DoorDash’s Latest Promotion Outlines How Hard It Is to Thrive on a Third-Party Delivery Platform


Skift Take

Third-party delivery platforms are a risky business for small restaurants, where commission fees are steep and the competition is overwhelming. While DoorDash's new initiative is a nice step for the 10 participating restaurants, many other independent restaurateurs feel gouged by its pricing structure.

Independent restaurateurs need all the help they can get to stand out from the crowd on third-party delivery platforms, where users are faced with a sea of meal options at any given time. DoorDash's latest promotion, Kitchens Without Borders, aims to do just that. Launching today, the initiative highlights 10 immigrant and refugee-owned restaurants in San Francisco through a dedicated microsite and video series featuring the owners and their backstories. "We want these restaurants to be part of the conversation of the city," said David Bornoff, head of brand and creative at DoorDash. "We think that the more attention they are gaining, that’s success for us. People who didn’t know who they were before, now get to think about them as part of their wider se