DoorDash Introduces AI Assistant for Ordering Food and Groceries Using Photos and Text Prompts

DoorDash announced on Thursday that it is rolling out a new AI-powered chatbot designed to help users order food and groceries and make reservations through natural conversations, marking the company’s latest move into artificial intelligence.

Known as “Ask DoorDash,” the chatbot enables customers to search the app using their own words rather than manually browsing restaurants and stores to create an order. Users can describe what they want, share a recipe link to locate ingredients, or explain the type of dining reservation they are looking for.

“Traditional search works best when you know the exact restaurant or table you’re looking for,” DoorDash said in a blog post. “Ask DoorDash is designed for the moments when you don’t.”

The launch comes as food delivery platforms and technology companies increasingly invest in AI tools to make shopping experiences more personalised and conversational. Businesses across the industry are working to integrate AI assistants into everyday consumer activities. Earlier this year, Uber Eats introduced an AI-driven “Cart Assistant,” while Instacart expanded its AI shopping assistant offering for grocery retailers and their customers.

DoorDash says its new feature can automatically build a grocery cart from a cookbook image, a photo of a handwritten shopping list, or a recipe. Once the information is processed, the app identifies the required products and adds them to the cart with the appropriate quantities.

The system also encourages users to confirm whether they already have common household staples such as butter, sugar, and other basic ingredients, helping prevent unnecessary purchases.

In addition, customers can ask the chatbot to recreate a previous grocery order or recommend products based on items they have previously purchased, according to DoorDash.

For food delivery, users can provide broader requests instead of searching restaurant by restaurant. For example, someone could ask for a “filling dinner for a family of 4,” and the chatbot will generate restaurant recommendations along with personalised explanations describing why those options fit the request.

Customers can further refine the search by adding details such as dietary preferences or family requirements. A request like “Show me kid-friendly vegetarian spots with mild options” can help narrow the results to more relevant choices.

After selecting a restaurant, users can ask AsorDash to build a suggested cart tailored to factors such as dietary needs, spending limits, group size, and previous ordering habits.

The company is also extending the chatbot’s capabilities to restaurant reservations. Through Ask DoorDash for Reservations, users can request something like a “table for two downtown for a date-night dinner around 8 PM,” and the app will present available restaurant options that match those requirements.

If users want a more specific atmosphere or dining experience, they can continue the conversation with the chatbot to refine the recommendations and reservation results further.

DoorDash said the feature is initially launching on iOS in select regions for restaurant discovery, grocery shopping, and DoorDash Reservations. The company plans to expand availability to additional users across the United States over the coming weeks.