American food ordering and delivery company DoorDash has introduced a suite of new products tailored to assist restaurants in driving off-peak demand and fostering sustainable growth.
The initiative offers tools for streamlining restaurant partners’ operations and increasing revenue while offering cost-effective meal options to consumers.
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The move comes in response to patterns indicating a significant drop in restaurant orders during specific periods of the day.
The new products, developed from restaurant partner feedback, aim to optimise kitchen use, attract more customers and boost demand during slower hours.
DoorDash data show that dinner orders typically double the volume of lunch orders. There is a noticeable decline in orders between 2pm and 5pm.
To encourage orders during these quieter times, restaurants can offer special deals and promotions, either by discounting the entire menu or select items.
For the Lunch Specials promotion, restaurants can highlight particular menu items from 11am until 2pm.
To address the afternoon lull, they can schedule Happy Hour discounts from 2pm to 5pm.
DoorDash product management director Vaibhav Goel stated: “We recognise the importance of supporting our restaurant partners throughout the day.
“These new products not only help drive restaurant traffic during slower hours, but also provide customers with more options and savings.”
DoorDash has reported that restaurants leveraging item-level discounts have seen a substantial increase in sales, averaging 33% during Happy Hour and 23% during Lunch Specials.
The promotions will be displayed on the DoorDash homepage and accessible through the app, making them easily available to consumers.
In a separate initiative aimed at enhancing platform safety, DoorDash also launched SafeChat+ in March 2024.
This AI-driven feature is designed to combat verbal abuse and harassment, creating a more respectful and secure communication environment for both customers and delivery drivers.
