Taco Bell Paid My Gas

I spent last summer zooming through New Hampshire Seacoast streets delivering DoorDash to help pay my oldest daughter’s New York City rent. I didn’t make much money to help. I remember 10 hour days going back and forth between Portsmouth and York, Maine with about $50 in my pocket before reimbursing gas.

But here it is middle of summer again and once again I’m DoorDashing. All year I kept thinking I must have been doing the DoorDash gig absolutely wrong because there were always other people signing up to DoorDash. Like all the time. I could count several people I personally knew who DoorDashed on one hand—I mean, that’s not a lot of people counted on one hand. But they never seemed to complain about the amount of money they were making. Maybe they were just disgruntled and silent. Maybe I was doing something wrong?

Enter ChatGPT. And all I asked was, how do people make money DoorDashing? There was an entire strategy session and now I’m making money doing the DoorDash.

Don’t get me wrong. DoorDash is still a techno-feudal gig built on fumes, guilt (yes, the app guilt-trips you into delivering), and a tip culture that’s basically panhandling in khakis. It’s an algorithmic hustle dressed like empowerment, but really Russian roulette with your gas tank, hoping the next spin lands on a ten-dollar burrito run. And this sure as hell isn’t the first time I’ve written about selling your labor to a math problem.

But I promise (maybe) if you’re a Realtor, this post will make you money. Cause I’ve only been running this hustle for two weeks now, so we shall see how it turns out.

When you are down leads, and you need more business, the first words out of any brokerage or real estate coach are “Have you tried door knocking?” For those who are not Realtors, door knocking is literally knocking on doors to introduce yourself.

“Hello neighbor! My name is Steve Bargdill, and I’m your local preferred real estate agent. Would you like to sell your house?”

I’m unsure how many times I’ve had doors slammed in my face, accidentally knocked on another Realtor’s own home, or been told to just f… myself. In the summer, I sweat. In the winter, I shiver. More often than not, no one is home. I’ve never gotten a lead, and quite a few people came to the door scared.

I remember door-to-door salesmen from when I was a kid. There were two kinds: Encyclopedia Britannica and Kirby vacuum cleaners. My mom loved the Kirby guys because she managed to get them to vacuum all her carpets.

Somewhere between 9/11, Sandy Hook, and COVID, America decided the front door was a threat. We instead peek through cameras and pretend we’re not home. A lot of real estate coaches will tell you that you need to bring something of value.

One October, an agent handed out pumpkins house to house. A few months after, entire fresh-cut Christmas trees.

Honestly, I kinda like the idea of leaf bags with “Don’t Leaf Your Equity Behind” or “Don’t Leaf Money on the Table. Let’s List” printed along the side.

But a customized printed leaf bag costs about $3.14 a bag, around $1500 for 500, and in New England, one bag is not enough for one house. So what else could you bring? A free market report? Meh. A pen that leaks? An event calendar? Or, branded Chapstick1—God help you.

The thing about DoorDash is that if you deliver right, and if you really really hustle, you can make between $25 and $30 an hour. That number is after you pay for your fuel. No one has ever paid me to walk a neighborhood and knock on a door, and honestly, anyone doing political campaigning should seriously think about this DoorDash method, too.

Listen, you’re not going to make enough money to fly from San Francisco to Australia in just a few weeks. But last night, in three hours, I drove home with $100. And in two weeks, I gathered four real estate leads.

Of course, too many agents will tell you that a lead is just simply someone you meet. But I’m not talking about a new friend. I’m talking about someone ready to chat with you about actually buying and or selling real estate. Someone who has raised their hand and said, please, tell me more.

Here’s my exact process.

1. I refuse any delivery where I don’t have a license or where I don’t service.

2. I refuse any delivery that doesn’t pay at least $2 per mile

3. Once I have the order in my car, I immediately text the customer. (Yes, the missing apostrophe is missing on purpose)

   Hey there! 👋
   Im Steve—your DoorDash driver today, your real estate agent tomorrow! I’ve got your dinner on the way.

