier; pickup is 6%; the Basic plan lists a free professional menu photoshoot; DashPass members order twice as often and spend 2.5 times more than non-members. DoorDash Pricing. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- [14] Free photoshoot: up to 20 menu items and one header image; images can take up to seven days; photos may not be used on other third-party delivery platforms. DoorDash Merchant Help. Accessed 2026-10-02.
Guides for Other Platforms
Also see our photo requirements guide for detailed upload specifications.
This guide is reviewed and updated quarterly. MenuPhotoAI is an AI food photo enhancement platform. While we believe professional food photography helps restaurants succeed on delivery platforms, this guide aims to provide comprehensive, unbiased advice for restaurant owners regardless of the tools they use.