What DoorDash Data Shows*
Monday at 3 p.m. is the peak crash out window, and DoorDash has the receipts. According to DoorDash data, last September, as summer wound down, a treat with no entrée was ordered on DoorDash every second between 3 and 6pm on Mondays.**
New York City has the highest Gen Z crash-out rate of any major market, with nearly 90% saying they've crashed out in the past month, compared to 80% in Los Angeles and Chicago.
Health and wellness lead the list of crash out triggers, followed by money and relationships, tiny inconveniences, life admin, work or school, and sports.
Nearly six in 10 people have ordered food, drinks or a treat during or after a crash out, with ice cream narrowly beating pizza as the top comfort order amongst those surveyed.
Most Americans don’t crash out at home: 6 in 10 had one outside the house, and parks are the top spot to reset. So, this October, DoorDash is giving them a place to do it with a new Crash Out Corner in Madison Square Park.
Summer's over, and the days are officially getting shorter. However, your to-do list isn’t, and the errands and after-work plans are all about to happen in the dark. Something's gotta give, and it's usually our ability to hold it together.
“Crash out” has become shorthand for that moment when one more thing — big or aggressively small — becomes the final straw. And it’s not just a phrase - more than 7 in 10 Americans state they’ve crashed out in the past month and among Gen Z, that number jumps to nearly 9 in 10. That’s why DoorDash is getting ahead of the seasonal menty b moments by launching Crash Out Corners, exploring what sends people over the edge, where they go when they need a minute, and what they reach for when it's time to reset.
The When, Why, and What's for Dinner
Menty-B Mondays: Turns out crash outs keep office hours. Monday is the most common crash out day, with late afternoon (3-6pm) as peak crash out time, right when your energy is winding down even if your workday isn’t. In that window, people know exactly what they need. Every second between 3 and 6 p.m. on a Monday last September, someone ordered a treat on DoorDash. Soft serve, smoothies, cookies and ice cream are especially likely to make the cut, because sometimes all you need is a second and something sweet.
Crash Out Catalysts: Turns out the most common trigger is just feeling run down. Health and wellness pressures like exhaustion, hunger, anxiety and burnout top the list (55%), with money and relationships tied for second (52%). It doesn't take a crisis for a crash out to happen though, with 40% saying tiny inconveniences like a bad hair day or running late can tip them over the edge. Life admin and work or school deadlines follow (37% each), and the list is rounded out by a loyal 14% who crash out when their sports team loses.
From Crash to Cart: Sometimes “today was a lot” becomes an add-to-cart strategy. Nearly half of Americans say they’ve added something extra – dessert, a drink or something more comforting than usual – for exactly that reason. And when comfort is the goal, the classics win with about one in three Americans turning to ice cream and pizza followed by cookies, cake or pastries, burgers and fries.
Sometimes You Need a Minute Somewhere Else
For many Americans, the crash out doesn’t wait until they get home. More than six in 10 have crashed out somewhere other than home, and nature is where many turn when they need a change of scenery.
In New York, the top crash out spots aren't apartments or bars; they're parks. When asked where they'd go to crash out, parks won out, taking all of the top six spots. Central Park topped the list and Domino Park, Washington Square Park, Madison Square Park, Fort Greene Park, and Bryant Park were also top picks, proof that the Big Apple could use an even bigger break.
So DoorDash is meeting them there. On Thursday, October 22 from 3-6p.m. — just days before the clocks fall back and during peak crash out hours — Madison Square Park will become a Crash Out Corner, where New Yorkers can stop by, regroup, and get a little comfort delivered straight to the bench.
"I'm no stranger to a crash out, and I think I speak for a lot of people when I say it's something we all know well," said Cristen Milliner, Consumer Trends Expert at DoorDash. “For many, the list of crash out catalysts in our research reads like a typical week in the group chat, and a lot of much-needed cries start with a bad breakup, long to-do list, or the sun setting while you’re still at your desk.”
"What's interesting is how our data shows people are getting through it," Milliner added. "It says a lot that last September, as summer wound down, a treat was ordered on DoorDash every second between 3 and 6 p.m. on Mondays, the top crash out day. We can't give you another hour of daylight or stop Monday from Monday-ing, but we can take one thing off your plate and put something better on it."
Can’t make it to the park? Your reset can still come to you. From 10/22 - 11/2, eligible consumers can get 20% off select items with code BRBCRYING.*** Because DoorDash wants to be the go-to for a little comfort wherever you are and whenever the crash out happens.
Explore the Crash Out Corner storefront and DoorDash whatever gets you through it HERE.
*Research methodology: On behalf of DoorDash, Zeno Group conducted an online survey examining “crash out” behaviors among U.S. adults. The research was fielded July 17–27, 2026 and included a nationally representative sample of 1,033 U.S. adults ages 18+, as well as city-specific general population and Gen Z samples in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. City-specific samples included New York Gen Pop (n=502) and Gen Z (n=502), Chicago Gen Pop (n=500) and Gen Z (n=500), and Los Angeles Gen Pop (n=506) and Gen Z (n=501). Gen Z respondents were ages 18–29.
**DoorDash analysis of U.S. enterprise restaurant orders on Mondays Sept. 1, 8 and 15, 2025, 3 to 5:59 p.m. local time. Orders include at least one treat (such as a dessert, pastry, coffee or sweet drink) and no entrée, and may include other items.
***Get 20% off an order of $15+, up to $8 off, with code BRBCRYING. Offer valid through 11/2/26. Offer is only valid for delivery orders with a minimal subtotal of $25 before taxes and fees. Limit one time use per person. Promotion is not valid for alcohol purchases. Offer not valid at Sephora, Chick-fil-A, Party City, Pet Food Express, and At Home. All deliveries subject to availability. No cash value. Non-transferable. See full terms and conditions at drd.sh/qnAXuU.
