If you're already on DoorDash Marketplace, you already know how to win new customers with online marketing. But, how do you get more direct orders and turn the customers you win on Marketplace into customers that belong to you? This article is your strategic roadmap for making that happen.
What Is Online Marketing for Restaurants?
Online marketing for restaurants is the set of digital tools and platforms, such as search engines, social media, email, review sites, and your own website, that drive discovery, ordering, and repeat business. It's not just posting on Instagram or running the occasional paid ad.
The biggest mistake restaurant owners make is trying to do everything at once. The real advantage comes from doing the right things in the right order. According to SevenRooms' 2023 Dining Discovery Report, 33% of diners discover restaurants through Google, making search visibility foundational before anything else. And when customers do find you, 58% prefer ordering directly from a restaurant’s app or website, which means your direct channel needs to be ready to convert.
2026 is a turning point. Operators need to build owned digital channels to help them get more out of the commissions they're paying to win new customers on third-party delivery apps. The restaurants winning long-term aren't the ones spending the most on marketing. They're the ones who built a system.
Why Online Presence Now Determines Whether You Fill Tables or Struggle
Digital marketing used to be optional. Word of mouth was enough; a good location did the rest. Today, your digital presence determines whether a hungry customer chooses you or the restaurant down the street, before they've ever tasted your food.
How Your Customers Actually Find You in 2026
No customer finds you in a single click. The modern discovery journey takes three to five interactions before someone places an order or walks through your door — a Google search, a review check on Yelp or Google, a scroll through Instagram for food photos, a visit to your website, and then an order. An MGH survey reported by QSR Magazine found that 74% of consumers who actively engage with a restaurant on social media are more likely to visit it.
Not all channels are equal: some are foundational (Google Business Profile, your website, reviews), others are amplifiers (social media, email, local SEO), and some are still emerging (AI search, voice ordering). Build the foundation first, then layer in what fits your restaurant and audience.
Why You Need Both Marketplace and Your Own Website
DoorDash Marketplace and your own direct channels aren't competing priorities: they're complementary ones. While Marketplace drives discovery and volume, your direct channels capture repeat business at higher margins. The operators winning in 2026 use Marketplace for customer acquisition and direct channels for retention.
This is exactly what DoorDash Commerce Platform — a suite of first-party tools including Online Ordering, branded website, automated email marketing, branded mobile app, and Cross-Channel Loyalty — is built for. It's powered by the same technology running DoorDash Marketplace, so everything works together in one integrated system rather than five disconnected marketing tools you have to manage separately. Update your menu once, and it syncs automatically across every channel.
Get Your Brand Straight Before You Market Anything
Branding for your restaurant business isn't about your logo or your color scheme. A restaurant brand needs clarity of message and consistency of the customer experience. What makes your restaurant different? Why should someone choose you over the twelve other options that appear in a Google search?
Before you run a single ad or send a single email, write down three things: what you serve, who you serve it to, and what makes the experience worth coming back for. Every Instagram caption, every email subject line, and every Google Business Profile description should reflect those three answers. Consistency in brand identity is what turns a first-time customer into a loyal regular.
Where Should You Start? A Simple 4-Stage Plan
This marketing plan tells you exactly where to focus based on where you are today. Most operators on DoorDash Marketplace are already at Stage 2 or Stage 3. Use this to self-diagnose and skip to what's relevant:
Stage 1 (Weeks 1–4): Get Found Online
If your restaurant has no website, a weak Google listing, or no social media presence, Stage 1 is your only job. Claim and complete your Google Business Profile (GBP); it’s free, and it puts your restaurant on Google Maps and local search results. Get a functional website live with your menu, hours, and phone number. Set up basic profiles on the social media platforms where your customers already spend time. Don't chase perfection; just get online in a way that lets potential customers find you.
Stage 2 (Months 2–3): Turn Visitors Into Orders
You have a website and a Google listing, but traffic is low, or people aren't ordering. Stage 2 is about fixing that without spending money on ads. Focus on local search engine optimization, or local SEO (the process of making your restaurant show up when people search for food near them): use keyword combinations like "Italian restaurant [your city]" throughout your website, prioritize Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) consistency (making sure these are identical everywhere online), improve your website's mobile experience, and add a clear call-to-action, or CTA (the button or link that tells visitors what to do next, like "Order Now"), above the fold on your homepage.
