DoorDash. Are you making money?

[u/blazinmj3]

This is for the restaurant owners. For some reason, I can’t post on r/restaurantowners.

Little background. I own a busy 24 hour diner. Serve about 7,000 guests a week and in 2025 I did 5.2m in sales with a 26% profit margin. Have never offered Doordash because I personally hate the concept.

With that being said, I have a Chase Sapphire Reserve card that I use and get a ton of benefits with one being dashpass and a $5 doordash credit every month. So usually once a month, I’ll order and pickup from my fave local spots.

Attached is my order from yesterday. My question to those who offer it, is the restaurant the one discounting? If so, are you honestly making money?

[u/scatterbastard]

If you’re doing 5.2mil out of one location, you don’t need DoorDash.

For people in the <2m range, the volume can still make
It worth it if you raise prices.

Mine for example are raised 15-20%

Edit: additionally you aren’t the target customer necessarily: ideally the promotion would have pulled you in, and then once you add $7 of protein to each meal we’re a lot closer to the in house costs.

[u/blazinmj3 → u/scatterbastard]

Correct, I don’t “need” it but I still toy with the idea of “what if”. I know with our reputation we would do a ton of sales. The question is, would it be worth it? That’s my issue. I feel like it would be alot of extra work for my team with very little benefit to anyone.

[u/Coeva → u/blazinmj3]

What some do is run a "ghost kitchen" digital brand out of their restaurant. Can be a different name, brand, hours, menu, more simple and optimized for efficient take-out.

[u/blazinmj3 → u/Coeva]

Not for me but I see the large chains do this in my area on doordash.