As the restaurant industry becomes more digital, operators are seeking out tools that simplify operations — not add more complexity. Too often, they're left juggling disconnected systems that drain time and focus. That's exactly where a restaurant commerce platform comes in.
What is a restaurant commerce platform?
A restaurant commerce platform connects all the ways customers discover, order, and interact with your restaurant — online and in-store — into one unified system.
Instead of juggling separate tools for direct ordering, delivery, loyalty, and analytics, a commerce platform brings everything into one place. That way, you can run your restaurant more efficiently and grow sales across every channel.
Talk to our teamWhy restaurant commerce platforms are emerging now
Five years ago, most restaurants could get by with just a point of sale (POS), a phone line, and a delivery partner. But today, operators often juggle a long list of tools:
A website and menu management system
Multiple third-party delivery apps
A loyalty platform
An email or SMS marketing tool
Guest experience management
That's a lot for any business owner to maintain — and each tool comes with its own logins, updates, staff training, and fees. This patchwork of disconnected systems makes day-to-day operations more complicated and introduces room for error, especially as customers expect faster, more seamless ordering experiences across every channel.
That's why restaurant commerce platforms are emerging as the new standard: they offer a simpler, smarter way to manage both digital and in-person operations from one unified place.
How a restaurant commerce platform works
A restaurant commerce platform acts as the "control center" for your business. While every platform has its own features, most share a core set of capabilities designed to help restaurants manage, streamline, and grow across every channel.
1. Connects all your direct ordering channels
Instead of juggling separate systems for website, mobile, and delivery ordering, a restaurant commerce platform brings them all together. This gives you one easy-to-use place to manage the entire ordering experience — no more flipping between dashboards or updating multiple tools.
2. Manages fulfillment and delivery for direct orders
Many restaurants want to grow direct ordering, but hesitate because fulfilling and delivering every order themselves isn't sustainable. With a restaurant commerce platform, tools like on-demand delivery, real-time order tracking, and accurate delivery ETAs are built in. This means you can offer the fast, reliable delivery experience guests expect, without needing to hire or manage your own fleet.
3. Collects customer data for loyalty and marketing
A restaurant commerce platform captures the insights that help you build loyal customers, from contact information and order history to favorite dishes and average spend. With this data in one place, you can increase the likelihood customers will return by delivering offers and sending targeted emails that actually feel personal, and aren't just generic blasts.
4. Built-in analytics
A restaurant commerce platform brings all your data together — sales trends, guest behavior, channel performance, and marketing impact — into one unified system. Instead of piecing together fragmented snapshots, you get a complete, real-time view of your business that empowers faster decisions and smarter growth.
Why it matters for restaurants
Today's restaurant operators are asked to do it all: run efficient operations, deliver standout guest experiences, and grow their brand across multiple digital channels. A restaurant commerce platform helps bring all of this together in one place. Here's why it's becoming essential.
It simplifies operations
Running a restaurant is already complex — your technology shouldn't make it harder. Restaurant commerce software replaces a jumble of disconnected tools and centralizes your digital operations so you can:
Eliminate manual data entry
Reduce errors caused by mismatched menus or systems
Cut down on staff training time
Manage everything from a single, unified dashboard
Easily apply your customer data to run targeted, effective marketing campaigns
When your systems work together, your team moves faster, errors drop, and service feels more consistent: the invisible advantages that set great restaurants apart.
It helps grow direct sales
Direct orders are often more profitable for restaurants, and a commerce platform makes them easier to drive and manage. With the DoorDash Commerce Platform, for example, restaurants can launch a custom-branded website and mobile app with commission-free¹ ordering — giving guests more ways to order directly while still benefiting from the discovery and reach of third-party delivery.
By adding online ordering to your website and social channels, restaurants can increase sales by up to 8%² of their current Marketplace sales. In other words, you can grow your direct revenue without sacrificing convenience or visibility.
It builds customer loyalty
The key to retaining guests is delivering consistent, personalized experiences no matter what they order. With features like Cross-Channel Loyalty available with the DoorDash Commerce Platform Pro Package, commerce platforms reward customers whether they visit in-store, order on your website, or use your app.
The result? A connected guest experience across every touchpoint — one that keeps customers choosing you and opens the door to a 20%+ lift³ in first-party digital same-store sales.
It improves decision-making
With all your data in one place, you get a clearer picture of how your business is performing. A commerce platform provides real-time insights that help you understand:
Which channels attract your highest-value guests
Where you have the biggest opportunity for growth
Which marketing campaigns actually drive repeat orders
These insights give operators the confidence to make strategic decisions based on clarity, not guesswork, and support long-term success.
DoorDash Commerce Platform in action
The DoorDash Commerce Platform is built to help restaurants create stronger direct channels, streamline day-to-day operations, and foster long-lasting customer relationships. With a single login, operators can access unified delivery management, marketing tools, and robust analytics — making it easier to market effectively, fulfill orders efficiently, and understand the drivers of performance across every channel.
And the impact is clear: 3Natives used Online Ordering to increase average same-store monthly sales by 26%⁴, while D'bo's Wings, Daiquiris & Seafood gained $60k+ in gross sales from Online Ordering in Q3 of 2025⁵.
"We used to use another platform. But now that we're using DoorDash's online ordering platform, things are a lot easier and a lot smoother for our operation."
Whether you're an independent operator, a multi-unit brand, or a fast-growing chain, the DoorDash Commerce Platform scales with you — helping you adapt quickly, grow sustainably, and stay competitive as customer expectations evolve.
Talk to our teamThe future of restaurant commerce
Restaurant commerce platforms are changing how restaurants run and grow. By bringing every sales channel together, they help operators deliver better guest experiences and scale more efficiently.
Future-proof your restaurant with the DoorDash Commerce Platform — connect every channel, simplify operations, and build a foundation that scales with you.
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