On Monday (10th), the largest online delivery company and food delivery platform in the United States, DoorDash, released its first “State of Local Commerce Report”. The data shows that the US “Breakfast Basics Index” (average prices of typical breakfast items such as eggs, milk, bagels, etc.) decreased by 14% from March to September, while the prices of daily necessities remained stable.
DoorDash’s report, based on hundreds of millions of real transaction data from grocery stores, restaurants, and commercial streets, differs from traditional methods that rely on survey samples collected months later. Its data truly reflects the economic conditions of thousands of communities across the United States.
President Trump quoted the report in a press release on Monday, stating that inflation has been controlled, daily prices are starting to fall, and wages are increasing.
Americans are starting to feel the trend of falling prices. The “Breakfast Basics Index,” which measures the prices of three eggs, a cup of milk, a bagel, and an avocado, decreased by 14% from March to September—mainly driven by a decline in egg prices. As of September 2025, the overall index in the United States fell by approximately 1.7% over the past 12 months.
The “Daily Necessities Price Index,” which measures the prices of toothpaste, shampoo, toilet paper, laundry detergent, pain relievers, diapers, etc., also saw a decrease compared to the previous year.
During the previous administration, inflation averaged nearly 5%, peaking at 9.1%, marking one of the most severe crisis periods in the United States in decades. However, in the second term of President Trump (approximately 10 months in), inflation averaged only 2.7%.
DoorDash’s Chief Analyst Jessica Lachs stated, “American families are looking for more ways to save money, business owners are striving to maintain operations, and people are exploring new avenues for livelihood. We have captured information that the national average cannot reflect and clearly depicted the true face of commercial streets across the country.”
From March to September, the average price of typical breakfast staples dropped by 14%. Prices of daily necessities such as toilet paper and diapers remained stable, and the “Cheeseburger Index” indicated where affordable meal options could be found. In cities like Lincoln, Nebraska, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Detroit, Michigan, a family’s money can buy twice as much as elsewhere.
Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird of Lincoln City stated, “The report highlights how the cost of living in the city allows families to enjoy life, invest in the future, support local businesses, and contribute to vibrant communities, making Lincoln the capital of quality of life in America.”
Despite economic fluctuations, 93% of local restaurants were still in business after 12 months; the rate of new restaurant additions exceeded 18%; and 72% of consumers stated that they saw the same number or more new stores compared to last year. Cities like Laredo, Texas, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Saint Paul, Minnesota, saw the fastest growth rates.
DoorDash lunch orders indicated that over 50% of cities have resumed office work, with a national growth rate of 2.5%, showing a revival of offices across the United States. Cities like Chandler, Arizona, San Francisco, California, and Austin, Texas, showed the strongest recovery trends, leading the way.
In 2019, less than 1/200 adults in the United States had worked in delivery services, while now it is about 1/15, with more people working part-time. Approximately half of DoorDash delivery drivers also have other jobs in healthcare, retail, or education fields, with an average delivery time of less than 4 hours per week. Additionally, some young people aged 18 to 24 use flexible delivery jobs to balance their studies and summer income.
Analyses of children’s meal ordering data by the company indicate that American families are moving to mid-sized cities in the Midwest and South with lower housing prices and more affordable incomes. People are choosing to settle in cities like Lubbock, Texas, and Gilbert, Arizona, where family budgets are more abundant.
In 2013, four Stanford University students Tony Xu, Stanley Tang, Andy Fang, and Evan Moore founded PaloAltoDelivery.com in Palo Alto, California. After receiving seed funding, the company registered as DoorDash in the same year.
Today, DoorDash is the largest food delivery platform in the United States, with a 56% market share in 2020; it holds a 60% market share in the convenient delivery sector. In 2024, the company made its debut on the Fortune 500 list for the first time.