The strongest piece of marketing that we have to grab new customers at a new location

Meet Caliente Pizza & Draft House

From a single pizza oven in Bloomfield to the official Pizza of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Nick Bogacz built Caliente Pizza & Draft House with grit, family, and a love for great food. Over a decade later, Caliente has grown into eight thriving locations and become a fixture of the city’s food and sports scene — even earning an award for the Best Pizza in America in 2019.

Partnering with DoorDash helped Caliente take the next step to simplify delivery, find new customers, and scale across their city without losing the small-shop feel that started it all.

“¿Cómo ha impactado DoorDash en nuestros resultados? Bueno, los mejoró. Porque lo que pasó es que nuestros pedidos se dispararon”.

— Nick Bogacz, Fundador y presidente, Caliente Pizza & Draft House

The challenge: Competing for customers in a delivery-first world

After the pandemic, delivery became an expectation rather than just a convenience. For Caliente Pizza & Draft House, that shift brought new pressure. Their in-house drivers couldn’t keep up with the surge in orders, hiring was more difficult than ever, and delivery costs kept climbing. 

The industry-wide focus on providing delivery means customers can now order from a wider mix of restaurants. Competing for visibility in that crowded space meant Caliente needed more than a fleet of drivers. They needed a partner who could expand reach, maintain high food quality, and help market each location without adding more overhead.

The solution: Tapping into DoorDash Marketplace and Drive On-Demand

Caliente Pizza & Draft House knew that its growth would depend on meeting delivery demand head-on. Listing its award-winning pies on DoorDash Marketplace immediately put its menu in front of local customers already looking to order, helping every new location hit the ground running.

“En cuanto encendemos la tablet, empezamos a escuchar las notificaciones y los pedidos de pizza comienzan a entrar. Es la herramienta de marketing más fuerte que tenemos para atraer nuevos clientes en un local nuevo”.

— Nick Bogacz, Fundador y presidente, Caliente Pizza & Draft House

Drive On-Demand handled deliveries from Caliente’s own channels to keep things running smoothly. This meant that Caliente could focus on all other aspects of the business with the trust that DoorDash would help them meet delivery demands.

Results: Expansion to new locations and reliable growth

Through the DoorDash Marketplace, promotions and ads, Caliente connected with thousands of new customers who might never have discovered them otherwise. And with Drive On-Demand, they kept service consistent.

For Caliente, the best surprise was how dependable Dashers are. They treat every order like it’s their own, making sure the food arrives exactly as it was meant to be served.

"Se aseguran de que el cliente reciba su pedido bien caliente y recién hecho. Y esa es la mejor parte del Dasher de DoorDash para nosotros. Sabemos que tomarán la pizza perfecta que acabamos de hacer y la entregarán de la misma manera.

— Nick Bogacz, Fundador y presidente, Caliente Pizza & Draft House

DoorDash has become a key business growth channel, driving sales and brand recognition while helping Caliente maintain the same family-run feel that built its reputation. Together they have:

• Expanded to eight locations across Pittsburgh

• 73% of all sales come through DoorDash Marketplace

• Reached 22% YoY sales growth on DoorDash

• 41% of DoorDash orders are by new customers

• Improved delivery reliability and customer satisfaction with Drive On-Demand

Caliente Pizza & Draft House has built a stronger, more scalable delivery operation with DoorDash, one that reaches new customers, improves reliability, and supports long-term expansion.