How to Take Better Food Photos for DoorDash (Without a Photographer)

TL;DR

Use one repeatable light setup (window + foam board). Shoot a consistent set of angles for every dish. Enhance and export the right crops so your thumbnails look clean.

Step 1: Build your “DoorDash station”

Keep it simple: One surface (white, light wood, neutral stone). One light direction (side light). One reflector (white foam board).

If the station stays set up, you can update photos any day in 15 minutes.

Step 2: Shoot the menu like an ops task

Run it like prep: Shoot top sellers first. Shoot in batches (all bowls, then all burgers, etc.). Keep framing consistent so the menu looks professional.

Step 3: Fix the 3 most common issues

Yellow cast: turn off mixed lights, use window light. Dark photos: move closer to the window, use the foam board. Messy background: remove everything that isn’t the dish.

Step 4: Export and publish

Use /tools/image-requirements for current specs and avoid blurry uploads.

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