Restaurants can increase order size and sales on DoorDash by creating an enticing menu, adding customizable options, and using promotions to encourage larger orders. Many merchants also see higher profit margins online than in-store, thanks to upsells like sides, drinks, or alcohol. In this guide, you’ll learn proven strategies from menu design to marketing that can help your restaurant grow average order volume and reach more customers.
I did 2,000 orders with you guys last month. Imagine if we had to input all of that by hand.
Create a visually appealing menu
People shop with their eyes, so it's important for them to have a clear view of the delicious options your restaurant has to offer. This visual aspect significantly influences their decision when it comes to choosing where to order and how much.
Make sure that you have really great photos, and illustrative item descriptions, so they can visualize what they are ordering. In fact, menus with item photos saw an increase of up to 44% in monthly sales and those with item descriptions earn up to 18% more in sales each month.
If you need help capturing your dishes in their best light, DoorDash offers a free professional menu photoshoot*. You get up to 20 mouthwatering photos of your menu items and a header shot of your store to make your store page pop. The only cost to your business is the food itself. For these photos, we suggest you prioritize your most popular dishes.
These photos can be used on your DoorDash store page, website, social media accounts, and promotional materials. You cannot use the photos on any other third-party delivery platforms.
For those on the Premier pricing plan, you’ll also get a $200 credit* to cover additional costs like food and styling, meaning you can take advantage of this professional photoshoot at no additional cost to your business.
Modifiers can increase order volume
Modifiers such as sides, toppings, dessert, drinks or any entrée give your customers an opportunity to spend more at your restaurant while customizing your menu to fit their needs. In fact, an analysis of DoorDash menus found that customization is a top factor for merchant success, attracting a wider range of customers who want to tailor orders to their taste.
According to our 2025 DoorDash Delivery Trends Report, french fries were the #1 top menu item ordered on DoorDash in the US. So, if you include french fries as a side, you might be able to make more instead of customers simply ordering the single main dish. By learning how to add modifiers to your menu, you'll give customers a reason to happily spend more.
Sometimes [Online Ordering] is [more] successful in increasing the ticket size with modifiers than employees.
Can selling alcohol increase sales on DoorDash?
One emerging menu trend we've seen is adding alcohol to your menu. According to the 2024 DoorDash Delivery Trends Report, consumers are ordering more alcohol online than ever before. In fact, 42% of survey respondents are ordering alcohol for delivery more often than they did in 2024 and 49% of consumers prefer ordering alcohol via third-party apps or websites. By adding alcohol to your menu, you’re meeting a growing demand. Adding alcohol may also help you attract different types of customers.
Learning about the growing demand and opportunity to attract new audiences, many restaurants have already started offering alcohol. As an example, the Scaffidi Restaurant Group saw a pretty immediate impact with a 10-12% increase in profit margin on orders with alcohol.
We found that when customers add a bottle of wine or 6-pack of beer, there’s a 10-12% profit increase on that order.
To get started selling alcohol on DoorDash, reach out to sales to speak with them about adding alcohol to your menu. Then a merchant specialist will get in touch to confirm your liquor license, and verify that alcohol delivery is available in your area. Once your license is verified, you can sell alcohol through the DoorDash app or on your own website using Online Ordering.
Please keep in mind, alcohol will only be delivered to those of legal drinking age — customers are required to upload a valid proof of ID at checkout, which will be confirmed by the Dasher upon delivery. Learn more about adding alcohol to your menu.
Do DoorDash Promotions help sales?
Now that you have a menu that's set up to showcase everything you have to offer, including alcoholic beverages, the next step is making sure people can find you, and they have incentives to order more. In-app promotions that provide customers with discounts or free items only when they reach a specific minimum order size, are a great way to attract people and encourage them to order more.
A lot of restaurants have found that discounts have helped them boost their sales. In fact, according to an internal DoorDash study conducted in 2022, involving 220,000 small business merchants, running a Discount for All Customers promotion led to an average sales increase of up to 55% for small businesses. Testing out different programs and strategies to increase sales is key to finding what works for you specifically.
How Modern Market used promotions to increase order volume and sales
When choosing how to promote her restaurant, Modern Market, Erin McCully, Director of Off-Premise Sales, found that promotions on DoorDash were more effective than on competitor delivery platforms. “Promotions seem to be more effective on DoorDash in particular. DoorDash has been doing marketing longer and has had it figured out for a longer time. You guys are ahead of the curve.”
DoorDash helped grow my off-premise sales three times compared to other partners. We are on other platforms, but none do quite the amount of volume. I do think it’s because of the early adoption on the DoorDash platform coupled with the coverage you guys had with the markets we were in.
While setting up a stellar menu and testing out different promotions can take time, Erin saw this as a long-term investment in her business. It can also help your restaurant stand out. According to our 2025 DoorDash Delivery Trends Report, 41% of consumers look for promotions and discounts to explore new restaurants. If you want to learn more about how to add promotions head over to Marketing 101: How to Use Ads & Promos.
We think about promotions and our goal for off-premise sales as a marketing expense we build in our P&L. We know that we are going to continue to do these things because they have been so successful. We want to do it and have to do it.
Adding images and descriptions to your menu, offering modifiers, and using promotions not only contribute to an increased order volume but also draw in new customers. For more tips on attracting new customers, check out our article on How to Attract New Customers with DoorDash.
Log in to the PortalIf you want to learn other tips to maximize the effectiveness of your promotion head over to How to Get the Most Out of DoorDash Ads & Promotions.
