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We try our best to prepare and cook meals at home. They’re healthier and cheaper than takeout food. However, there are days when our calendars are full and we don’t have the luxury to be in the kitchen whipping up a hearty dinner. And to be fair, cooking every day is exhausting. It’s no wonder that about 67% of Gen Z and 64% of Millennials said that having food delivered to their doors is an essential part of their lifestyle.
I’ve frequently written about how DoorDash is a great side hustle. But even before I became a Dasher as a flexible side hustle, I was and will be a loyal customer. We all need a break from the kitchen once in a while.
Takeout isn’t cheap, though. The cost adds up quickly, and I keep reminding myself that saving needs to come first.
So, did I ever quit using the DoorDash app? Not a chance! After all, DoorDash is one of the safest food delivery apps out there. Instead of just sighing and making do with leftovers, I figured out ways to score DoorDash freebies, such as getting free DoorDash gift cards, free food, $0 delivery fees, and more.
Of course, there’s no gatekeeping here. I’ve done all the legwork to give you helpful tips to save money on your DoorDash orders. That said, here are the best ways to get free DoorDash.
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1. Get Free DoorDash Gift Cards
Are you ready to hustle to get free DoorDash meals? By doing micro tasks online, you can get free DoorDash gift cards that will allow you to enjoy free food from the app.
DoorDash is a huge company and definitely has the means to partner with reward websites that can give out gift cards.
Most reward sites work the same. Sign up. Earn points by participating in short paid surveys, watching videos, shopping online through affiliate links, etc. Redeem your reward!
I’ve tested out the best reward sites online, like Swagbucks, Branded Surveys, MyPoints, and InboxDollars, and have redeemed many free gift cards from them. And, of course, you can surely get DoorDash e-gift cards, add them to your account, and use them at the checkout.
My favorite of all rewards sites is Swagbucks. I’ve redeemed various gift cards here and even cashed out PayPal money many times, so I know it’s legit. I like that it offers multiple tasks and is not limited to answering surveys. Even gift cards are not only limited to one option; hundreds of them exist!
Swagbucks also has a $5 sign-up bonus to help newcomers. You will need at least $25 to get a DoorDash gift card. Since 100 SB points are equivalent to $1, you will need 2,500 SB points to redeem.
Points are easy to get because tasks are simple to accomplish. This makes earning gift cards during your leisure quite rewarding.
2. Buy Discounted DoorDash Gift Cards
Discounted gift cards are my favorite life hack to save money and keep all my purchases on a budget. I hack my way into saving hundreds of dollars by buying gift cards online and at Costco.
Discounted gift cards are literally those sold at a marked-down price. For instance, you can buy $100 DoorDash e-vouchers for only $79.99 for a minimum of 5 gift cards bought at Costco. This purchase will only cost you around $400, saving you $100. Isn’t that amazing? That’s equivalent to getting a free $100 DoorDash gift card!
There seems to be an ongoing hype with Costco lately. Everyone from Gen Z to boomers loves the free perks, especially gift cards, one of the warehouse’s popular deals.
Here’s a little insider tip: when you become a Costco member and make your way to the gift card section, you will be welcomed with various discounted gift cards from your favorite stores. That’s right, folks, it’s not just DoorDash gift cards you’re in for; the choices are practically endless!
The warehouse will often give you $10 to $30 if you buy in a bundle. While I appreciate other gift card trading platforms, my go-to for the real bargain hunt is Costco.
However, if you’re on the hunt for more elusive options like Apple gift cards, this might not be your one-stop shop. I tend to stumble over rare gift cards on platforms like Raise, CardCash, and Facebook Marketplace.
To get free food at DoorDash, maximize your savings by utilizing discounted gift cards in conjunction with the other money-saving strategies discussed in this blog. You’ll find the end result comparable to having a meal on the house via the app!
