Whether you’re looking for a part time gig or a full-time job being a food delivery driver can be a great option.
DoorDash is a company which delivers food directly from the restaurant to home. You may be wondering if DoorDash hires felons?
If you keep reading, you will find out!
If you are not interested in a food delivery job, there are plenty of opportunities out there for felons. Don’t give up on the job search!
What is DoorDash?
DoorDash had the largest food delivery market share in the United States in 2023. The company made its very first delivery in 2013. Beginning in California, the company now functions all over the United States. DoorDash also delivers in Canada and Australia!
The company has made many monumental moves in the food delivery industry. For instance, they recently opened what is known as a “ghost kitchen”. The purpose of a ghost kitchens to provide a space for catering services or restaurants to specifically prepare DoorDash orders.
The company doesn’t only deliver food! At DoorDash, the goal is to grow and empower local economies. They do this by partnering with local restaurants and offering flexible jobs.
Another goal of the company is to reduce food waste. Project DASH works to fight food waste and tackle hunger amongst communities.
Spanning across the United States, in some of the country’s most populated cities, there is a need for delivery drivers.
Let’s take a closer look at what a food delivery driver job looks like.
Food Delivery Jobs for Felons
There are many industries out there that are currently thriving. For those who are seeking employment, it is best to search for jobs in these industries. If an industry is thriving, there is likely a need for growth. As a result, more employees are needed! When there is a need for employees, it automatically increases your chances of finding a job.
The food delivery service is one of the industries that is thriving! With a growing industry of these types of services, there are companies that only deliver from restaurants. There are also companies that deliver both groceries and meals from restaurants.
For instance, delivery services like door dash, only deliver from restaurants. This differs from the delivery service Postmates which delivers groceries, alcohol, and food prepared at a restaraunt. There are also delivery services that strictly deliver groceries such as InstaCart.
What Does a Food Delivery Job Entail?
As an employee of a food delivery service there are a few things one can expect.
There will be no boss over your head meaning you must take full responsibility for your work production and ethic. All of these services do have their own team to help with any immediate questions or concerns while working.
As an employee of a food delivery service, you are in charge of deciding your own hours and what days you decide to work. Therefore, time management skills are important. We will discuss other helpful skills later on.
The flexible hours is one of the best parts of the job. This does mean you have to be diligent and smart when scheduling yourself to receive the best potential pay. On average, drivers report earning between $10-12 per hour. For drivers with more experience, it is possible to make $15-18 per hour.
As a delivery driver you will pick up the food from where the order was places. Once you pick up the food, you must double check the order is correct.
Throughout the process, you are in charge of updating your customer on where their food is. You must successfully deliver the customers food in a timely and appropriate manner.
Once your customer has received the food, you must mark in your job app that you have completed the order.
If this sounds like a job that would interest you, keep reading to learn about some skills one should have for the job.
Important Skills You Might Need
Above all, time management is crucial. You are in charge of your schedule. There won’t be anyone to remind you to stay on track. There also isn’t anyone telling you that you have to work on a certain day. Having time management skills and taking responsibility for your own schedule will benefit you greatly.
In this position you will deal with customers. It is important that you are responsive and caring. You will give the customer updates throughout your trip. You also must assure that the customer receives the correct order and that you are friendly upon exchange. HavIng experience in customer service may help in this area.
It is important to be trustworthy when working for a food delivery service. Often times you will be dropping the groceries or meals off at the customer’s house. This information is very personal, you should be responsible with the information given to you.
Working for a food delivery service you can expect a bit of wear and tear to take place on your vehicle. Not only in terms of mileage, but also in terms of scents from different foods and potential grease or oil. You should also factor in that your gas expense is not included in your pay.
If you obtain some of these skills, you should apply to DoorDash. You would make a wonderful employee. Keep reading to learn about the application process.
If you are not interested in delivering food, there are other jobs that involve driving. For example, there are some truck companies out there that will hire and train you regardless of your criminal history.
Application Process
The application process for DoorDash is actually quite simple. You can do it online, even right from your phone!
There are a few requirements that you must meet.
As follows are a few requirements for the application:
- Be at least the minimum age to drive in your state
- Have access to a car that is 20 years old or newer
- Have a valid driver’s license, registration, and vehicle insurance
- Have at least one year of driving experience
You must fill in some basic information. Some important information is the address in which you reside at. This is important because the company has to ensure that DoorDash is used near you. For instance, there are some places where DoorDash is not yet available.
If you meet all of the requirements and DoorDash is active near you- a background check will take place.
Background Check
A background check is required for most jobs. This is to ensure the company has only sound hires. A background check will inform the employer in depth about an applicant’s history. Especially the applicant’s history regarding criminal actions.
Some background checks only date back 7 to 10 years. Meaning, if it has been longer than 7 to 10 years since the crime, DoorDash will not be made aware of it.
This should not discourage you from applying to as many food delivery services as possible. There are many companies that will not automatically disqualify you due to your criminal history.
DoorDash happily accepts applicants from all different backgrounds and walks of life. Though they are not a part of the Ban the Box Movement or, the Fair Chance Business Pledge- they will not disqualify your application solely based on having a felony.
More information on the Ban the Box Movement and Fair Chance Business Pledge to follow.
Drivers are typically in high demand. As previously mentioned, it can help to look on websites such as indeed.com, snagajob.com, and glassdoor.com to know if DoorDash is actively seeking drivers in your area.
Other Opportunities
There are of course, other jobs available through DoorDash. The DoorDash headquarters is in San Francisco, California. There are other corporate positions needed in places across North America.
These positions will offer health and dental insurance plans. This helps you to stay in your best physical and mental health state!
Though these positions will not offer extremely flexible hours like being a driver, the company offers generous days off.
An example of one of these positions would be a warehouse associate. Warehouse Associates are the backbone of all operations! This position would require diligence and organizational skills.
There are many other positions available that you can discover directly on the DoorDash website!
Conclusion
DoorDash had the largest food delivery market share in the United States in 2023. The company delivers in cities across the United States! Not only does the company deliver food to your home, they also strive to fight hunger and food waste in communities!
DoorDash happily accepts applicants from all different backgrounds and walks of life. The company will not disqualify your application solely based on having a felony.
Being a delivery driver for DoorDash can be very rewarding. There are also corporate positions that you can browse through on the DoorDash website.