Rising Star Helps SMBs Grow Their First-Party Channels
In under two years serving as General Manager of Digital Ordering, KC Fox has ignited the growth of DoorDash Storefront, a customizable online ordering product that enables small- and mid-sized restaurants to capture commission-free orders directly from their website.
“She turned DoorDash Storefront from being considered an essential service born during the pandemic into an efficient solution for restaurants looking to expand digitally without having to address the burdensome challenges of using their own e-commerce platform. By fully understanding restaurant challenges and addressing them head on, KC’s leadership this year cemented DoorDash Storefront as a trusted, easy-to-use digital ordering platform that helps local restaurants grow their sales online,” her colleagues said.
As the needs of restaurants have evolved, Fox identified a larger opportunity to grow DoorDash’s suite of first-party products and services for SMB restaurants including Storefront, DoorDash Drive, and Bbot. Her day-to-day role includes managing a strategy and operations team dedicated to ensuring restaurants have access to products, services and resources to grow their own digital ordering channels to meet customers where they are – all while managing the overall operating strategy for DoorDash's Platform SMB business. Colleagues applaud Fox’s strength in strategy development for DoorDash Storefront and credit her for leaning into DoorDash’s expertise to create an even more intuitive end-to-end online ordering experience, which added several new features last year.
Thanks in part to Fox’s leadership, more than 250,000 stores in the United States now utilize DoorDash’s Platform Services, including Storefront.
Early in her career, Fox was working with SMBs at Eventbrite, helping small business event organizers “create incredible experiences that brought people together,” Fox explained. “I found an early passion for solving complex problems for this customer segment that was building the cultural fabric of our communities. I found my way to DoorDash, knowing I wanted to continue solving problems for small businesses and the company's mission to empower local economies strongly resonates with me.”
All About Experience
When it comes to technology, Fox is “particularly invested in seeing how technology can enhance the guest experience at a restaurant rather than detract from it. DoorDash has a wealth of information stemming from customers’ ordering habits on our platform. We're just beginning to explore how to leverage this information to help merchants better curate memorable experiences, building an affinity between operators and their guests.”
The Future of Restaurant Technology
Marketing automation in the restaurant industry is “still extremely nascent,” she said.” The next step in the industry is personalized and delightful experiences for guests that keep them returning to their favorite restaurants – all without operators having to invest in costly software or social media ads. The restaurant industry can take a page from the retail e-commerce industry, which is quite familiar with these tactics. As younger generations prioritize experiences over possessions, restaurants can tap into buying power among Gen Z and Millennial audiences, provided they have resources to properly engage them.”
On Mentorship
“Mentorship, especially for women, is crucial,” Fox said. “I’ve been fortunate in finding mentors at every company I’ve worked at, who I call regularly for advice in work and in life – even as I move roles over time. It’s important to have a trusted bench of people to call when I need to bounce ideas off someone or get another perspective. As I've developed in my career, I've been connected with mentors who are both more senior and more junior than me, as I strongly believe there's so much we can learn from one another – regardless of tenure.”
Fox said it is an honor to receive Hospitality Technology’s Rising Star in Restaurant Technology Award. “Women are still a minority within the restaurant industry, especially within restaurant technology. I draw inspiration from many exceptional women I work with at DoorDash ... I hope other women in the restaurant industry will see how much opportunity lies ahead and I'm able to connect with them to foster the next class of rising stars.”
About the Top Women Awards
After a call for nominations, Top Women in Restaurant Technology Award winners were chosen by Hospitality Technology magazine editors and members of its Research Advisory Board. The winners were announced and honored during an awards program, sponsored by WWT Digital, on March 13 at the 29th annual MURTEC (Multi-Unit Restaurant Technology Conference), in Las Vegas. HT will begin accepting nominations for the 2025 Top Women in Restaurant Technology Awards and 2025 Rising Stars in Restaurant Technology in mid-October.