In sports, great coaches don’t win by chasing one big game. They win by building systems that perform under pressure, adapt mid-season, and create repeatable success long after the spotlight fades.
Restaurant operators face a similar challenge in 2026. Major sporting events and cultural moments will continue to drive spikes in demand, but demand alone isn’t the differentiator. What matters is what sits on top of that demand and whether a business is set up to convert attention into repeat growth.
In this article, we'll reframe high-demand moments through a coach’s lens. Preparation over hype. Systems over one-off plays. Long-term performance over short-term wins. We'll explore how you can use busy moments to evaluate your fundamentals, and why pairing Marketplace demand with DoorDash Commerce Platform is a proven play for turning one-time orders into repeat customers.
High-demand moments expose your fundamentals
Big moments amplify everything. Strong operations feel smoother. Weak spots show up fast.
On Game Day, demand arrives whether you’re ready or not. We see it every year on DoorDash Marketplace — a surge in orders, new customers discovering restaurants for the first time, and peak traffic flowing through the platform. But that surge doesn’t change your margins, your customer relationships, or your ability to turn first-time orders into repeat business. It simply puts those fundamentals under a brighter spotlight.
After the rush ends, many operators are left asking the same questions:
We handled the volume — but did we keep the profit?
We served a lot of new customers — but do we know who they are?
We were busy for one day — but did it change anything about next month?
If the answer to that last question is no, the moment did what it always does: it passed.
Think like a coach, not a hype machine
In sports, great coaches don’t build their strategy around one big game. They prepare before the season starts, adjust during the moment, and focus relentlessly on what happens next.
The same mindset applies to restaurant growth.
Game Day isn’t the win. It’s the test.
Preparation determines whether you can handle demand without breaking your operation. Execution determines whether customers have a great experience. Follow-through determines whether those customers come back.
Chasing the surge focuses all your energy on the middle part — the rush itself. Sustainable growth comes from investing in the pieces that surround it.
Marketplace brings attention. Systems decide what happens next.
Third-party delivery apps are powerful discovery engines. They put your restaurant in front of customers who might never have found you otherwise, especially during high-demand moments.
At DoorDash, we know how powerful that demand can be because we see it firsthand. Marketplace plays a critical role in driving discovery and volume when attention is highest. But volume alone isn’t the end goal.
Because Marketplace and direct tools are built on the same DoorDash foundation, restaurants don’t have to choose between discovery and ownership — they can use both together to grow faster.
The real game changer is what sits on top of that demand.
When Marketplace reach is paired with the right direct systems — your own ordering channels, your own brand presence, and tools to stay connected with customers — that attention turns into something lasting. That’s where DoorDash Commerce Platform comes in. It builds on Marketplace momentum by helping restaurants keep more profit, strengthen customer relationships, and turn one-time orders into repeat business.
Attention brings customers in. Systems determine whether they come back.
Use Game Day as a trigger to re-evaluate your growth strategy
High-demand moments are a great time to step back and assess your fundamentals — not because they’re special, but because they make gaps obvious.
Can customers order directly from you?
Direct ordering gives you more control over margins, data, and the customer experience. Even a simple setup can help protect profit on repeat orders, create a consistent brand experience, and make it easier for customers to come back on their own terms.
Do you have a way to re-engage customers after the rush?
The biggest missed opportunity of high-demand moments is what happens next. If customers don’t hear from you again — no reminder, no reason to return, no connection to your brand — they’re likely to move on. Light-touch engagement tools can help keep your restaurant top of mind once the noise dies down.
Are you building recognition beyond the moment?
Strong brands show up consistently — in how they look, how they communicate, and how easy they are to find again. That consistency is what turns a Game Day order into a habit.
Infrastructure matters more than hype
Great operators don’t rely on last-minute tactics to win big moments. They invest in infrastructure that works every day — and happens to perform well under pressure.
This is where tools that support direct channels come into play. Platforms like the DoorDash Commerce Platform help restaurants activate commission-free direct ordering and layer in tools for customer engagement and brand-building. You just pay a standard payment processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30 per order.
The point isn’t the platform itself. It’s the principle behind it.
Restaurants that win long-term build systems that:
Capture demand when attention is high
Stay connected to customers after the event
Support repeat behavior over time
For example, customers who order through a mobile app are 30% more likely to reorder¹ — one reason many operators invest in app-based experiences to support long-term loyalty.
When those systems are in place, Game Day becomes additive — not make-or-break.
Build once. Benefit every time.
Game Day is just one example. The same pattern shows up on holidays, seasonal spikes, and local events.
High-demand moments will keep coming. Growth depends on whether you’re ready to use them.
When you invest in fundamentals — direct ordering, customer connection, and repeat behavior — every surge becomes an opportunity to build something that lasts.
Want to explore how this looks in practice?
Join us live on February 3, 2026 at 2:30 PM ET for a practical walkthrough of how restaurants prepare for high-demand moments — and how they use direct ordering, branded experiences, and customer engagement tools to turn one-time demand into repeat business.
RSVP now¹Compared to customers using web ordering channels. Based on internal DoorDash data from January 2025 to June 2025
