Why is My Customer Rating Red on Doordash?

So far we’ve gotten a lot of requests on the red rating that shows up on Dashers’ profile overall ratings just like the one below…

For this example, it’s ironic that the user has a customer rating of 5 stars and still got a red-colored rating. So why? What does this mean on Doordash?

If this is a topic you’re interested in, stick with me…

Why is my customer rating red on Doordash?

There could be a number of reasons you’re having your customer rating red on Doordash, but it majorly centers around these 3 reasons covered below…

Your rating is below 4.2

The color red is usually a sign signifying danger, and it may just be the case if you have your overall customer ratings going below 4.2 on Doordash.

On Doordash, it’s advisable to not go below 4.2, as this is the minimum customer rating recommended by the platform.

This is among the list of minimum requirements from the platform:

When you do, you’ll have your customer rating in red. This is also the case when your rating is close to 4.2.

You’re new to the platform

Now, what’s the best explanation for the image we shared in the introduction to this article?

The user of course has a good rating of 5 stars, so why should it be showing red?!

Well, it’s very common to see red ratings on new accounts, even when they have pretty good overall ratings so far.

But why is this so?

Let’s explain this in detail…

Doordash’s rating system works on a per-100 setting.

For instance, the completion rating is determined per 100 delivery, while the customer ratings, on the other hand, is gotten from the average of a driver’s last 100 ratings.

The key point here is 100 ratings and not 100 deliveries, as easily confused by many people.

This simply means a delivery driver would need 100 ratings before his overall customer rating can be accurately determined. This is a long walk for new drivers, as it’d take a lot of time to get to these numbers — definitely, more than 100 deliveries since Doordash has a low rating-to-delivery ratio.

It’s for this same reason it takes a lot of time for the customer rating to reflect on the app.

Now, instead of Doordash leaving the customer rating blank when a driver hasn’t gotten up to 100 ratings, they still keep track records of the rating and display it with the red text.

In the case of the user we shared below, if we scroll down the screenshot, we’d notice he only has 35 “deliveries,” as shown below…

Technical issue

So what happens when you’re not new to the platform? Perhaps you have over 100 customer ratings, and have an overall rating that is way above the minimum customer rating, but you’re still getting the red-colored rating?

While this is rare, we might still want to acknowledge it.

However, the simplest explanation for this is that it’s a result of technical issues.

And if you find yourself in this problem, it’s best to contact DoorDash customer care, preferably from the live chat feature on the company’s app. You should get the problem fixed.

What to do About the Red Customer Rating

Regardless of the reason, having red-colored text on your ratings can be something to worry about. But then, let’s clear the air on what you need to do.

If the reason for the red-colored customer rating is due to your newness to the platform, then you have nothing to worry about.

This is a normal phenomenon that all users of the app usually face.

Now, this might not be the case for someone who got the red-colored ratings as a result of a poor overall customer rating. Because, of course, this could lead to them getting banned from the platform.

If you’re in this shoe, what should be your first course of action?

Unfortunately, the best advice is to work on improving your ratings.

Maybe there’s something you aren’t doing properly. Yeah, we know the idea of “getting good ratings” can be tricky, but be sure to follow our next section for tips.

You could also try disputing ratings that don’t go well with you.

Next, it’s always advisable to work with more than one platform. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. For instance, try switching between Doordash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, etc.

In fact, you can only accurately know which platforms pay best by testing them.

How to get Better Ratings on Doordash

Without much ado, let’s go over these…

Follow Instructions

We like to put this first, as we’ve seen it have the biggest impact.

As a driver, it’s in your best interest to follow the instructions of a customer.

Double-check the delivery instruction for every delivery you make, as a customer could have left a note. This can be anything from a particular flavor they like, or a request to bring a straw as you come.

It could also be a specific direction for drop-offs, like leaving the food at the door or calling upon arrival or a request not to ring the house bell before delivering.

It might be silly at first, but can all make the difference from a 1-star rating to a 5-star rating.

For instance, here’s a customer comment on this…

I’ve also seen a number of similar situations in time past.

Aside from this, you also want to follow the basic procedures for safe delivery.

This starts with correctly accepting and processing the order from the restaurant. Ensure you double-check the order for accuracy, making sure all items are included and prepared as per the customer’s requirements.

Next, have your food packaged properly as well

When multi-tasking orders, you also want to make sure you deliver the right food to the right customer.

Prompt delivery

Customers want their food to arrive as fast as possible, and that’s why they always complain about the app’s delivery time increasing.

As a driver, you always want to keep up with the estimated time from Doordash.

Now we all know, there are factors such as traffic, restaurants delay, etc, that can’t be controlled.

While you shouldn’t face any problem with this, as DoorDash always tries to keep the estimated delivery time increasing, and has some policies to guide this, it’s still important you communicate with your customer properly.

Let’s talk about this properly in the next section…

Communicate Properly

Effective communication forms the backbone of excellent customer service.

If there are any issues with the order or potential delays, contact the customer immediately to let them know and ask how they’d like to proceed.

They’ll appreciate being kept in the loop rather than being left to wonder why their food isn’t arriving as scheduled.

Now, always maintain a professional and courteous tone in all your communications. But hey, don’t go overboard.

Final Thoughts

Yikes, there we have it.

While the red-colored ratings on Doordash should normally mean your rating has fallen below the minimum threshold required by DoorDash for drivers, there are times when it isn’t just the case. For instance, when someone is new to the platform, and a couple of other reasons we explored in the article.