3. Snag Free Food with a Simple Sign-Up
If you haven’t yet registered with DoorDash, now’s the time to do so and qualify for the company’s free DoorDash promotion. Like other companies, DoorDash provides welcome offers such as $0 delivery fees to first-time customers.
You’ll be eligible once you’ve successfully signed up and your order exceeds $15 in food.
Note, though, that DoorDash food is almost always paid for unless you have someone who ordered and paid for you.
In the context of this deal, when we say “Free DoorDash,” we’re referring to waived delivery fees (free delivery) and a first-time order discount of up to 40%.
The internet can be misleading, as some websites do not clarify that the sign-up bonus is not entirely free. It’s important to remember that DoorDash doesn’t offer free stuff online – it operates as a business and not a charity.
If they were to offer free food for first-time customers, there’s a risk that many people will exploit this by repeatedly signing up to receive free meals.
On the flip side, you can take advantage of the company’s promotional codes and earn credits to get generous discounts.
DoorDash offers coupons and codes that may allow you to save up to 50% on your orders. These promotional offerings are both visible in the app and sent straight to your inbox.
Credits, however, are like virtual money that can be earned through a variety of ways, like signing up someone’s referral link and inviting a friend to the platform. Both the referrer and the new customer are given credits accessible on the app and to be used upon purchase.
4. Try DashPass and Cut Delivery Fees
One of the best DoorDash hacks ever created is DashPass. It is a paid membership that offers a lot of perks to customers. If I had to pick a paid subscription that’s worth every penny, DashPass takes the crown without a doubt.
Some DashPass benefits include but are not limited to:
- Exclusive offers and discounts (i.e., free delivery fees on specific orders)
- Reduced service fees
- There are no delivery fees for a minimum order worth $15
- $5 credits for eligible DoorDash pickup orders
Typically, a DashPass monthly membership is $9.99 a month, while students are charged $4.99 per month only.
Launched on August 8, 2018, the DashPass for college students stands out as one of the best ways to save money as a student. It’s arguably the most compelling student discount DoorDash has ever provided. Students can tap into significant savings with unlimited $0 delivery fees on eligible orders, coupled with the array of advantages offered to DashPass subscribers.
For those who order often, DashPass offers substantial savings of about $4 to $5 on each purchase. The advantages of being a DashPass subscriber usually more than make up for the regular costs.
Want to test the waters first? Try this service for free for a month and cancel it anytime before the month ends.
5. Refer a Friend Program
If you’ve earned credits after signing up at DoorDash using a friend’s referral link, why not extend the same benefit? Spread the love by encouraging other friends to sign up, too, with your own referral link.
You can earn between $5 and $20 in credits for each friend you refer. However, this promotion isn’t endless. There’s a cap on how many friends you can refer and earn credits from.
For instance, DoorDash app users from the United States and Canada can only have 10 successful referrals, while users in Australia and New Zealand are granted 25 referrals.
Here are steps to refer a friend and secure your bonus:
- Access the DoorDash app and select the banner. It’s your unique referral link.
- Pass this link on to anyone who might want to sign up.
- Earn up to $20 in credits for every referral that:
- Activates an account through your link, and;
- Orders from DoorDash for the first time
For the referral to count, those two criteria have to be fulfilled. Once the person you’ve referred orders, the app bestows the credits on you. In terms of simplicity for acquiring DoorDash credits, you’ve hit the jackpot here.
6. Participate in DoorDash Promotions
Did you know that DoorDash holds giveaways, too? Despite being a well-established company, their marketing strategies are spot on. No wonder why they became so huge over the years.
During this year’s Halloween season, DoorDash Canada is hosting a giveaway contest called “Jack-O-Anything-Goes.” Winners have a chance to pocket $2,000 and gift cards worth $500.
I’ve noticed that DoorDash often spices things up to welcome a new season or holiday by hosting contests and giveaways. Customers stand a chance to win credits, gift cards, and even free meals.
