As a Dasher, you want to earn as much as possible. More orders mean more money. So you want to spend most of your dash time making deliveries, rather than sitting around waiting for a call. While there’s no guarantee, DoorDash hotspots might improve your chances of doing just that.

What Are DoorDash Hotspots?

A hotspot is an area near your location which is receiving the most orders. These spots are marked with red flame icons in the map on the Dasher App home screen. Areas surrounding the hotspot will appear in red. Hotspots are generally close to restaurant clusters near malls and shopping centers in downtown areas. Hotspot locations are based on real-time orders and can change depending on which places are the busiest.

How To Find A DoorDash Hotspot Near You?

By default, the hotspot closest to you will show up on the DoorDash Dasher app. To see other nearby hotspots, tap on “Show more hotspots” at the bottom of the screen. Because hotspots can change over time, you can see the latest hotspots by refreshing your device.

Does Waiting At DoorDash Hotspots Help?

DoorDash offers no assurance that you’ll get an order while waiting at a hotspot. But the fact that you are close to multiple restaurants at lunch or dinner times increases the likelihood. Proximity to a hotspot doesn’t mean you’ll get the first call. Some hotspots are located in places where parking can be a problem. And, because every dasher will try to get close to a hotspot, these places can be competitive and pretty crowded. If you live close to a hotspot, you might be better off waiting at home for orders instead of driving to a hotspot.

What If You’re Far Away From A DoorDash Hotspot?

But what if you don’t live close to a hotspot? Or if fulfilling an order takes you far away from a hotspot? If you’re not near a hotspot, for any reason, and you’re having a hard time getting calls, spending money on gas to get to one may not make much sense. Primarily because there is no certainty of getting an order, the solution is to create your own hotspots. This tactic means you find a shopping center that has multiple DoorDash partner restaurants. Parking yourself within a small radius of this location might help you land your next order.

Conclusion

As per Doordash’s site, hotspots are guidelines, not sureties. While they boost the possibility of getting a call, they do not guarantee one. For those who are close to a hotspot, heading to one may be a good idea. For others, making their own hotspot might be the way to go.