About Mellow Mushroom
Since 1974, when three college students opened their first location near Georgia Tech's campus in Atlanta, Mellow Mushroom has grown into a beloved neighborhood pizza destination with over 160+ locations across the United States. While each restaurant features its own unique psychedelic artwork and locally-influenced designs, customers can always count on consistently delicious, hand-crafted, stone-baked pizzas made with high-quality ingredients and paired with local craft brews.
"What makes this brand so special is the people and the products," says Angela Mullins, Senior Manager of Menu Marketing & Promotions at Mellow Mushroom. "Our 'shroom crew' team members exemplify diversity in interests and backgrounds. They're hired because they understand our standards, which is providing guests with the best mellow experience."
That commitment to quality starts with their signature dough recipe—the same combination of five carefully curated ingredients used since 1974. "We take a lot of pride in the quality of the product," says Kevin Sugarman of Mellow Mushroom. "Our original recipes have literally been held in a safe here in our office building for 50 years."
The challenge: Meeting evolving customer expectations
Before partnering with Drive On-Demand, Mellow Mushroom was a full-service sit-down restaurant offering pickup options. However, when the pandemic hit, the team quickly realized they needed a delivery solution to meet changing customer behavior.
"We are a full-service sit-down restaurant. Off-premise sales were there but weren't as dominating before the pandemic," Sugarman explains. "Quickly, we realized we needed a solution for first-party delivery service."
But Mellow Mushroom didn't want just any delivery partner—they needed one that could:
Seamlessly integrate with their existing operating systems
Protect their carefully curated brand experience
Provide consistent, high-quality delivery service
Scale across their multiple locations
"[Drive On-Demand] is an extension of the business. It provides another way for consumers to conveniently experience our brand."
The solution: A seamless delivery integration
Mellow Mushroom partnered with Drive On-Demand, allowing them to offer delivery through their app, website, and other ordering channels. The integration with their website and online ordering solution, Olo, was straightforward and efficient.
"The process has become very seamless," Sugarman notes. "There are no tablets involved, no phone answering involved. It flows right through our POS system. The ticket goes in, and next step is the Dashers appear for the handoff of the orders."
"It became very obvious very quick—making modifications to what was literally 95% full-service dine-in restaurants to accommodate these other channels and meet guest demands and expectations just had to be done," says Sugarman.
To optimize the delivery experience, Mellow Mushroom made strategic operational changes:
Created dedicated pickup areas with clear signage for Dashers
Added hot holding units to maintain food quality while awaiting pickup
Expanded shelf storage for easy order access
Modified restaurant layouts to improve off-premise order flow
Results: Growing their delivery business
Drive On-Demand orders consistently generate the highest check average in their system, second only to catering orders, becoming a valuable part of their bottom line.
The restaurant has seen particularly strong results through strategic promotional campaigns. During a Halloween free delivery promotion, Mellow Mushroom saw its Drive On-Demand orders triple, generating 200% more orders compared to the average in the previous six weeks. This promotion was especially effective at attracting new customers, bringing in approximately 60% more first-time buyers than usual.
This success has continued across various promotional periods. A February free delivery Tuesday promotion achieved 30% more transactions compared to average Tuesday orders in the previous six weeks, while a summer free delivery Thursday campaign generated 71% more transactions compared to typical Thursday orders in the same period.
"You cannot avoid getting away from data analytics and understanding your customer. Focus on occasions and days when you know customers want to interact with your brand and your restaurant. For us, that means doing promotions on holidays like St. Patrick's Day and Oktoberfest where we can offer impactful offerings to drive them customers to your business."
Marketing tips for success
For restaurants looking to maximize their delivery promotions, Mullins offers this advice: "You cannot avoid getting away from data analytics and understanding your customer. Focus on occasions and days when you know customers want to interact with your brand and your restaurant. For us, that means doing promotions on holidays like St. Patrick's Day and Oktoberfest where we can offer impactful offerings to drive customers to our business."
The team also emphasizes the importance of having dedicated account managers who understand their business. "DoorDash has done a great job keeping us abreast of industry trends and really understanding the key drivers of our business and how we're going to grow," says Mullins.
Ready to grow your delivery business? Learn more about the DoorDash Commerce Platform.
