DoorDash Expands Autonomous Deliveries with Serve Robotics

Post by : Bianca Suleiman

DoorDash Inc., the leading food delivery platform in the US, is taking a significant step toward the future of autonomous deliveries. The company has announced a multiyear partnership with sidewalk-robot developer Serve Robotics Inc., aiming to enhance delivery efficiency across major urban markets.

Robots on the Streets

Serve’s robots, already active in Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Chicago, and Atlanta, will now start fulfilling select DoorDash orders. These autonomous machines are built for short-distance, smaller deliveries, with an average trip of under a mile, typically completed in about 18 minutes. The partnership allows Serve to collaborate with multiple platforms simultaneously, including Uber, optimizing robot utilization in a model similar to gig workers toggling between apps.

Serve Robotics, which recently saw a 29% surge in its stock price, plans to double its fleet to 2,000 robots by year-end. The expanded presence on multiple apps is expected to reduce idle trips, or “deadhead miles,” boosting operational efficiency without requiring additional investment.

Blending Humans and Robots

DoorDash envisions a hybrid delivery model where human couriers handle complex, multi-stop, and higher-value orders, while robots focus on smaller, fast-paced deliveries in urban areas. The company has also invested in its own autonomous delivery robots tailored for suburban markets, capable of carrying larger orders over longer distances at faster speeds.

The company continues to explore multiple futuristic delivery methods, including drones in partnership with Flytrex Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Wing, targeting small, rapid orders in select US and Australian markets.

Future Beyond Food

While current operations focus primarily on food delivery, Serve Robotics plans to expand into other sectors, including grocery, pharmacy, and logistics within environments such as shopping malls, hospitals, and factory floors. The growing demand for automated transport solutions indicates a broader role for robots in everyday commerce, potentially reshaping last-mile delivery strategies across industries.

With human and robotic delivery working side by side, the US food delivery landscape is entering a new era where technology and convenience converge for faster, smarter service.