DoorDash Shares Insights on Local Commerce Amid Economic Changes
NEW YORK, Dec. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – The American economy is evolving, and recent findings from DoorDash's inaugural State of Local Commerce report highlight how families, workers, and local businesses are adapting in 2025. During a media tour in collaboration with D S Simon Media, Jessica Lachs, Chief Analytics Officer at DASH, provided a comprehensive look at the shifting dynamics affecting daily life in America’s top 100 cities.
Steady Prices on Essential Goods
DoorDash’s Breakfast Basics Index indicates a significant decline, with staple prices such as eggs, milk, and bagels dropping 14 percent from March to September 2025. Additionally, costs for essential items like diapers and toilet paper remained stable during this timeframe. The DoorDash Cheeseburger Index reveals that a family's purchasing power in cities like Lincoln, Milwaukee, and Detroit is notably higher compared to other metropolitan areas.
Local Restaurants Show Strong Resilience
In a climate of economic uncertainty, the local restaurant scene remains vibrant. An impressive 93 percent of restaurants active on DASH as of last September are still in operation. New restaurant growth has surged 18 percent since then, with cities such as Laredo, Milwaukee, and Saint Paul leading this expansion.
“DoorDash can offer a ground-level view into how cities and towns across the country are changing,” said Jessica Lachs. “What we’re seeing is resilience: families are finding more ways to stretch their dollar, business owners are working hard to keep their doors open, and people are finding new ways to make ends meet.”
Downtowns Recovering and Hybrid Work Evolves
Weekday lunch orders to business districts are a crucial indicator of in-office work trends, with an overall increase of 2.5 percent nationwide. More than 50 percent of cities are reporting growth in lunch orders, particularly in San Francisco, Chandler, and Austin, where the recovery rate is six times higher than the national average.
Flexible Work Opportunities on the Rise
Flexible work continues to be a vital income strategy for many Americans. The number of individuals participating as Dashers has escalated from less than one in 200 in 2019 to about one in 15 today. Notably, half of Dashers hold other jobs in sectors such as healthcare, education, and retail, with most dedicating fewer than four hours weekly to delivering.
Families Seek Affordability in Mid-Sized Cities
Ordering patterns of kids' meals illustrate a significant trend: families are relocating to more affordable, mid-sized cities such as Lubbock, Gilbert, and El Paso. These areas provide a desirable quality of life while allowing families to stretch their paychecks further.
For further insights, the complete State of Local Commerce report is available at doordash-local-commerce.com.
About D S Simon Media
D S Simon Media is a leading firm in the satellite media tour industry, renowned for producing high-quality media tours from its studios in New York. Established in 1986, the company serves clients across various sectors, including healthcare, technology, and consumer goods, and has earned over 100 industry awards.
About YourUpdateTV
YourUpdateTV operates under D S Simon Media and was instrumental in the media tour featuring DoorDash. For inquiries, contact:
- Name: Michael O’Donnell
- Company: D S Simon Media
- Phone: 212-736-2727
- Email: modonnell@dssimon.com
Discover how DoorDash is influencing local commerce and economic resilience in 2025.