DoorDash announced Thursday that it is launching a new AI chatbot that lets users order food and groceries using text prompts and photos, with the latest AI push.
The chatbot, called “Ask DoorDash,” allows users to search for what they’re looking for in their own words within the app, instead of scrolling through restaurants and stores to create a cart. You can tell the chatbot how you’re feeling, share a recipe link to find an item, or describe the reservation you’re looking for.
“Traditional search is most effective when you know exactly the restaurant or table you’re looking for,” DoorDash wrote in a blog post. “Ask DoorDash is designed for when you don’t.”
As companies race to make AI assistants a standard part of daily life, food delivery apps and tech giants are betting that AI can help make shopping more conversational and personalized. In February, Uber Easts launched its AI-powered Cart Assistant, and Instacart rolled out an AI shopping assistant that grocery stores can offer to their customers.
DoorDash’s app can create a grocery cart based on a cookbook photo, grocery list photo, or recipe. DoorDash will add all items and their correct quantities to your cart. Prompt users to check if they already have essentials such as sugar and butter and avoid buying things they already have.
DoorDash says you can also have the chatbot reorder your last grocery cart or suggest new items based on your previous orders.
When it comes to ordering food, you can tell the chatbot, “A filling dinner for a family of four.” The app then displays restaurants with a personalized blurb explaining why they match your search. You can further narrow down your results using queries like “What are some kid-friendly vegetarian spots with mild options?”
Once you’ve selected a location, you can ask DoorDash to create a cart with suggestions based on your dining preferences, budget, group size, or past orders.
With Ask DoorDash for Registration, users can ask the chatbot to find “a good table for two for date night dinner downtown around 8 p.m.” The app will then display restaurants with available seats. You can further narrow down your results by asking more intimate questions.
The chatbot is deployed on iOS in select areas for restaurant search and grocery shopping, as well as within DoorDash Reservations. The company says it will be available to more users across the United States in the coming weeks.
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