DoorDash Deactivated Me for 78% Completion Rate - Can I Appeal? (2025)

Got the email this morning that my DoorDash account was deactivated for low completion rate. They said I was at 78% and the minimum is 80%. I've been dashing for almost two years with no issues until now.

Here's what happened - over the past month I had to unassign a bunch of orders because:

• Restaurant wait times were 30-40 minutes on several orders (way longer than estimated)
• A few orders had wrong addresses that would have taken me 15+ miles out of my zone
• One order the customer wasn't responding and the restaurant said they couldn't make the item

I didn't realize how quickly those unassigns add up. Is there any way to appeal this? I've seen people say DoorDash deactivations are permanent but others say they got reactivated. Anyone been through this?

I got deactivated for completion rate back in October and successfully appealed. Here's exactly what I did:

Step 1: I submitted an appeal through the DoorDash app immediately. You have 30 days from deactivation to appeal, but do it ASAP.

Step 2: I wrote a detailed explanation acknowledging I fell below the threshold, explaining the circumstances (long restaurant waits, app glitches), and promising to maintain above 85% going forward.

What I wrote (roughly):

"I understand that my completion rate fell below the required 80% threshold. This occurred because I encountered several situations where restaurant wait times exceeded 30 minutes and I had to unassign to avoid negative customer experiences. I recognize that I should have contacted support in these situations rather than unassigning. I am committed to maintaining my completion rate above 85% and will use the 'wait time too long' feature in the app going forward. I have been a reliable Dasher for 18 months with over 2,000 deliveries and would appreciate a second chance."

Got reactivated 5 days later. The key is taking responsibility while explaining the circumstances. Don't just blame DoorDash.

Just want to clarify the difference between completion rate and acceptance rate since a lot of new dashers confuse them:

Acceptance Rate: The percentage of orders you accept out of those offered to you. DoorDash cannot deactivate you for low acceptance rate. You can decline orders all day. This is protected because you're an independent contractor and can choose which jobs to take.

Completion Rate: The percentage of orders you complete after accepting them. This CAN get you deactivated if it falls below 80%. Once you accept an order, DoorDash expects you to complete it.

The trick is being selective BEFORE accepting. Decline bad orders upfront - long distances, low pay, known slow restaurants. Once you accept, only unassign if absolutely necessary.

Also worth knowing: completion rate is calculated on your last 100 deliveries. So if you're at 78%, you need to complete 2-3 deliveries without any unassigns to get back above 80%. Unfortunately if you're already deactivated, you can't do that.

Just want to give a reality check here. Not everyone gets reactivated.

DoorDash's deactivation policy states that completion rate violations can result in permanent deactivation. I've seen people in other forums who appealed multiple times and never got their accounts back. It really depends on:

• How far below 80% you were (78% is better than 65%)
• Your overall account history
• Whether you've had previous warnings
• How well you write your appeal

Also be aware that if you DO get reactivated, you're on thin ice. Another completion rate violation within 6-12 months and you're probably gone for good.

In California, you might have some additional protections under Prop 22 which requires a human review of your appeal. Make sure to request that specifically if you're in CA.

For anyone reading this who hasn't been deactivated yet, here are my tips for managing completion rate:

Before accepting an order:

• Check the restaurant - some are notorious for long waits. Decline those upfront
• Look at the delivery distance and compare to the pay
• Check customer instructions in the widget if visible

If you need to unassign:

• Contact support FIRST and explain the issue. Sometimes they'll remove the order without it counting against your completion rate
• Use "order not ready" or "excessive wait time" buttons in the app - these are tracked differently than manual unassigns
• If the restaurant says 20+ minute wait, mark it in the app and then contact support

General rule: Keep your completion rate above 85% so you have a buffer. If you're hovering at 80-82%, be extra careful about which orders you accept.

While you're waiting for your DoorDash appeal, definitely sign up for other platforms. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Good alternatives:

• Instacart: Grocery delivery, pays well in busy areas, different customer base
• Grubhub: Similar to DoorDash, they're often hiring when DD is saturated
• Uber Eats: Easy to sign up, lots of orders in most markets
• Spark (Walmart): Good base pay, less competitive in many areas
• Amazon Flex: Package delivery, different workflow but decent pay

Most experienced gig workers run 2-3 apps simultaneously. That way if one platform deactivates you or has a slow day, you have backup income.

Just make sure you understand each platform's completion requirements before you start. They all have different thresholds and policies.

Update for anyone who finds this thread later: I submitted my appeal following the advice here and got reactivated after 8 days!

Here's what I think helped:

• I acknowledged the issue and didn't make excuses
• I mentioned my 2,000+ lifetime deliveries and 4.9 rating
• I explained what I'd do differently (contact support before unassigning, be more selective upfront)
• I specifically requested human review since I'm in California

For now I'm being super careful. Keeping my completion rate above 90% and only accepting orders I know I can complete. Also signed up for Instacart and Uber Eats as backup per the suggestions here.

If you're in a similar situation, I'd also recommend looking into your rights under your state's gig worker laws. Found some helpful info on deactivation appeals and gig worker protections. Worth knowing what options you have.

Thanks everyone for the help!