DoorDash Empowers Restaurants: DC and Twin Cities Benefit from Accelerator Program

Food delivery is a part of most of our lives now, whether it be greasy fast food after a late night, or a dine-in breakfast on a Saturday, Doordash has now become a constant in living in the DMV area. Many Metro stops have gaggles of people on mopeds or electric bikes, waiting to zoom off in the direction of their order. For many, food delivery services are how they fund local businesses and restaurants around the DMV area. 

And lucky for us, Doordash knows this. 

DoorDash has unveiled its latest cohort of participants for the Accelerator for Local Restaurants program, focusing on entrepreneurs in Washington, DC and the Twin Cities. This initiative aims to promote resilience and growth in the restaurant industry, particularly emphasizing helping eateries diversify their revenue streams amidst economic challenges.

While the program spans two regions, we know that Washington, DC’s vibrant culinary scene comes out on top. The program has selected 30 diverse food entrepreneurs from the nation’s capital, representing a mix of established restaurants, food trucks, and community kitchens. Participants include local favorites such as All Set Restaurant and Bar, FishScale, and The Peach Cobbler Factory, alongside emerging establishments like Cookie YAY, Dogs On The Curb, and America’s Best Wings.

Each participant will receive a $5,000 grant, but the program’s true value lies in its comprehensive education and mentorship offerings. The “live and local” programming, delivered in partnership with Bridge for Billions, focuses on developing revenue diversification strategies – a critical skill in today’s rapidly changing food industry. In addition, many restaurants are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, where they lost money for years and where food deliveries became more important for them to consider.

Recent research by Square highlights the urgency of this approach, revealing that 90% of restaurant owners plan to launch new revenue streams outside their core offerings this year, up from 43% in 2023. This trend underscores the importance of programs like DoorDash’s Accelerator in helping local restaurants adapt and thrive.

The diversity of the overall cohort, including both DC and Twin Cities participants, is particularly noteworthy. 66% of the participants identify as women, 49% identify as immigrants or refugees, and 80% identify as Hispanic/Latino or Black. These statistics matter because these businesses are less likely to get resources from state business grants or other avenues due to their identities and status. 

The program aims to support various growth strategies among its participants, as well. Doordash doesn’t want to just support the business that already exists, but also help them expand. 26% of the business owners plan to introduce packaged products, which could turn their business on its head and make deliveries easier for the business. 23% aim to expand into catering and events and 17% are looking to open new locations, highlighting the opportunities that $5,000 can bring to communities. 

Henry Martes, Manager of Caridad Restaurant and a previous Accelerator participant, shared his experience: “The Accelerator program was instrumental in helping us innovate and feel comfortable taking risks. We started bottling our popular sauces and launched liquor sales with a new marketing strategy. Now, we’re more financially resilient because we’ve found new ways to serve our customers.”

As intern season brings a wave of students ordering lunch orders for their office on the Hill, DoorDash’s Accelerator program stands out as a comprehensive approach to supporting local businesses. The program is helping to ensure that Washington, DC’s diverse and dynamic food scene can continue to thrive in the face of economic challenges and changing consumer habits.

The D.C. restaurants in the 2024 Cohort include All Set Restaurant and Bar, America’s Best Wings – Falls Church, Cookie YAY, Dogs On The Curb, FD Book Cafe, FishScale Inc (DBA FishScale), Fritters and Roast LLC, Greedy Little Eats, Hedzole, Hill Prince, LalaLover Catering, Lillian’s Southern Box Catering, LLC, Mama’s Boiz, Open Crumb, PLUM GOOD LLC, Power Source Foods, LLC, Scratch Kitchen & Bistro, Sweet Almond, LLC, Sweet Sosumba Vegan Cafe, Tabla, The Ministry DC, and The Peach Cobbler Factory.

If you aren’t one for Doordash deliveries and prefer to stay home and cook, My Everyday Lagos, a Nigerian cookbook, could be the perfect addition to your kitchen. Read our editorial on the author and the mouthwatering 75 recipes, here!