DoorDash has launched Ask DoorDash, a new AI chatbot that lets users search for food, groceries, and restaurant reservations using text prompts, recipe links, and photos.
The company announced the feature in a blog post, saying the chatbot is designed for users who do not know the exact restaurant, item, or reservation they want. Ask DoorDash lets users describe what they are looking for instead of scrolling through restaurants and stores to build a cart manually.
Ordering With Text And Photos
Ask DoorDash can build a grocery cart from a photo of a cookbook page, a picture of a grocery list, or a recipe. The app will add the items and correct quantities to the cart, then ask users whether they already have staples such as sugar and butter.
Users can also ask the chatbot to reorder their last grocery cart. DoorDash says Ask DoorDash can suggest new items based on previous orders.
For food orders, users can make requests such as a “filling dinner for a family of 4.” The app will show restaurants with a short personalized explanation of why each option matches the request.
Searches Can Be Refined
Users can narrow restaurant results with follow-up prompts. DoorDash gave the example of asking for “kid-friendly vegetarian spots with mild options.”
After selecting a restaurant, users can ask DoorDash to build a cart based on dietary preferences, budget, group size, or past orders. The chatbot is meant to turn a general request into a more specific ordering flow.
Reservations Added To The Chatbot
Ask DoorDash also works with DoorDash Reservations. Users can ask for a “table for two downtown for a date-night dinner around 8 PM,” and the app will show restaurants with availability.
Users can refine those results with follow-up requests, including asking for a more intimate setting. The reservation tool is part of the same conversational search system.
Rollout Begins On iOS
The chatbot is rolling out on iOS in select regions for restaurant search and grocery shopping, and within DoorDash Reservations. DoorDash said it will reach more users across the U.S. in the coming weeks.
Food delivery and grocery platforms have been adding AI tools to make shopping more conversational. TechCrunch reported that Uber Eats launched an AI-powered Cart Assistant in February, while Instacart has introduced an AI shopping assistant that grocers can offer to customers.
Featured image credits: ARC Liquor
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