DoorDash, Inc. (DASH.US), the leading U.S. food delivery platform, is actively testing a standalone AI-driven social and interactive app designed to help users discover new restaurants, extending its business model beyond its core delivery service to build a broader "DoorDash Local Services Ecosystem."
The new app, named Zesty, is currently in public testing in San Francisco and New York, according to a post by DoorDash co-founder Andy Fang on social media platform X. After logging in with their DoorDash accounts, users can explore nearby restaurants and interact with an AI chatbot for personalized dining recommendations. These recommendations incorporate third-party data such as Google Maps ratings, TikTok engagement metrics, and mentions in popular Reddit discussions.
Zesty also includes social features, allowing users to share photos and creative insights about visited restaurants, browse others' posts, and follow profiles. However, the current version does not support in-app ordering. DoorDash clarifies in its terms that the recommendations do not imply sponsorship or partnerships with listed restaurants.
A company spokesperson stated that DoorDash is "constantly exploring new ways to connect people with the best local experiences." The company declined to specify which AI models power Zesty’s chatbot.
Following the announcement, DoorDash shares briefly dipped before recovering, closing up 0.3%. Year-to-date, the stock has surged nearly 40%.
As the largest U.S. food delivery platform by market share, DoorDash has been diversifying beyond its flagship delivery service. Over the past year, it expanded in-app dine-in reservations after acquiring restaurant tech firm SevenRooms and introduced autonomous robots for suburban deliveries.
More innovations may be on the horizon—DoorDash told investors in November it plans to invest "hundreds of millions more" in new initiatives and productivity tools by 2026.
Zesty’s AI-driven recommendations aim to streamline decision-making by aggregating signals like Google Maps ratings and social media trends, potentially redirecting users from search/content platforms back to DoorDash’s ecosystem—even if orders aren’t placed directly via Zesty yet.
Additionally, DoorDash’s ad business significantly boosts its net revenue rate. If AI-powered discovery enhances conversion and retention, it could expand ad inventory and ROI, improving unit economics. Long-term, synergies between AI-driven discovery, dine-in reservations (via SevenRooms), and delivery/instant retail may drive higher order frequency, lower customer acquisition costs, and stronger cross-category sales.
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