The loyalty program has been a game changer

Meet Fishhook Seafood

Fishhook Seafood is an Ontario, California favorite known for its fried lobster and Southern sides. Founded in November 2020 by husband and wife team, Trena and Gerald Wallace, the restaurant opened during the height of the pandemic — with Trena managing hiring, onboarding, and operations entirely from home while pregnant.

Casting a wide net without knowing what works

Before launching DoorDash Direct, Trena was using GoDaddy to manage her website and email campaigns. According to Trena, with GoDaddy she could send messages to customers — but she had no clear way to see whether they were actually working.

“With GoDaddy, you're able to send out emails, but are you actually seeing the actual return? With DoorDash Direct, I'm able to see the return. I'm able to see the numbers, the day, the time frame.”

— Trena Wallace, Fishhook Seafood, Owner, Fishhook Seafood

She was also juggling her website, online ordering system, and customer data across separate tools — creating friction at the register and leaving her dependent on in-store staff to make even basic updates.

Reeling in orders with a single platform

By launching DoorDash Direct, Trena brought her restaurant online ordering system, customer data, marketing, and loyalty tools into a single solution.

Centralized ordering

With DoorDash Direct, orders placed through Fishhook's site and mobile app now flow directly into the business' POS system.

A branded mobile app customers actually use

According to Trena, Fishhook previously used ChowNow to power her restaurant's mobile app. In Trena's view, after switching to DoorDash, the difference was immediate:

"The branded mobile app I launched with DoorDash Direct is upbeat and user-friendly. All the customers that have downloaded it love it."

— Trena Wallace, Owner, Fishhook Seafood

According to Trena, Fishhook's app serves their diverse customer base — older guests who want to order ahead without hassle, and younger regulars who expect a seamless digital experience. The key draw for both demographics? Seeing their loyalty rewards in real time.

According to Trena, one loyal customer came back just to say: "Oh my god, the app — that is the best thing you could have done for us."

Cross-channel loyalty that rewards every visit

At the center of Fishhook's retention strategy is a Cross-Channel Loyalty program, which rewards customers with $5 off for every $50 spent. According to Trena, the power of the program lies in its flexibility — customers can earn and redeem rewards whether a guest orders through their mobile app or restaurant website, in-store, and even on DoorDash.

Cross-Channel Loyalty helps Trena to turn occasional visits into a routine, ensuring guests always have a reason to come back for another round of fried lobster and Southern sides.

“I want my customers to know that I invest in them too. It's not about just receiving; it's about giving. With that $5 off, a customer thinks: I have $10 more to go — I'm going to come back next week. Now they have even more reason.”

— Trena Wallace, Owner, Fishhook Seafood

Guest experience management that turns data into relationships

Rather than letting reviews pile up, Trena uses guest experience management to proactively reach out based on customer order history. With guest experience management, Trena is able see and respond to all of her reviews across Google, and DoorDash.

If a customer with 20 orders suddenly leaves a two-star review, Trena reaches out with a $10 reward and a personal message. She gives five-star reviewers a $5 reward just for leaving feedback. With guest experience management, every interaction becomes an opportunity to strengthen the relationship without adding a lot of extra work to Trena's plate.

Email marketing with clear results

Fishhook's setup with DoorDash Direct's Automated Email Marketing — a built-in tool that sends pre-built, branded campaigns automatically — was, in Trena's words, "self-explanatory."

In addition to automated emails, she can also send custom messages with Customizable Email and Text Marketing. She can customize each message with her own content, select which customers receive the communication, and preview before sending. Trena can easily track how her automated and custom campaigns are working for her business, including which ones are driving the most revenue.

Getting customers hooked with loyalty that pays off

Within two months of implementing DoorDash Direct, the results were clear:

• +33% lift in sales within 2 months of going live

• +122% more spending from loyalty customers who signed up on web vs. non-loyalty customers

“The loyalty program has been a game changer. We're not just serving meals, we're rewarding returning customers and building lasting relationships. We've seen more repeat visits and stronger engagement because guests feel appreciated.”

— Trena Wallace, Owner, Fishhook Seafood

With a strong foundation of direct customers, Fishhook is now expanding. Trena is actively searching for a second location — one she plans to launch with DoorDash Direct from day one. According to Trena, "This is a partnership for life."

All figures based on Based on DoorDash data Aug'25-Dec'25
Fishhook Seafood received compensation in exchange for their participation in this study

¹ Loyalty customers that signed up via web