Empowering Local Communities: The Results of DoorDash’s 2022 Economic Impact Report

Empowering local economies is at the heart of our work at DoorDash. Today, we’re proud to release the 2022 DoorDash Economic Impact Report, outlining how merchants, Dashers, and the DoorDash platform supported economic impact in the local communities we serve across the United States. In 2022, the DoorDash community supported an estimated $78 billion in economic activity in the U.S. and $15.7 billion in tax revenues.

The economic impact detailed in this report is realized every day through our platform. Through DoorDash, Dashers are earning money to reach a financial goal while delivering items to help busy parents free up time to spend with their children, merchants are fulfilling orders from new customers, and the communities we serve are connected in ways that, just 10 years ago, were unimaginable. 

“Our 2022 Economic Impact Report demonstrates the critical role DoorDash plays in the U.S. economy,” said DoorDash’s Head of Policy Research, Cheryl Young. “The metrics presented in this report are more than just numbers. They illustrate how DoorDash has allowed people like stay-at-home parents to earn money on their way home from dropping their kids off at school and people from all walks of life to get groceries or medicine delivered directly to their doors. We’re proud to continue to connect consumers and local businesses and empower Dashers with flexible earning opportunities.”

Millions from all walks of life, including people with full-time jobs, students, people experiencing disabilities, and many others, used our platform to pursue flexible earning opportunities, with well over 6 million people across the globe earning more than $13 billion in 2022. Facing stubbornly high inflation but a strong job market in the United States and many other countries, millions chose DoorDash to supplement their income on a flexible schedule that fits their own lifestyle. In fact, from our U.S. Dasher survey, we find:

• Over three-quarters (76%) of all Dashers surveyed agree that they feel less stressed and anxious about their financial situation because they can dash whenever they need;
• Two-thirds (67%) of Dashers surveyed have dashed to make up for lost income or reduced hours at their full- or part-time job;
• Nearly all Dashers surveyed agree that dashing provides them with the opportunity to earn on their own schedule, with 94% of Dashers surveyed saying that dashing allows them more flexibility compared with other earnings opportunities they’ve had;
• 95% of immigrant Dashers surveyed agree that dashing helps them get to know their communities;
• Only 4% of Dashers surveyed say one of the main reasons they dash is that they’re not able to get other kinds of work while the majority are seeking out the flexibility that fits their schedule; 
• If flexible work were not an option, 36% of Dashers reported that they would not choose an alternative way to replace their income from dashing; and
• 35% of Dashers surveyed have dashed to avoid government benefits or payday loans. 

“As a Dasher, I’m grateful for the opportunity to earn money on my own schedule while also giving back to my community,” said Cindy Charles, a Dasher in Brooklyn, New York. “Every dollar I earn goes towards Kupanda Sisters Inc., a non-profit organization I founded to improve youth literacy in my hometown of Georgetown, Guyana. Thanks to DoorDash, I’m able to support Kupanda Sisters’ mission by sending tablets with literacy and education software to schools in the region. It’s amazing to think that my work with DoorDash is helping me achieve my dream of giving back to my community and helping kids get the education they deserve.”

Local merchants in the U.S. have come to appreciate how DoorDash can drive more orders throughout the year, opening their doors to more customers through delivery as a way to grow their sales and expand their businesses:

• 90% of independent merchants surveyed would recommend DoorDash as a way to reach a wider range of customers, 89% to increase delivery area, and 87% to increase sales volume or revenue;
• 93% of merchants surveyed find DoorDash helps in one or more ways in times of economic uncertainty; and
• 65% of merchants surveyed agree that DoorDash helps their business increase their overall profitability.

“As a restaurant owner who opened a business during the height of the pandemic, DoorDash was instrumental in helping us get off the ground and establish a loyal customer base during a period of economic uncertainty,” said Tal Zaiet, Chef and Owner of Mazal, an Israeli-inspired restaurant in Los Angeles, CA. “DoorDash’s suite of tools and resources on its platform has helped my business thrive by introducing new sources of revenue and acting as a marketing arm to increase brand awareness among prospective customers. I’m excited to work with DoorDash to further scale and grow Mazal.”

Customers are using DoorDash to free up time to spend with their families instead of cooking, while also discovering cuisines that become their new local favorites. The U.S. consumer survey shows:

• 73% of consumers surveyed have used DoorDash to try new restaurants they would not have otherwise tried and 77% went back to some or all of these restaurants;
• In total, DoorDash saved consumers an estimated 378 million hours in 2022, or more than 15-and-a-half million days; and
• 76% of consumers surveyed said that DoorDash helps them be more productive or gives them time back for other activities.

The economic impact detailed in this report is made possible by the Dashers, merchants, and people who use and rely on the DoorDash platform every day. Through DoorDash, Dashers are working towards achieving their financial goals, merchants are expanding their customer base across their cities, and millions of others who come to our platform are connecting with the best of their communities. For more information on this year’s findings, please find the full 2022 Economic Impact Report here.