The downside, though, is that promotions like this don’t happen very often, but when they do, prizes aren’t just limited to one free meal!
Usually, you’ll find these promotions within the app, but DoorDash also announces them on their social media pages. It’s worth noting that DoorDash events can vary by country. So, consider yourself lucky if DoorDash in your area is hosting free giveaways.
To stay updated on DoorDash promotions, follow the DoorDash accounts specific to your country. For example, those in Australia should keep an eye on DoorDash Australia’s social media channels, especially Instagram.
So, if you’re a big fan of free DoorDash meals, stay engaged, update your DoorDash app, and give social media captions and emails a read – amazing prizes are found there!
7. Turn Everyday Spending into Free Money
Maxing out your card can hurt, but ignoring it completely isn’t doing you any favors. A smarter move is choosing a card that matches how you spend and using it regularly to earn perks along the way.
Like cashback apps, many credit card companies offer rewards programs like cashback that can be used to buy anything you want. This program works by using your credit card (make sure you pay off your balance in full every month), earning cashback points, and redeeming it with gift cards.
Some financial institutions that work well with food delivery services are Chase, American Express, Prime Visa, and, most of all, DoorDash Reward Mastercard.
But since we are talking about DoorDash, let’s not look further than its own credit card offering. Early this year, DoorDash had a collaboration with Chase, tailored explicitly for DoorDash loyalists.
With the DoorDash Reward Mastercard, customers are rewarded with a high cashback rate (4% cash back on DoorDash orders), waived or discounted delivery fees, a whole year of DashPass, and many more perks.
Every point you earn and benefit you exploit nudges you closer to a no-cost meal from DoorDash. Hard to resist, right?
8. Take Advantage of Restaurant Promotions
One final way to get free DoorDash is to join restaurant promotions. Many restaurants partner with DoorDash both to attract new customers and as a token of appreciation for their loyal customers. Promotions include DoorDash free delivery, food discounts, and complimentary meals.
Restaurants offer generous DoorDash promotions during special holidays to take advantage of foodies who wish to enjoy food with their loved ones at home.
For instance, during the Super Bowl 2023, customers could get free drinks, complimentary food, and more deals from participating restaurants like McDonald’s, Subway, Chipotle, Popeyes, etc. Of course, I didn’t miss the chance to get discounts by using their codes and complimentary meals on game day!
Not sure if these restaurants are close to your current location? Turn on your location services in DoorDash to discover nearby restaurant deals.
Restaurants like Panda Express, Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Chipotle, and Wendy’s offer local promotions where you can get promo codes and limited savings on your order.
How do you unlock these amazing food discounts? It’s simple.
- Open your DoorDash app
- Enable location services
- That’s it! Be ready to be informed of exclusive DoorDash promotions by your favorite local restaurants.
FAQs
How Do I Get Free Food from DoorDash
It’s uncommon to receive food from DoorDash completely free of charge. Neither the app nor the partnered restaurants typically gives away meals for free; otherwise, they’d be charity organizations rather than businesses aiming for profit.
But there are clever methods to score food for free. The ultimate hack is to combine DoorDash coupon codes, discount deals, gift cards, and credits to get free food.
For example, if you order on DoorDash, you can use your accumulated credits and restaurant voucher food to pay your bill. If you’re looking for the best way to get free DoorDash without paying a single penny from your wallet, this is your best option.
Can DoorDash be Free?
Often, when DoorDash advertises “free” food, it means they’ve waived the delivery fee. Being a business, DoorDash doesn’t hand out complimentary meals frequently. But that isn’t to say they don’t have periods of generosity. DoorDash has been known to provide free items like burgers or shakes as part of social media campaigns or engagement strategies.
Additionally, while the restaurants partnered with DoorDash obviously cannot provide their food entirely for free, customers can sometimes redeem restaurant vouchers via DoorDash or even receive orders as gifts from friends.
By smartly using promotions and free delivery options, you can indeed get meals at no charge.
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