Meet Johnny OX Pizzeria
Johnny OX Pizzeria is a family-owned pizzeria located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Founded in 2022 by owner Johnny Bojinoff, the restaurant is focused on quality — real dough, real sauce, real cheese, and no shortcuts.
Johnny OX is known for its long-fermented dough, house-smoked ingredients, and creative pies you can’t find anywhere else. Fan favorites include classic pepperoni and white pizza alongside standout specialties like Angel’s Peruvian Chicken Pizza, which blends traditional Peruvian spices with fresh, high-quality ingredients.
Standing out inside a food hall
While Johnny OX earned strong word-of-mouth locally, their location inside of Union Street Market, a downtown food hall, made it harder for new customers to discover the brand. Diners often had to park in a large garage and walk through the building — a barrier compared to traditional street-front restaurants.
Like many independent restaurants, Johnny OX also faced uneven demand throughout the week. Slower nights meant finding new ways to reach customers without adding operational complexity or sacrificing margins.
Meeting customers where they’re browsing
Johnny OX partnered with DoorDash Marketplace to reach more local customers and drive demand during slower parts of the day. By appearing where customers in Fort Wayne were already browsing for their next meal, Johnny OX expanded its visibility and connected with people who might not have discovered the restaurant otherwise.
To increase visibility even further, owner John Bojinoff uses Sponsored Listings, which help Johnny OX appear in more prominent positions when customers search or browse on the DoorDash app. Bojinoff also runs Promotions to give customers a clear reason to try Johnny OX or increase their order size.
Based on DoorDash data, a Promotion in Jan '26 — $6 off orders of $40 or more — helped boost volume and delivered an 8x return on ad spend (ROAS), demonstrating how Marketplace tools can help drive orders and visibility.
“Honestly, I don’t think we’d be where we’re at — or even survive — without DoorDash Marketplace. Monday through Thursday nights, we rely heavily on it.”
Turning new customers into loyal fans
As demand for his pizzas grew on Marketplace, Bojinoff wanted added control over his customer relationships. But, with a future move to a larger brick-and-mortar location on the horizon, he didn't want to introduce a new system to boost his marketing efforts and customer relationships.
That’s where DoorDash Commerce Platform came in.
Commerce Platform connects the reach of the Marketplace with the power of your own channels and customer data — helping you attract loyal customers and grow commission-free sales from the same connected system. Restaurants just pay a standard payment processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30 per order (payment processing fee may vary based on which package you select).
"I was looking at other solutions, but chose DoorDash Commerce Platform because I was already using DoorDash Marketplace. I wanted to avoid adding another restaurant system while we were planning our move."
Using Commerce Platform Boost package, Johnny launched his restaurant's branded website. Search-optimized with built-in online ordering and a Smart "Order Now" Button, Johnny OX's site is made to drive direct orders. From designing the site to pulling photos directly from their Marketplace menu, creating and launching the site was handled completely by DoorDash — freeing up Bojinoff's time to focus on his unique pies.
Best of all, Johnny OX saw a 59% increase in online orders in the six weeks after launching their branded website with Commerce Platform comparing DoorDash data from Oct'25 - Jan'26.
"The branded website is great — when people search for my restaurant or look for reviews, my site shows up at the top."
A proven recipe for growth
By connecting Marketplace reach with Commerce Platform’s proven direct ordering and customer engagement tools, Johnny created a simple, low-effort growth loop:
Customers discover Johnny OX on Marketplace organically, or from a Sponsored Listing
They enjoy the food and experience and scan the QR code on their pizza box, leading to Johnny OX's website.
Repeat orders shift to Johnny OX’s own branded website over time, while his Marketplace listing continues to drive new discovery
“I use Marketplace to reach new people and grow my customer base, and Commerce Platform to keep them coming back.”
The next slice of Johnny OX's story
Johnny OX is preparing to relocate to a larger, standalone space as part of Fort Wayne’s Riverfront Development project. The new location will allow for an expanded menu, including pasta and appetizers, more seating, and an even stronger connection to the community.
Although the move won't be for a few years, Bojinoff already foresees DoorDash playing a role in the success of the new location — using Marketplace to reach new customers and Commerce Platform to turn them into regulars.
