Delivering Opportunity: How Food Apps are Helping Independent Businesses Grow

Picture this: It's pouring rain outside, the sun is setting, and you realize there's nothing in the fridge to cook dinner. But you also don't feel like leaving the house.

In the past, most Americans would call in a delivery order for pizza or Chinese. Today, hundreds of thousands of people open their food delivery apps and browse local restaurants until they find something their hunger is in the mood for.

Since food delivery services surged during COVID in 2020, they're now reaching new heights for independent businesses.

According to a 2025 report, DoorDash supported more than $130 billion in economic activity across the United States in 2025, along with nearly $25 billion in tax revenues and over 1.5 million full-time equivalent jobs.

Nearly 1 in 5 businesses (19%) said their businesses would not exist today without the platform. Ninety percent of merchants said DoorDash helped them reach new consumers, while 77% said they would have lower overall revenue without the platform.

Post-COVID, people aren't ordering through a food delivery service every night, but data shows the average American places 4.6 orders per month, which makes a huge economic difference for independent businesses.

A HungerRush consumer study found that 66% of guests use food-ordering apps monthly. This number has held steady as delivery has matured from a novelty into an expectation.

Besides restaurants, other small businesses have also benefitted from delivery services.

Food delivery apps have expanded beyond just local dine-in spots, offering everything from alcoholic beverages to grocery store products and more.

Online ordering has become a normal part of life for most people in the United States.

Whether they're ordering to treat themselves, satisfy a craving, or get a meal on short notice, consumers love ordering online, and adding delivery can benefit your restaurant.

This surge isn't expected to stop anytime soon. If people continue to shop for grub online, every click of a button is another dollar in the pocket of an independent business.