Stage 3 (Months 4–6): Get Customers Coming Back
You're driving online orders. Now the goal is turning one-time customers into regulars. Stage 3 is about building retention infrastructure: capturing customer email addresses and phone numbers, launching a loyalty program, and setting up automated email sequences that run without any manual work.
Automated email marketing — DoorDash Commerce Platform's pre-built, branded marketing campaigns that send automatically based on customer behavior — boosts order frequency by an average of 15% among new and returning customers. Based on internal DoorDash data from March 2024 through March 2025.
Stage 4 (Month 6+): Fine-Tune What's Working
All your systems are running. Now you optimize. A/B testing — comparing two versions of something (like two email subject lines or two homepage photos) to see which performs better — becomes your main tool. Scale what's working, cut what isn't, and track revenue metrics per channel, not just likes and visits.
The 3 Things That Will Drive Most of Your Results
Most of your online marketing results will come from three things: your Google Business Profile, your website with direct ordering, and your online reviews. These aren't the most exciting tactics, but they have the highest return on investment (ROI) of anything you'll do. Get these right before worrying about TikTok.
Google Business Profile: 30 Minutes That Will Pay Off for Years
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) — the listing that appears in Google Maps and at the top of local search results — directly determines whether you show up when someone searches "best tacos near me." Data from Loopex Digital Research shows 42% of local searchers click on Google Map Pack (the box of three local businesses, with a map, that appears near the top of Google search results) results, and the map shows three options at the top of the search. If you're not in that pack, you're invisible to nearly half the people ready to order.
Follow these steps to optimize your GBP:
Make sure your name, address, and phone number are accurate and match everywhere online.
Choose the most specific category for your restaurant.
Upload high-quality photos.
Post weekly updates.
Try to respond to every review, positive or negative. Google weighs review responses as a ranking signal, and customers notice whether you're engaged.
A Website That Actually Gets You Orders
Research cited by Crazy Egg puts the average time a user spends on a website before deciding to leave at just 15 seconds — and 77% of diners visit a restaurant's website before deciding where to go, as reported by Restaurant Dive. Your site needs to load in under three seconds, show your menu clearly on mobile, display an "Order Now" button without scrolling, and list your hours, address, and phone number on every page.
The essentials: your website should load in under three seconds, your menu should be easy to find on mobile, your "Order Now" button should be visible without scrolling, and your hours, address, and phone number should be on every page.
The operational problem most owners face: their website, menu, and ordering system are three separate tools that fall out of sync. DoorDash Commerce Platform's branded website and Online Ordering solve this by pulling directly from your DoorDash Marketplace menu, so any update syncs automatically. Optimizing a branded website with an "Order Now" pop-up and a floating button can increase web sales by up to 30%. Based on internal DoorDash data from Jan 2022 through Dec 2023. For more, see how to create an eye-catching restaurant website design.
Get More Reviews (and Respond to Every Single One)
A Harvard Business School study found that a one-star increase on Yelp translates to a 5–9% revenue increase. Reviews are both a direct revenue driver and a local SEO ranking signal. DesignRush found that 71% of diners are more likely to visit a restaurant with strong food quality and positive reviews.
The review loop: ask at the right moment (right after a completed order or meal), make it easy (a QR code, a text link in the order confirmation), and respond within 24–48 hours. Review velocity (new reviews per month) is the clearest leading indicator of word-of-mouth momentum. 65% of consumers say a restaurant remembering their preferences would impact how often they visit (DoorDash 2026 Trends Report). The experience you create in person directly fuels the reviews you earn online.
DoorDash Commerce Platform's Guest Experience Management — tools that help you collect feedback, remember customer preferences, and respond to reviews in one place — makes it easier to turn each in-person visit into a stronger online reputation.
