DoorDash on Wednesday launched an AI agent that lets customers place food orders by texting natural-language requests through Apple Messages. The company says users can send prompts such as "order my usual," and the agent will recognize that as their regular Friday night order. It can also handle requests for a specific dish or a local recommendation, searching nearby spots and suggesting a cart — sometimes with photos of the food.
The agent is designed to handle group orders as well, accommodating mixed dietary preferences and different quantities in a single transaction. DoorDash framed the launch as a way to gain an edge over rivals Uber Eats and Grubhub, and as part of a broader industry push toward personal AI agents that let people complete tasks without navigating apps or websites.
DoorDash has opened a waitlist for U.S. users to try the feature. Separately, the company said it will begin testing delivery drones with select restaurants in Northern California.