DoorDash Launches AI Chatbot; Carts 35% Larger, Processed Five Times Faster
DASH•DoorDash introduced Ask DoorDash, an in-app AI chatbot for ordering food and building grocery carts via text or photo in select iOS markets, with reservations and rollout pending. Early tests show half of restaurant orders were new venues and grocery carts ran 35% higher in value, processed five times faster.
1. Chatbot Launch and Features
DoorDash rolled out Ask DoorDash, an AI-driven chatbot embedded in the app’s search bar under an “Ask” button. Users can place orders, build grocery carts or book reservations through text prompts, photo uploads or voice commands in select iOS markets, with broader U.S. availability coming soon.
2. Enhanced Order Metrics
Early deployments indicate significant behavioral shifts: nearly 50% of restaurant orders placed via the chatbot were from merchants the user had never tried before. Grocery carts assembled using the tool averaged 35% higher in total value and were completed five times faster than traditional app workflows.
3. Underlying AI Technology
The chatbot leverages a mix of proprietary and third-party models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and open-source frameworks, building on internal R&D dating back to 2023. A predecessor test platform was deprecated in April as core AI capabilities matured for integration into the main app.
4. Strategic and Competitive Impact
DoorDash plans to license the Ask DoorDash technology to grocers, restaurants and other retailers under their own brands, intensifying competition with Instacart’s enterprise AI offerings. The initiative aligns with efforts to unify its portfolio after acquiring SevenRooms for $1.2 billion and Deliveroo for nearly $4 billion, even as shares have fallen 33% year to date.
