DoorDash already uses data to estimate arrival timing for Dashers, but accurate item-level prep times are an important piece of a puzzle that ensures Dashers will arrive at your business to pick up orders at the right moment. Adding these details and confirming the accuracy of any prep times that are already in place ensures your customers get their orders quickly while they're still hot and appetizing.
What is the item prep time feature?
“Item prep time” describes how long it typically takes to make a specific menu item, at any time of day. The item prep time feature gives merchants the option to add average prep times for each menu item. These will help DoorDash provide Dashers with a baseline for arriving at the right time to pick up an order. Keeping your item prep times updated helps to ensure that your Dashers do not arrive too early or late for an order.
For orders with multiple items, the item with the longest prep time sets the total order prep time. For instance, if the order has a sandwich that takes 4 minutes, a cheeseburger that takes 5 minutes, and 3 orders of french fries that each take 2 minutes, the total prep time is 5 minutes. This is because restaurants typically prepare multiple items at the same time.
Where to find the menu item prep time feature
There are two ways you can adjust menu prep times when you log into the Merchant Portal. On the homepage, you can either click on the prompt that asks you to add prep times, or go through Menu Manager.
How to adjust your menu item prep times from the homepage
To confirm your menu prep times using the prompt on the homepage:
Log into the Merchant Portal.
The homepage will prompt you to enter or review prep times for popular menu items.
Click Review items.
In the popup you'll see a list of three popular items.
Adjust or add the times as needed.
Click Save.
This popup will later be adjusted to show you additional items to review.
How to adjust your menu item prep times from the Menu Manager
To adjust your menu prep times starting from Menu Manager:
Under the Menu Manager, click on Menu settings.
You will see a dropdown menu. Click on Adjust item prep times.
Add or adjust the menu prep-times and confirm that everything is correct.
If the system sees a prep time that is much longer than other times, it will flag it and show you a warning message.
5. Once you are satisfied with the prep times entered, click Save changes.
In some instances, your menu item prep times will be prefilled with suggested times based on DoorDash data. However, you should confirm that the times we've used are correct, and make any edits that can help Dashers arrive at the right time.
Changes are not automatic
It's especially important to check your item prep times and make any edits that are necessary in a timely manner, because changes are not applied automatically. They can take a week or longer to update, as we need time to ingest the data and reflect it to Dashers.
Helpful tips
Make sure prep times reflect each item's normal prep time.
Item prep times should represent how long it normally takes to prepare that item, regardless of the time of day. During peak hours or when your store is in Busy Mode, Dashers’ suggested pickup times will be adjusted accordingly.
Focus on your most popular items first.
Start with your most popular or time-consuming items. Popular items get ordered more often, and time-consuming dishes take longer to make, so together they have a major impact on your kitchen’s timing.
Keep item prep times up to date.
If you change how your kitchen prepares an item, make sure to update its prep time so your order estimate times stay accurate. It may seem like a small detail, but it can make a real difference in your operations and how satisfied your customers are with their deliveries.
When you set your item prep times correctly and keep them up to date, DoorDash can more accurately estimate when an order will be ready. This helps ensure Dashers arrive at the right time, reducing store congestion and wait times.
Review your item prep times for happier, tastier deliveries.
If you're interested in learning other ways you can optimize your menu, read about how to add menu items and descriptions that set your business apart.