Channels That Bring in New Customers
Once your foundation is solid, invest in channels that amplify your reach. Pick two or three and execute consistently.
Local SEO: Show up when people search for food near them.
Local SEO (search engine optimization focused on location-based searches) helps your restaurant rank for high-intent queries like "best pizza near me".
Use cuisine plus city keyword combinations throughout your website, your menu, and your Google Business Profile.
Build backlinks (links from other websites pointing to yours) by listing your restaurant in local directories.
Keep your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistent across every platform.
Social media marketing: Stay top-of-mind, not just top-of-feed.
Social media is brand maintenance, not a direct sales channel. Understanding that distinction saves operators a lot of wasted effort. These are the platforms worth focusing on:
Instagram works best for visual storytelling and showcasing menu items(three to five posts per week). For more specific tactics, read this Guide to Instagram Marketing for Small Businesses.
Facebook reaches older demographics and works well for events (two to three posts per week)
TikTok reaches Gen Z audiences but requires consistent video production.
According to the SevenRooms 2025 Data Report, 69% of Gen Z rely on social media for restaurant discovery. If that's your target audience, TikTok and Instagram deserve serious attention.
Email marketing: Your most profitable marketing channel.
DesignRush puts email return on investment (ROI) at $36 for every $1 spent. Unlike social media followers , your email list belongs to you. Build it with a signup incentive, segment by behavior, and launch three core automated campaigns: a welcome series, a win-back for customers who haven't ordered in 45-plus days, and a VIP recognition message for your most loyal customers. Automated email marketing — DoorDash Commerce Platform's pre-built campaigns that trigger on customer behavior — boosts order frequency by an average of 15% among new and returning customers*.
*Based on internal DoorDash data from March 2024 through March 2025.
Turn First-Time Orders Into Regular Customers
Getting a new customer is expensive. Getting them to come back is where the profit lives, and every system you build to drive repeat business pays off more over time.
Loyalty programs your customers will actually use.
The best loyalty programs are simple (buy nine, get the tenth free), omnichannel (rewards work whether someone orders online, in-app, or in person), and automatic (points accumulate without effort). Cross-Channel Loyalty — DoorDash Commerce Platform's industry-first loyalty program — lets customers earn and redeem points on DoorDash, through your branded website, your mobile app, or in-store.
Here's what makes it a direct relationship: when a Marketplace customer earns enough points to claim a reward, they're prompted to sign up for your loyalty program to redeem it. Once they do, they've consented to share their contact information — email and phone number — directly with you. From that point, you can market to them through your own channels: a welcome email, a first-app-order discount, a win-back text. The customers you acquired through Marketplace become customers you can reach directly, without going through DoorDash every time.
Automated emails that bring people back.
Launch a welcome series for new customers, a win-back email for those who haven't ordered in 45-plus days, and a VIP recognition email for customers with five or more orders. These run on behavior triggers, so no manual sending is required.
SMS marketing: Use sparingly, use smart.
Text messaging, or SMS, has open rates above 90% compared to 20–30% for email (Emarsys). Reserve it for time-sensitive or special offers, like a flash sale or a new menu item launch. Customers must opt in, and every message needs an easy opt-out. Limit to two to four texts per month, and get email running first.
How Much Should You Actually Spend on Marketing?
The 3–6% rule: What it means for your restaurant.
The industry benchmark is 3–6% of gross revenue. Newer restaurants should start at 3–4% until they can prove which channels drive orders; growth-focused operators can push to 5–6%.
What to do based on your budget.
Under $500 per month: focus on free channels — Google Business Profile, email list building, organic social media, and review generation.
Between $500 and $2,000 per month: add paid tools like email automation software and a social media scheduler.
Above $2,000 per month: consider testing paid ads or engaging an agency.
Most of the tactics that drive orders are free. Paid channels should amplify what's already working in your marketing efforts, not replace the fundamentals.
When it makes sense to run paid ads (and when it doesn't).
Paid ads only work when your organic foundation is solid. Use this framework before spending:
🔴 Red light — don't run ads if your website conversion rate (the share of people who land on your site and then place an order) is below 2%, your review average is below 4.0 stars, or your site loads in more than three seconds.
