One of Illinois Chamber’s newest members, DoorDash kept hungry customers happy, safe and satisfied during the COVID-19 pandemic by implementing initiatives and programming to not only support restaurants, but the communities they operate in. Founded in 2013, DoorDash has been connecting consumers to their favorite local and national food businesses in more than 4,000 cities and all 50 states across the United States, Canada, Australia and now Japan. “DoorDash empowers local businesses to address consumers’ expectations of ease and immediacy and in turn, generates new ways for people to earn, work and live,” said Alexi Madon, Senior Manager, Government Relations, DoorDash. “By building the last-mile logistics infrastructure for local commerce, DoorDash is bringing communities closer and connecting people with possibility, one doorstep at a time.”
The COVID-19 pandemic completely changed the way people lived. We as a nation were forced to reimagine our everyday routines and interactions with one another in a way we did not think we would ever have to do. “We launched a commission-free online ordering product called Storefront, began a partnership with BlueVine to make PPP loans more accessible to our partners, and announced the $200 million, five-year Main Street Strong Pledge which included $500,000 in grants for Chicago restaurants,” said Madon. “Another key part of the Main Street Strong Pledge is our Accelerator program, an initiative designed to provide financial support and specialized resources to women-, immigrant- and people of color-owned restaurants, which have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
The inaugural cohort of participants, which included 26 owners and operators from Chicago, received a $20,000 grant and participated in an 8-week restaurant operator course including hands-on mentorship and small business advising.” DoorDash also launched a Community Credits Program in January that was designed to provide DoorDash gift cards to nonprofits that carry out their same shared goal – addressing food insecurity through the pandemic. “We have partnered with a number of great organizations across Illinois including the Greater Englewood Chamber of Commerce, the South Side YMCA, the Elgin Boys and Girls Club, Ravenswood Elementary, and Sarah’s Circle, said Madon. “We also recently announced a partnership with the White House to provide $25 DoorDash gift cards to those who receive vaccinations at community health centers across Illinois and the country. We hope by incentivizing those who haven’t already been vaccinated to get their shot, we can help keep Illinoisians safe.”
With the struggles and sacrifice businesses had during the global pandemic, DoorDash is proud of their accomplishments and partnerships helping restaurants drive sales and adapt to new changes. “The odds of a restaurant staying open during the pandemic are 8x higher for businesses using DoorDash, and we look forward to continuing to find ways to support our partners as we enter this post-pandemic normal,” said Madon.
As for the future, DoorDash is continuing its work across the nation by providing businesses and consumers with an exceptional food delivery service available to them at the touch of their fingers.
“The Illinois Chamber has helped us to connect with businesses in the state who share our goals of supporting small businesses and empowering local economies,” said Madon. “As we look to the rest of this year, we’re eager to work together to amplify our voices as we advocate for merchants, Dashers, and customers throughout Illinois.”
We at the Chamber are excited to see where DoorDash goes next! To learn more about DoorDash or find your local delivery service, click here.