From Cookies to a $72 Billion Company: The DoorDash Journey

From One Missed Cookie to a $72 Billion Giant: The DoorDash Story

Sometimes, all it takes to change the world is one undelivered cookie.

Back in college, four students—Tony Xu, Stanley Tang, Andy Fang, and Evan Moore—noticed a gap that no one else was solving: small restaurants didn’t have delivery infrastructure, and customers in suburban areas had limited options.

So, instead of waiting for someone else to fix it, they built a simple, bare-bones website called "Palo Alto Delivery". No flashy app. No marketing team. Just hustle, borrowed bikes, and a deep commitment to making local food more accessible.

Built on Grit, Not Glamour

In the early days, investors weren’t interested. Restaurants were hesitant. But the team didn’t stop. They focused not on what looked good, but what worked—specifically, solving the logistics of food delivery in suburban neighborhoods where competitors didn’t want to go.

Their goal was simple: deliver food better and faster than anyone else.

And it paid off.

A Delivery Dream Realized

Over the next few years, the company scaled rapidly, evolving into what we now know as DoorDash. By 2020, it went public with a jaw-dropping valuation of $72 billion, securing its place as one of the most successful on-demand delivery platforms in the world.

From small restaurants to national chains, DoorDash transformed the way businesses reach customers—and the way customers experience convenience.

More Than a Meal

What began as a hackathon idea turned into a logistics empire. But what makes DoorDash’s journey truly special is not the app or the tech—it’s the relentless mindset of its founders. They didn’t wait for perfect timing or a polished product. They started scrappy, stayed consistent, and never stopped adapting.

Final Thoughts

The story of DoorDash is a reminder that the biggest wins often start with the smallest problems—and the boldness to solve them.

No massive funding.
No perfect plan.
Just a cookie that couldn’t be delivered—and four students who refused to accept “that’s just how it is.”

So if you're waiting for the right moment, the perfect idea, or enough money to start—don’t.

Start with what you have. Deliver value. Keep moving.

Success? It’s only a few deliveries away.