🟡 Yellow light — test small ($500/month) if your fundamentals are solid but you want to accelerate growth.
🟢 Green light — scale paid ads if your organic channels are maxed out and you're consistently converting at 3% or higher.
New Stuff to Keep an Eye On (But Don't Stress About Yet)
These channels aren't essential today, but will matter more in the next one to two years.
AI search engines like ChatGPT and Google Gemini.
The SevenRooms 2025 Data Report revealed that 58% of consumers trust AI tools for dining recommendations, and the DoorDash 2026 Trends Report puts the share who have already used AI to choose a restaurant at 22%. AI tools pull from restaurant listing sites, your website, and your reviews. Accurate, complete information everywhere is your best strategy. Schema markup (structured data code that helps search engines understand your business information) is worth adding now.
Voice ordering through smart speakers.
Still niche, but growing for repeat customers. Start researching this now so you're ahead of the game once customers expect it — and in the meantime, keep your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) consistent across the web so voice tools pull the right details.
Customer photos and local influencers.
User-generated content, or UGC (photos, videos, and reviews your customers post about your restaurant), is free, highly trusted, and more persuasive than anything you produce yourself. Create photo-worthy moments: distinctive plating, a signature dish that looks as good as it tastes, and run occasional contests to build a steady stream of shareable content. Micro-influencers and bloggers with five thousand to fifty thousand followers often deliver better ROI than larger accounts because their audiences are local and engaged.
Don't Make These Expensive Mistakes
Stop counting likes, start counting orders.
Instagram likes and website traffic don't pay your rent. Ten thousand followers with zero weekly orders isn't a win; one thousand followers with fifty weekly orders is.
Build a multi-channel digital marketing strategy, not a single-platform dependency.
Discovery channels should feed into owned channels: your website, your email list, your loyalty program. That's where you build lasting customer relationships, own the data, and protect your margins. Automate what you can (email campaigns, review requests, loyalty rewards) and reserve your hands-on effort for high-impact activities like content creation and in-person guest experiences.
Marketing doesn't work if you only do it when you remember.
Consistency beats intensity. Posting every day for a week and going silent for a month produces worse results than posting three times a week for six months. Use DoorDash Commerce Platform's integrated tools so your online ordering, email marketing, and loyalty programs work together without requiring daily attention.
The Only Numbers You Actually Need to Watch
Online orders per week (Direct + Marketplace combined) — your north star. Growing means it's working; flat or declining means something needs to change.
Repeat customer rate (percentage ordering two or more times) — aim for 30% or higher.
Average order value (AOV) — average spend per order. Track separately for Marketplace and direct.
Customer lifetime value (LTV) — total revenue a customer generates over their relationship with your restaurant. The number that makes the case for investing in retention.
Email list growth rate — a growing list is a compounding owned asset.
Google Business Profile conversion actions — clicks on "call," "get directions," or "visit website." The clearest signal your local SEO is working.
Loyalty enrollment rate (percentage of new customers who join your program) — aim for 20% or higher within a customer's first order.
Start with your DoorDash Merchant Portal, Google Business Profile dashboard, and email platform. A simple spreadsheet updated weekly is enough to spot trends.
Build Your Owned Customer Base — Starting Today
You're already winning on DoorDash Marketplace. Now turn that momentum into owned customer relationships that drive repeat revenue without the commission costs.
DoorDash Commerce Platform extends your Marketplace foundation with commission-free Online Ordering, automated email marketing, Cross-Channel Loyalty, and a branded mobile app — all in one integrated system. Update your menu and pricing once, and it syncs everywhere automatically.
The results speak for themselves: Online Ordering can increase sales by up to 8% of current Marketplace sales. Automated Email Marketing boosts order frequency by an average of 15% among new and returning customers, and direct channels can drive up to $7,500 in sales in the first six months.
Your Marketplace customers are already there. DoorDash Commerce Platform gives you the tools to keep them coming back on your terms.
Activate DoorDash Commerce Platform
*Based on internal DoorDash data as of June 2025.
