DoorDash begins alcohol delivery in New Jersey

DoorDash is now offering delivery of alcohol, beer and wine from eligible merchants in New Jersey, the San Francisco-based company announced on Thursday.  

The company, which has also added an "Alcohol” tab on its app for customers in the Garden State, said demand for delivery of alcohol remains strong. Sixty percent of those surveyed in DoorDash's 2023 Alcohol Ordering Trends Report said they've used on-demand alcohol delivery more in 2023 than the previous year.  

DoorDash now offers alcohol delivery in 36 states.

“This is a huge step forward for consumers across New Jersey who will now be able enjoy the convenience of having alcohol delivered safely to their doors from their favorite local businesses through the DoorDash platform,” said Erik Ragotte, DoorDash general manager of Alcohol and Convenience, in a statement. “Importantly, we’ve worked hard to build a best-in-class alcohol delivery platform with robust safeguards, like our ID verification process, that ensure that all deliveries are done responsibly. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control and continuing to lead the industry forward on safe and responsible alcohol delivery.” 

Those safety features include an ID verification process that requires shoppers to scan customers’ IDs before the alcohol is purchased and then again at the door, the company said. DoorDash said customers will also be denied if they show “any signs of intoxication” upon delivery. 

The company’s New Jersey delivery drivers, who DoorDash refers to as Dashers, will also be required to complete a course on safe and responsible delivery of alcohol.  

Dashers will be compensated in full and given extra for the return for deliveries that cannot be completed. “Simply put: Dashers will never have to choose between completing a delivery or complying with the law,” the company said.  

DoorDash also noted that it will proactively block alcohol deliveries to “high-risk areas such as college campuses and other similar locations where unsafe deliveries to underage consumers could be made.”