2026 DoorDash Workplace Meal Trends Report

I led the narrative development and data strategy behind DoorDash's 2026 Workplace Meal Trends Report, a PR-driven thought leadership piece built to earn coverage in the AI and future-of-work conversation. This report was published as an ungated landing page on: https://business.doordash.com/en-us/2026-trends-report

Starting from a broad business question — what does workplace food ordering reveal about how work is actually changing? — I defined the report's throughline: the "9-to-Whenever" workday by partnering with DoorDash's data teams to scope, mine, and pressure-test proprietary order data spanning 767 companies and 4,871 offices, then shaped the findings into a story with clear hooks for press:

• AI startups placing 62% of weekday orders after 6 p.m.,

• order volume peaking between 5 and 7 p.m. instead of noon,

• AI companies spending roughly $6 more per order than other industries.

I also worked closely with product marketing to ensure DoorDash for Business capabilities — cost controls, selection, and admin support — were positioned naturally inside the narrative rather than bolted on, and translated softer findings (healthy orders running 30% higher on Tuesdays than Fridays, caffeine orders peaking Friday, large group orders peaking Thursday) into an argument HR and people leaders could act on: meal programs as a flexible lever for engagement, wellbeing, and retention.