DoorDash Drive for restaurants: how flat-fee delivery works
DoorDash Drive lets a restaurant take an order on its own website or app and have a DoorDash driver deliver it for a flat fee, published at $6.99 to $10.99 per delivery, instead of paying the marketplace's 15 to 30% commission. The restaurant can charge that fee to the customer, so on a $40 order it keeps about $38.34 after card fees, versus $30 on DoorDash Plus. Drive gets better the bigger the order: at $80, DoorDash Plus takes $20 while a Drive delivery still costs $6.99 to $10.99. The tradeoffs are that Drive brings no new customers, since it isn't a marketplace listing, and the restaurant handles customer complaints when a delivery goes wrong.
How much does DoorDash Drive cost?
DoorDash publishes on-demand Drive pricing starting at a flat fee per delivery, with $6.99 to $10.99 as the typical range depending on distance and market (DoorDash Drive). There is no percentage of the order.
When is DoorDash Drive cheaper than the DoorDash marketplace?
Almost always once the order is over about $28 on the Plus plan, since 25% of $28 is $7. On a $40 order the marketplace takes $10 and Drive costs $6.99 to $10.99, and if the customer pays the delivery fee the restaurant pays none of it.
| Order size | DoorDash Plus (25%) | DoorDash Drive |
|---|---|---|
| $25 | $6.25 | $6.99 to $10.99 |
| $40 | $10.00 | $6.99 to $10.99 |
| $60 | $15.00 | $6.99 to $10.99 |
| $80 | $20.00 | $6.99 to $10.99 |
Do customers see DoorDash Drive orders on the DoorDash app?
No. Drive is delivery only. The customer orders on the restaurant's own site or app, and a DoorDash driver just picks it up. That's why it works for regulars who already know the restaurant, not for finding new customers.
What are the downsides of DoorDash Drive?
The restaurant owns the customer relationship, including the bad parts. If a driver is late or leaves food in the wrong place, the customer blames the restaurant. It also needs an ordering system on the restaurant's side to take the order in the first place.
Do restaurants still need their own drivers?
No. Drive and similar services like Uber Direct send a gig driver on demand, so a restaurant can offer delivery from its own site without hiring drivers.
The same $40 order, marketplace vs own site plus Drive
On the DoorDash marketplace at 25% the customer pays $49.99 at store prices and the restaurant gets $30. Ordered on the restaurant's own site with Drive, the customer pays $46.99 and the restaurant gets $38.34. The customer saves $3 and the restaurant gets $8.34 more. Full breakdown: where your money goes.
Sources
- DoorDash Drive On-Demand pricing
- DoorDash merchant pricing (Basic, Plus, Premier plans)
- DoorDash: what fees customers pay
- Stripe pricing
Prices and fees were checked on October 18, 2026. They change, so check the source before you decide.