A practical way to use DoorDash and Instacart at the same time is to alternate between restaurant deliveries and shopping batches when you’re available. Finish an accepted job before taking work in the other app. Shopping, substitutions, checkout, and delivery all use time, so a bigger batch payout may still mean a longer commitment.
A DoorDash and Instacart shift, step by step
Compare both kinds of offers only while you’re available. If you choose an Instacart batch, pause DoorDash orders before starting the shop. Complete the shopping and delivery, then check whether your Dash can be resumed. If you accept a DoorDash offer instead, finish it before accepting a shopping batch. Leave time for store delays and the drive back to your preferred area.
Count the shopping, not just the miles
For a shopping batch, consider the item count when available, time in the store, checkout, and the delivery. For a restaurant order, think about the pickup and any likely wait.
Keep estimated shopping time separate from driving time. A short route doesn’t necessarily make a long shop a quick job. If you’re making your own time estimate, treat it as an estimate and compare it with what actually happens.
Compare with clear assumptions
The table uses invented offers, not typical earnings. The time estimates cover the whole job from accepting to the final drop-off, including driving, shopping, checkout and pickup waits where relevant. Pay per mile and the hourly equivalent are gross offer rates; they exclude vehicle costs, taxes and unpaid travel after the job.
Here the Instacart batch pays more per mile, while the DoorDash order pays more per hour. Decide whether miles or available time is your tighter limit, then compare both offers with your own goals. Heavy items, stairs, checkout lines and an unfamiliar store can change your time estimate.
| Offer detail | Instacart batch (invented) | DoorDash order (invented) |
|---|---|---|
| Payout shown | $26 | $9.50 |
| Miles | 7 | 4 |
| Estimated total time | 80 min | 24 min |
| Pay per mile | about $3.71 | about $2.38 |
| Hourly figure | $19.50/hr | $23.75/hr |
Leave room to finish what you’ve started
If you’re in the middle of a shop, a nearby restaurant offer can still clash with the time you need to finish. Finding the last few items, waiting at checkout, and getting to the customer all take time.
Check your current commitment and manage your availability rather than assuming the trips will fit together. Using DoorDash and Instacart at the same time during a shift can mean switching between them when you’re ready for another job.
Review each kind of work separately
Restaurant deliveries and shopping batches can have different patterns. Review your own results after the shift: which stores were familiar, which trips needed extra time, and where you ended up.
Giga Driver grades DoorDash and Uber Eats delivery offers and Uber and Lyft rides, but not Instacart batches. Estimate shopping batches yourself and use your delivery-app records to check completed jobs and final payouts.
