DoorDash, the US’s largest food delivery service, is expanding its offerings to include robot deliveries and restaurant reservations. The San Francisco-based company aims to bring more business to merchants it works with and keep up with increasing customer demand.
As of the second quarter of this year, DoorDash saw a 20% increase in total orders, reaching 761 million. To meet growing demand, the company is introducing new features that include autonomous robot deliveries in some US markets. This move will bring more complexity to its operations but is seen as necessary for growth.
The robot delivery system, dubbed “Dot,” was developed by DoorDash after finding existing robots on the market were not suitable for suburban neighborhoods where many of its deliveries are made. Dot can reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour and travel on streets, sidewalks, and driveways.
DoorDash’s plans also threaten other delivery platforms like OpenTable and Instacart. The company’s partnership with Kroger will allow customers to book restaurant tables through the service, offering a new way for users to discover restaurants.
The expansion is seen as a major step in DoorDash’s evolution from a small operation making a few restaurant deliveries to a global service that operates in over 30 countries. With this move, DoorDash aims to provide more access to people by combining human delivery with autonomous technology.
Source: https://smdp.com/business/doordash-is-expanding-into-restaurant-reservations-and-robot-deliveries