There are a number of food delivery apps operating within the United States, but DoorDash is the most popular, with Business of Apps reporting that it holds over 65% of the market share, significantly outpacing its second biggest competitor, UberEats. DoorDash is also reported to have a higher number of eateries, and therefore a higher volume of, and more constant, orders, which often leads to higher driver density in cities. Additionally, they are more flexible than their primary competitor when it comes to vehicle requirements, further contributing to higher driver density.
The leader in food delivery apps also appears to lead the pack in a less fortunate category – addictive behavior related to engagement with the app. When looking at average monthly searches on Google / Gemini AI per largely populated U.S. state, we find that search for “doordash addiction” is 10-times greater than it is for “ubereats addiction”:
On the surface, most may assume that addictive behavior relating to the app is centered on those ordering delivery. After all, research suggests that frequent consumption of food ordered through online platforms is associated with a heightened risk of disordered eating behaviors, including emotional eating and uncontrolled eating. It’s easy enough to draw that conclusion given that the apps offer consumers convenient subscriptions, personalized promotions, and instant gratification all wrapped-up in a gamified smartphone experience. But that’s another story. What today’s article is focused on, are the drivers, aka Dashers. DoorDash drivers frequently report a compulsion to keep working and other unhealthy behaviors, driven not just by economic necessity, but a combination of algorithmic design and the psychological flexibility of the gig work model. Below is a look at habit-forming design elements and driver wellness consequences that suggest therapeutic intervention may be required.
Overview of Potential Addictive Behavior Relating to Using the DoorDash Food Delivery App as a Driver / Dasher
I. How DoorDash is Designed to be Habit Forming for Drivers
While intended to increase productivity and incentivize service quality, there are integrations within DoorDash that are gamified and may create negative emotional states for drivers who feel compelled to chase rewards and maintain earnings potential.
a) Variable Rewards
Variable rewards, or intermittent reinforcement, fuel addictive behavior by creating uncertainty, which maximizes dopamine release in the brain’s reward pathway. This variability creates high anticipation that reinforces the dopamine loop and may lead to compulsive repetition. Below is a summary of variable rewards for drivers that are observed within the DoorDash Dasher experience.
- Variable Ratio Schedule: There is no consistency in how drivers are financially rewarded on the app. Within a given “shift” a rewarding high-paying order may be followed by several low-pay, high-mileage offers. This unpredictability triggers dopamine releases that keep drivers engaged, maintaining the hope that the “next one” will be a high-value, high-tip offer. This experience is very similar to online gambling.
- PeakPay: DoorDash Peak Pay is a variable, algorithm-driven incentive designed to attract more drivers to the road during times of high demand or low driver supply. While it is promoted as a driver bonus (incentive opportunities for $2 and $1 extra) to increase earnings, its effectiveness for drivers is inconsistent, often resulting in market over-saturation, which can lead to lower overall earnings due to fewer orders per hour. This variability of rewards further fuels addictive behavior.
- Dasher Rewards Program: DoorDash Dasher Rewards is a tiered program that provides variable, performance-based incentives rather than fixed bonuses. It rewards higher-tier drivers with priority access to higher-paying orders, opportunities to start delivering immediately without a pre-scheduled shift, and, in some cases, discounts. Dasher Rewards depend on maintaining high customer ratings, completion rates, and acceptance rates. Privileges can be lost quickly if drivers do not maintain strict, high-performance metrics. A slow few days or missed deliveries can cause a driver to fall below the required threshold overnight, keeping them on edge to perform for the reward of maintaining status.
- Audio-Visual Triggers: Audio-visual alerts and app design for DoorDash drivers are engineered to create a gamified, casino-like experience that can encourage addictive behavior. The app utilizes variably-delivered urgent auditory reinforcement, including “ding” notifications for new orders which are designed to trigger a dopamine release, causing drivers to wait in parking spaces of densified areas, eager for the next “hit”. Haptic feedback is also employed to mimic the psychological tricks used in retail and online slot machines. For instance, the pull-to-refresh mechanism associated with the app’s interface encourages repetitive checking for new, higher-value orders. Ultimately, there is a constant (but variability in reward) wave of feedback for drivers within the app, which can lead to a sense of compulsion to keep working far beyond initially intended.
b) Dasher FOMO
DoorDash fosters and environment that promotes a Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), which fuels addictive behavior in drivers. At the most basic level, there is the understanding that logging off of any gig work delivery app translates to lost potential income. However, DoorDash utilizes additional methods to discourage logging off, and even penalizes inactivity. These integrations often push drivers to remain available, even when it is not profitable or healthy to do so.
