Road to Most Loved FAQs

What is Merchant Status?

Merchant Status is a system that shows how your store is performing on DoorDash and what actions can help strengthen it. Every store receives a status based on key operational signals, along with a clear path toward Most Loved.

What is Most Loved?

Most Loved is the highest Merchant Status tier, recognizing stores that consistently deliver a strong customer experience. It's the only status visible to customers — other tiers are shown only in the Merchant Portal.

What is the Road to Most Loved?

The Road to Most Loved is the path merchants follow as they improve performance and move toward Most Loved recognition. Your Merchant Portal shows where your store stands today and what to improve next.

What happened to the old Most Loved badge and Optiscore?

Merchant Status replaces both the previous Most Loved badge and Optiscore with a single, unified system. Instead of a binary badge, all merchants now see their current status and a clear path forward. The recognition and visibility benefits of Most Loved remain – the system just makes the path to earning it more transparent.

What are the Merchant Status tiers?

There are four tiers: Poor, Needs Work, Almost There, and Most Loved. Your status reflects how your store is performing across key operational signals. Only Most Loved recognition is visible to customers.

What benefits do I get if I reach the next Status?

Benefits vary by Status but typically include additional homepage visibility, may lead to conversion uplifts, and eligibility for the Most Loved carousel. These can be viewed in the FAQ at the bottom of the Most Loved page.

How is my status determined?

Status is based on operational signals that reflect how your store performs day to day, including photo coverage, missing and incorrect item rate, cancellations, and menu pricing. Exact benchmarks are available in the Merchant Portal. There are no hidden rules – the system is designed to be transparent and consistent.

Where do I view my status?

To view your Status, navigate to the Most Loved tab in the Merchant Portal, under 'Insights'. 

How often is my status updated?

Monthly. Your performance from the previous month determines your status. Any improvements you make during the month will be reflected in the next monthly update.

Why did my status change?

Status reflects recent performance across quality signals. If operational performance improves or declines month to month, your status may adjust accordingly. A change in status is not a penalty – it reflects updated performance data. Your Merchant Portal will show what changed and what to focus on next.

What should I do to improve my status?

Focus on the recommended next action shown in your Merchant Portal. You don't need to fix everything at once – small, focused improvements can strengthen performance over time. Common areas to start with include adding photos to popular menu items, reducing missing or incorrect orders, and keeping menu availability up to date.

Does my status affect how customers find my store?

Merchant Status does not introduce a separate ranking system or change how stores appear in search and discovery. Stronger operational performance may help your store appear more often to customers over time. Only Most Loved recognition is visible to customers.

Is Most Loved permanent once I earn it?

No. Status reflects recent performance and is updated monthly. Stores that maintain strong operations are most likely to retain Most Loved recognition over time.

What if I improve mid-month?

Improvements made during the month will be reflected in the next monthly refresh. Status is evaluated based on your performance across the full prior evaluation period.

Is price matching required to earn Most Loved?

DoorDash does not require price matching. Comparable pricing is one of several operational signals evaluated and may support stronger customer conversion and retention. Merchants maintain control over their pricing decisions.

Does Merchant Status apply to all of my locations?

Merchant Status is evaluated at the store level. Different locations may have different statuses based on their individual performance. Your Merchant Portal shows status and recommended actions for each store.

Can I dispute my status?

Status is based on consistent benchmarks applied across all merchants and cannot be manually changed. You can review and dispute specific order issues in the Merchant Portal. If you believe there's an error in your underlying performance data, contact DoorDash Support for assistance.

Does my status affect my ads or promotions?

Merchant Status reflects your store's operational performance. It is separate from your advertising or promotional settings. For questions about ads or promotions, visit the Ads section of your Merchant Portal.

Why do the goals for each metric appear different for each of my stores?

Status is done at the store level, not business. Two stores at the same business can be at different status tiers. Portal displays the goal to get to the next incremental tier, not necessarily the thresholds to get to the top Most Loved status. The requirements for each store are the same at each status tier.

Which orders count toward my Status?

Only marketplace orders count toward Merchant Status. Orders placed through other channels — including Self-Delivery, Drive, Storefront, In-Store, and Kiosk — are not included in your Status evaluation.

Who can I contact with questions?

Reach out to DoorDash Support or your Account Manager for help understanding your status or improving specific metrics.