4. Screenshot the address. DoorDash doesn’t keep a record of where you are delivering, so you have to do this yourself.

5. Attach a flyer to the bag of food. Make sure your name, number, and a one-liner pitch are front and center. This isn’t a resume—it’s bait

6. Follow the instructions for the delivery. Most times, you won’t see anyone. But have a conversation about real estate with the people who do meet you at the door. That conversation can be as simple as “Hey, I put a flyer on your bag.”

7. Follow up! Because you screenshot the address, send them a piece of mail. Put them on a postcard drip campaign. Whatever it is, follow up.

Here’s the cool stuff about DoorDash:

• You’re not interrupting them—you’re delivering something they actually want.
  Most door knockers show up empty-handed and unwanted. You show up with tacos. Or McDonald’s or whatever.

• They expect you.
  You’re not a surprise. You’re a notification. You’re on the way. You’re tracked, anticipated, and welcomed (or at least tolerated).

• You’ve got a 10-second window of trust.
  When someone opens the door for DoorDash, they’re not suspicious. You’re not selling—you’re fulfilling. That’s when you slide in a conversation, not a pitch.

• You’re getting paid to prospect.
  Let that sink in. You’re not wasting time, burning gas, or handing out flyers to people who aren’t home. You’re getting paid $25–$30/hour and marketing yourself.

• You can be hyper-targeted.
  Only accept deliveries in neighborhoods you want to farm. Only work zip codes where you want listings. You control the territory—something most agents dream about.

• You have a reason to follow up.
  “Hey, just dropped off food at your place last week—hope it was good! If you ever want to chat about what homes are going for in your neighborhood, I’d love to help.” That’s not creepy—it’s connective.

• You look like a normal human, not a Realtor on the prowl.
  There’s no blazer. No clipboard. No weird name tag. You’re just a helpful dude showing up with dinner. The relationship starts human, not sales-y.

• You get inside the vibe of a neighborhood.
  You start to see the rhythms: who’s home, who’s got a For Sale By Owner sign taped to the garage, where the lawn’s overgrown and the lights are always off. You see opportunity.

• You get repetition without burnout.
  You’re not wandering aimlessly. You’re running missions. And the more you show up in the same area, the more recognizable you become—like a mailman with a better conversion rate.

What I’ve built here isn’t just a real estate hack—this is a blueprint for a hybrid hustle in the algorithm economy. This model can work for anyone with a side business, service, or cause. DoorDash (or UberEats, Instacart, etc.) becomes the funded foot-in-the-door.

You’re already going to their house. Leverage that access and deliver more than just dinner.

The DoorDash Hustle Remix: Who Else Can Use This?

Freelance Creatives (photographers, graphic designers, writers)

• Slip a postcard in with your Instagram handle and a line like:
  “DoorDash today. Photoshoots tomorrow. @yourname”

• Target neighborhoods with high-end homes or businesses, and include a “mini portfolio” QR code on your bag note.

Fitness Instructors or Life Coaches

• Deliver dinner. Drop a flyer:
  “Feel like your food choices and energy are out of sync? Let’s talk wellness.”

• Offer a free consultation or discount code.

Handymen / Contractors / Home Services

• Put your flyer on the bag:
  “This dinner’s hot. Your water heater shouldn’t be.”
  Or: “If your bathroom looks worse than this burger smells, call me.”

Bakers / Chefs / Meal Prep Businesses

• Use your deliveries to target foodies:
  “Want meals like this made in your own kitchen? I do custom meal prep. Let’s chat.”

Pet Sitters / Dog Walkers / Trainers

• Look for homes with pet gear on the porch or barking dogs. Leave a card:
  “Saw your pup! I’m a local dog walker. Here’s a treat from me to them 🦴”

Hair Stylists / Beauty Services

• Target apartment complexes or family homes.
  “Self-care delivered. I do in-home hair & beauty. First cut is 20% off.”

Etsy Shop Owners / Side Hustle Sellers

• Add a mini catalog or QR code to your delivery bag.
  “This food’s not handmade—but my stuff is. Check out my shop.”

Community Organizers / Activists / Nonprofits

• Spread the word during deliveries.
  “Food’s here. So’s your local mutual aid network. Here’s how to plug in.”