- Background Pausing: If a driver repeatedly declines low-paying orders, DoorDash may activate a “background pause” and stop sending them orders. If the driver does not resume within a short timeframe, the app may automatically log them out of the app, which effectively forces the driver to log back in.
- Dash Now: As a part of the “rewards program” referenced in the section above, the Dash Now feature keeps drivers engaged, often for longer than intended or desired. When coupled with “Peak Pay” (surge pricing) and the tiered status system, Dash Now places added psychological pressure on drivers. The systems also penalizes drivers for logging off. Those who do so in a non-busy area may lose their ability to log back in immediately if the area is no longer listed as “Hot” or “Busy”, which creates a psychological lure to remain active and engaged no matter how many low-value orders they have to accept.
II. Signs of Unhealthy Driver Use of DoorDash
Someone concerned about potentially unhealthy addictive behavior relating to using DoorDash as a driver can reference the following. If there is a combination of three or more of these behaviors, therapeutic intervention may be required:
- A Dasher frequently enters a “dark flow state” where they lose track of time while logged on and available for delivery.
- A Dasher frequently stays logged on and available for delivery for significantly longer (an hour or more) than intended.
- A Dasher sacrifices valuable time with family and loved ones to stay logged on and available for delivery.
- A Dasher lies to loved ones about making themself available for delivery when they have indicated that they are going to take a break.
- A Dasher neglects other work/career responsibilities, which is problematic when the food delivery app was initially supposed to be used for supplementary income.
- A Dasher feels anxiety and stress after logging off, feeling the fear of missing out (FOMO) on income and driver-status opportunities.
- A Dasher feels guilty or regretful after making themselves available for delivery, and experiences other negative impacts on mental health due to excessive availability.
- A Dasher experiences a decline in physical health due to the sedentary nature of excessive driving (vs physical activities) and/or sacrificing sleep.
- A Dasher gives in to the uncontrollable urge to check the app for busy, high-value, Peak Pay periods when they have no intention to make themselves available during a given period of time.
- A Dasher makes themselves available during certain times of the day and/or to destinations that may not be considered safe for them to do so.
- A Dasher feels unsettled when they are not able to access the DoorDash app or it functions slower than usual.
- Finding it difficult to meet people in traditional social settings, a Dasher may use the app to make perceived social connections. While rare, there have been reports of Dashers inappropriately reaching out to customers to connect socially after having delivered to them.
- A Dasher opens availability to “busy themselves” as a means to cope with and escape negative feelings.
- A Dasher has attempted to control or cut down on using DoorDash without success.
III. Who May be More Vulnerable
DoorDash vets drivers by using accredited third-party providers to perform mandatory criminal background and Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) checks during the onboarding process. But perhaps its time for drivers to also assess the appropriateness of the gig work / food delivery model for themselves? It may be required to protect their own wellbeing.
There are certain segments of the population who have vulnerabilities to developing addictive behavior relating to gamified experiences of smartphone applications. Unhealthy usage of DoorDash for gig work may cooccur with various mental health issues (possibly as a maladaptive coping mechanism) and other behavioral issues. Those who live with one or more of the following are encouraged to be more mindful of their involvement with DoorDash and other online food-delivery services:
| Anxiety | Depression |
| ADHD | Bipolar Disorder |
| OCD | PTSD |
| Unhealthy Gambling and Gaming | Unhealthy Social Media Usage |
If your behavior on DoorDash is having a negative impact on your wellbeing, it’s time to prioritize your mental health. Connect to a virtual counselor who specializes in the treatment of digital dependencies, including those related to gig work on food-delivery services. Reach out via your preferred form of contact below.
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