How to Franchise a Restaurant
Learn how to franchise a restaurant by building systems, protecting your brand, choosing franchisees, and supporting consistent long-term growth successfully.
May 29, 2026
Learn how to franchise a restaurant by building systems, protecting your brand, choosing franchisees, and supporting consistent long-term growth successfully.
May 29, 2026
Learn how Father's Day promotions, menus, reservations, marketing, and staff training increase restaurant sales while protecting margins and improving performance.
Jun 1, 2026
McDonald’s unveiled McDonald’s Next, a new strategy focused on menu improvements, technology investments, restaurant upgrades and hospitality.
Jun 2, 2026
Explore the operational secrets and business strategy behind Monty's Good Burgers, a trailblazing vegan restaurant in Los Angeles. Discover how culinary innovation, consistent quality, and strategic customer engagement redefine plant-based dining.
Jun 2, 2026
Dutch Bros delivered one of the strongest quarterly performances in its history during Q1 2026, with a 31% revenue increase, 8.3% same-store sales growth, and unaided brand awareness that has more than doubled in 18 months driven by mobile ordering, food menu expansion, loyalty upgrades, and aggressive market density building.
Jun 1, 2026
Fuel costs are emerging as one of the more unpredictable financial pressures facing quick-service restaurant operators running through supply chains, delivery economics, and consumer spending behavior in ways that are harder to anticipate and manage than traditional cost inputs like food and labor.
Jun 1, 2026
Chipotle is quietly testing a new Crispy Chicken protein option in select California restaurants, marking a potential shift in the chain's menu strategy as it looks to accelerate innovation and tap into one of the fastest-growing food categories in the restaurant industry.
Jun 1, 2026
Red Robin has sold 30 company-owned restaurants in Washington and Western Idaho to multi-unit operator Evergreen Dining for $23.5 million in cash, using the proceeds to pay down debt and fund its First Choice turnaround plan as the chain continues to reshape its ownership structure.
Jun 1, 2026
Operators share how to scale: trust the brand’s playbook, plan people, invest early, and navigate the Hell Zone as multi-unit growth accelerates into 2026.
May 31, 2026
Red Lobster will close its 5 Times Square flagship on June 14, 2026, citing construction and office-to-residential conversion; staff offered transfers and pay.
May 31, 2026
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Learn how independent and small restaurant chains can enhance customer engagement with loyalty programs, leveraging DoorDash's innovative features and marketing tools.
Photo by Artists Eyes
The restaurant industry is witnessing a shift towards digital innovation and customer-centric approaches, with loyalty programs emerging as a potent tool for small and independent restaurant chains to enhance customer engagement and retention. By introducing a loyalty program, restaurants can incentivize customers to return by offering rewards, discounts, or exclusive deals. These programs create a sense of belonging and appreciation among customers, fostering long-term relationships with the brand.
DoorDash's entry into the loyalty program arena brings a new dimension to the table by offering features that do not require complex point-of-sales integration. This accessibility allows small restaurants to seamlessly adopt and benefit from loyalty programs without significant infrastructure investments. Moreover, DoorDash's omni-channel loyalty program has the potential to level the playing field for small businesses, enabling them to compete more effectively with larger chains that traditionally dominate the loyalty space.
Photo by Artists Eyes
The success story of El Jefe’s Taqueria highlights the transformative impact of DoorDash's loyalty program. With 22,000 customers enrolling within the first month, the program has not only attracted new customers but also increased online order frequency. John Schall's statement underscores the effectiveness of loyalty programs in turning casual diners into loyal patrons, showcasing a 1.3 times higher frequency in online orders among enrolled customers. This surge in engagement contributes significantly to revenue growth and customer lifetime value.
Implementing a loyalty program can have a dual benefit for small restaurants by not only bolstering customer engagement but also driving orders and revenue on platforms like DoorDash. As the number of total orders on DoorDash continues to rise, loyalty programs serve as a catalyst in increasing order volumes from both new and existing customers. The seamless integration of loyalty incentives into the ordering process motivates customers to choose the restaurant over competitors, translating into sustained revenue growth.
DoorDash's commitment to empowering merchants goes beyond loyalty programs, offering a suite of marketing tools and services to enhance customer reach and brand visibility. From providing a free website to facilitating personalized CRM campaigns through email and SMS, DoorDash's Commerce Platform equips small restaurants with the essential resources to create impactful marketing strategies. The all-in-one dashboard simplifies order monitoring, loyalty program tracking, and marketing performance analysis, enabling merchants to make data-driven decisions for business growth.
Photo by Artists Eyes
With DoorDash's acquisition of SevenRooms, the future looks promising for small restaurants seeking to optimize their operations and customer experiences. The integration of SevenRooms' advanced tools into DoorDash's ecosystem hints at forthcoming innovations that will further enhance merchant capabilities. As DoorDash continues to roll out new plans and tiers for its Commerce Platform, small restaurants can expect tailored solutions that cater to their specific needs, providing them with a competitive edge in the evolving digital restaurant landscape.