DoorDash launches an AI agent you can text to order food

DoorDash announced the launch of an artificial intelligence agent that lets users order food delivery simply by texting it on Apple Messages. The company is presenting the tool as a way to skip the usual navigation through the app or website: all it takes is a natural-language instruction, such as "order my usual," for the agent to interpret the request and match it with, for example, a recurring Friday night order.

According to DoorDash, the system also handles more open-ended requests, such as asking for a specific dish or asking for a recommendation from a local restaurant. In those cases, the agent searches for nearby options, proposes a shopping cart based on the request and even sends photos of the dishes it suggests, so the user can decide without leaving the messaging conversation.

One feature the company highlights is group order management: the agent can combine different dietary preferences and different quantities for each person into a single order, a task that normally involves manually coordinating several individual orders or adjustments within the app.

The move fits into a broader trend across the tech sector toward personal AI agents capable of carrying out everyday tasks without the user having to open or handle apps or websites directly. For DoorDash, adding this kind of agent is also a way to differentiate itself from direct competitors such as Uber Eats and Grubhub, in a market where the convenience and speed of the ordering process are key competitive factors.

For now, the feature is being offered through a waitlist and only to users in the United States, indicating a controlled testing phase ahead of a wider rollout. The article does not specify which AI model or technology powers the agent, nor does it provide information on pricing, order accuracy or whether there are specific safeguards to prevent errors in complex group orders.

Beyond the conversational agent, DoorDash used the announcement to confirm that it will begin testing its drone delivery service with selected restaurants in Northern California, although no further details are given on the scope, timeline or restaurants involved in the trial.

Taken together, the announcement reflects how food delivery platforms are starting to experiment with AI-based conversational interfaces as a possible evolution of — or complement to — traditional apps, betting on reducing friction in the ordering process through text messages instead of clicks inside an application.