What is avoidable wait?
Avoidable wait is the time a Dasher waits for an order after the prep time you provide (or the prep time DoorDash estimated based on your store's data) has elapsed.
Example: You confirm an order will be ready in 15 minutes. The Dasher arrives on time, but the order is ready 10 minutes later. Those 10 minutes count as avoidable wait time.
How it's measured
The timer starts when the Dasher is within 25 meters of your store and the prep time has elapsed
The timer ends when the Dasher marks the order as picked up
If pickup is marked outside 100 meters, it doesn't count toward avoidable wait time
What is a good avoidable wait time benchmark?
Most stores average under three minutes and 24 seconds of avoidable wait time. An ideal target is less than two minutes.
Keeping your wait time below this range helps protect delivery quality and customer experience.
How to find your avoidable wait time
You can monitor avoidable wait time by week, month, or time of day in the Merchant Portal.
1. In the Merchant Portal, go to Insights and select Operations Quality
2. Look for Wait time to view your avoidable wait time trends
3. Select View details to see which orders contributed most to avoidable wait time
How to reduce avoidable Dasher wait time
Reducing avoidable wait time comes down to accurate prep times and a smooth pickup process.
Set accurate prep times
To avoid late orders, it’s important to set accurate prep times. Late orders can lead to poor customer ratings, which can negatively impact restaurant rankings within DoorDash. There are two ways to change your prep time:
Setting the right prep time helps Dashers arrive when orders are actually ready.
If you use a DoorDash Tablet
Select either Confirm with # min prep time or Manual prep time
Use Confirm with # min prep time if the default time is accurate
Select Manual prep time if the order needs more or less time based on size or complexity
Click Confirm Order
When your kitchen is overwhelmed, turn on Busy Kitchen to automatically add prep time to all orders for a set period.
If you are using a middleware that auto-confirms, but also have a DoorDash tablet
On the tablet, select Issue with Order
Choose Adjust Prep Time and add the time you need
Contact your POS provider to update prep time settings.
How can I prepare orders faster and more consistently?
A clear kitchen and handoff process helps your team avoid delays.
Create a standard process: Confirm orders promptly and train staff on how to use the tablet or POS workflows
Add a quality check: Label bags, double-check items, staple receipts, and seal bags before staging
Stage orders in one place: Use a designated pickup area that's visible and organized
Use clear signage: Make it easy for Dashers to find the pickup location
Assign a delivery lead: Designate a team member to oversee delivery orders during busy times
How can I improve Dasher communication at pickup?
Building a relationship with local Dashers is a top solution to optimizing your kitchen. Here are three tips to use to improve your communication at pickup:
Greet Dashers and confirm order readiness quickly
Let Dashers know immediately if an order needs extra time
Rate Dashers in the Merchant Portal and flag issues when needed
What should I do next?
If avoidable wait time is still high:
Review late orders by time of day to spot staffing or prep gaps
Adjust default prep times for peak hours
Learn how to reduce avoidable cancellations
