"In a new Fortune feature, tech correspondent Jason Del Rey rode along with DoorDash CEO Tony Xu on a delivery run and got a front-seat look at how Xu built the scrappy upstart into an unexpected powerhouse in the cutthroat meal delivery industry. The startup founded in 2013 by Xu and three fellow Stanford students once had less than $30,000 left in its bank account."
"Zig when others zag: Early on, DoorDash distinguished itself in the crowded meal delivery space by enlisting gig workers to pick up-and sometimes even order-food, whereas then-rivals Grubhub and Seamless only partnered with restaurants that had their own delivery drivers. Obsess over your customer: Xu prides himself on sweating the small stuff to improve service. For instance, DoorDash now highlights desserts on orders because they are the most likely to be forgotten. Its app also advises 'Dashers' on where to park."
DoorDash controls 60% of the U.S. meal-delivery market and is more than twice the size of Uber Eats. The company was founded in 2013 and once had under $30,000 in the bank but is now on track to generate over $13 billion this year. Early differentiation came from enlisting gig workers to pick up and sometimes order food, rather than relying on restaurant drivers. CEO Tony Xu emphasizes customer details, like highlighting desserts and guiding Dashers where to park and which entrances to use. All U.S. corporate employees must complete four delivery shifts annually. The company pursued aggressive spending when competitors tightened discipline.
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